The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-20
CITY AFFAIRS.


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sTuEET RAILROADS.
Tbeir history, ANA y Few words J" "e"'
Their originator.
va .ra much pleased TO welcome the return to
-, n;tv ~ that entsrprising old citizen, y. D.
si.vson. 10 whose far. seeing sagacity new VI
Ia.ns L indebted more than to any other man for
40 establishment OF our admirable system o.
atreet railroads. For some years past MIR. biaw'
son has resided in New York, being the president
of one Of The largest companies In that city. Al
The inventor and introdncer OF the little fare-box
into which passengers drop their tickets or nick
els, instead Of paying tho driver or conductor
which invention was first applied In this city 10
omnbuses, Mr. Siawson has always been I'D the
receipt OF q handsome income from the royalty
for The use IT this very simple but very ingenious
contrivance, which has ever boon preferred
in this city, even by passengers, 70 the conductor
system, and IL groat saving 70 the COM
panies. Il does not suit go wen the
Northern cars and the habits Oh that people
Itindicates remarkable differences as between
two aImost distinct races that while ut the North
IL requires The presence and demand Of IN able
bodied. and generally very positive collector, TO
eompel many OF those who travel In cars to pay
their fare, in Now Orleans the presence Of the
passengers sud that inviting and suggestive little
box, invented by our friend Slawson, rarely fails
90 attract the immediate attention and enforce
prompt payment of nil travellers. Then, too. the
box il securely locked, and never runs away or
defaults. ID fact, our people have learned TO re-
gard The box With . sart OF reverence and re-
spect, and tho jingle Of nickels, gliding down the
glass incline, has become ono OF their favorite
melodies, especially when getting into the car
with come hslf-dozen friends on your return from
q fishing party, you can manage to put forward
some fellow who La ahead OF the game, and being
Id the front, by an nvariable law, ia expected to
pay The fare Oh the Whole party.
The city rail system In New Orleans is superior
20 any other city in the world. We owe liz gu
periorisy to tho dead level OF our streets and TO
the admirable adaptabiiity Of tho single mule
who pulls the car. The proud and consequent
tial horse has never brought his high spirit down
To 20 humdrun1, monotonous and severely disci
pllned mods Of draft and Service But the mule
liz not troubled with any suoh ssntimentalism
and nonsense, but jogs along oontentedly and
with severe pracsicability, never wasting d
thought, kick or shy, on bis way, and only In
tent on reaching the stable Ia time for his half
peck Oh corn and oats. Let us all, then. be CRATE
full to the original inventor Of the mule, who IL
one OK The most trusty aud useful OK Our inhabi.
tants. Nor let us omit TO manifest our grateful
remembrances Of our friend Slawson for introduce
ing our present street railroad system.
Those of the present generation are ignorant of
the bitter opposition made TO the first attempts
10 introduce the present style OF tramways. The
opposition to the Now Orleans Pacific Railroad is
very weak organization compared with that
which for years resisted every proposal OF that
systetn s'what run their cars through our crowded
streets, endangeriug 30 many lives. obstructing
commerce, frightening horses. and cutting of
legs, tearing up pavements. and diaplacing car
riages, cabs and omnibuses, in which good citi.
gons had Invested their earnings" and the drivers
OF which ,eoeyed liberal wages for two and five
dollar drives, that now. by much safer mode OF
travel, can be had for Eve cents. For these and
many other reasons, this street railroad system
on the present large scale was bitterly opposed.
Among the sturdiest OF their opponents we're the
owners OF the omnibus lines, who had good
thing OF IL, in city oil such respectable dis.
tances, In the monopoly OF Rll the travel
nj the rate OF dime per passenger.
III the rails and cars were introduced, the SOM
nibus' occupation was gone" and large property
la which they had invested would be rendered
valueless. SO they opposed the railroads-took
out ipjunctions and petitioned the Council against
any such grant. One OF the largest Of the omni
bus owners then was MIR. J. d. siawson, who, with
that Other sagacious citizen Patrick Irwin,
had established an omnibus line that contributed
more than anything else TO the rapid growth OF
that section OF our city known 40 Melpomene.
between Dryades street and the swamp,
had the good sense to see the inevitable
defeat CT tho omnibus and the great
value OF the rail car. 30 they managed TO make
d combination of the owners OF the omnibus lines,
ana one ne day, at tho second Offering Of the sale
OF the right OF way for twenty years OF the present
City Railroad line, MIR. Sawson bid as high
az thirty.fve thousand dollars, with such y
manifestation Of his determination TO 60 on bid
ding as TO drive of all other bidders. and thus
rot the grsnt tor himself and the other owners Of
the omnibus lnes. At the previous offering the
Highest bid was 10000. which came within one
vote OF being accepted by the City Council.
On this grant the City Railroad WAS organized,
with Mr.. slawson at the head. II proved . bril-
liant success. The owners Of the old omnibus
lines stacked their omnibuaes on vacant lot in
She suburbs, and left them to rot or supply FIRE
wood for poor people, and in view OF their large
profits from their railroad stock, forgot that they
had ever run an omnibus line or doubted the
superiority Of the tramway.
And this was the origin of the admirable sys.
tenn OF street railroads which permeate and radi
ate our whole city, and afford the people one oil
the greatest convonences. facilities and comforts
which modern civilization has discovered and in
PRODUCED into cities and towns.
THE CUsTOM-HOUSE.