The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-01

THE QUESTION OF THE INTRODUCTION OF STEAM
STREET CARS SERIOUSLY ENTERTAINED By
THE HORSE cAR coMPANIEs-A NEW PHASE
or AN DIV. DssssscvsTY..s .sss- .-ss s.s..
The public - familiar with the objections raised by
the Sixth property to the construction
Of the Gilbert elevated road According 10 these gen.
tlcmeu, who have to tho best OF their ability, per-
formed the task assigned thcm by the horse in
tsrest. the Sixth avenue was in danger OF being, not
only retrsvably Injured for business purposes but
for the ordinary passage OF vehicles and the urid
spectacle Of Oh cago lire depicted result OF
the inability Ut tho Fire Department TO operate EN-
cieotly from the same cause. notwithstanding the
concern of the railroad companies for the unfortunate
property owners along the line Of the road their
efforts TO tree them from tho many evils attending
rapid transit It would that the interests
the property seriously threatened by
the horse companies themselves than they
were by the probability OF rapid transit
CARS.
Since the introduction Of steam applied to surface
street railroads In Philadelphia several OF the leading
companies have seriously their
ton here. hoping that the very modified TORN Of rapid
translt achieved by them would ACT u sop 10 the
'pr0perty" CerDerus moIliiy the popular demand
for elevated railroads II Is evident that the
rOad companies not lacking IN shrew dness ana
they IN all probability would not object rapid iran
Sit. provided II ru nshed ny themselves but they
nppareusy tail 10 recognize the iact us claimed by
many, that their facilities and ever be- IN
the nature OF the case totally inadequate 1t is iur-
Their claimed that this not true u rapid
transit railroad the surface OF the street would
involve objections that questionable applied to
elevated structures but individually valid when ap-
Piled to surface roads.
THE OFFICIALS RErIcEyT.
The officials of the several street railroads quite
retlcent when spoken TO the subject Of sur
face roads, but the Superintendent of tho Sixth Ave-
nue. Railroad. In conversation with representative
OF tho HERALD last evening, nad no hcsitancy stat
ing that the road had been Considering the mi after
aud that Tor his part he believed that II II could be
properly arranged II would be success. Further
than that he would not say, and IT Is evident that
tho public they 10 to-day, viii, II possible FULLY ma
turc their plans before making their pu
SOME CURIOUS SUGGESTIONS
IL Is urged by some who CLAIM 10 possession Of
tho tac,s that the car companies, possessed o the
idea, which they have openly proclaimed, thut they
have exclusive right To the carriage oil persons
tho street through which their tricks iad,
propose 10 put the right into practical by
enclosing and taxing possession OF as much ot the
street us they conceive belongs 10 them. II Is con
the Sixth avenue road to 10 tested, the
dummies TO be run mt rate OF s;,ccd
not less than eight miles hour,
but In order TO do this frequent
live blocks apart TO icnce IN The track the cntrc
length o the road leaving an opening ut the
where tho stop to DO made Tor tho passage OF
vehicles across the track. Between these openings
thc streets to he closed The friends OF the
road state that tho property owners along the Sixth
avenue viii find that they have nadc most serious
mistake assisting the street rairoa IN It's opposition
to rapid transit under tho sovthiDg idea Of
oil interest ard the mutual protection of landed prop
erty In their desire to escape from visionary KING
king stork, not whore they ca. out where they arc
eaten.