The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-11-29
Letter FROM Boston.
Correspondence Of the Journal.
Boston, Nov. Goth, 1877

company happening along; it is bliss COM
pared with gazing upon the ink thirsty |
pen and finding the ideas stuck as fast i'll |
the propelling machine as fall fly on a
body's nose. We verify believe, if we had
not become downright Disguised with try ,
ing to dress up the note book iottings and
determined to 90 down town and Mcaw-
Der like, ''wait for something to turn up"
we should have asked the privilege this
week of putting on the light costume of
some Of the neighboring advertising col
umns, simply announcing eve are in Dos
ton, and will soon return to the field in
full dress uniform But when we found
ourselves seated in luxurious street ear,
and thirty of the same kind lettering ahead
OF us, light broke slowly through the mud
died mists of the brain, and we had some
thing which we would gladly shake off the
hungry pen. Street cars The time has
come when it is all car and no street. \
pedestrian is positively forced to feel III
his pocket for the necessary six cents to
place him out of danger. for there is no
spot sufficiently large on the line of the
street railroads for a moderate sized pair
Of boots to make their way with impunity
There is no city in the country which can
boast of such magnificent cars as Boston
we doubt if many covet the quantity for
the sake of the quality. Last summer
when the fearful war OF competition was
raging between the rival Metropolitan and
Highland Railroad Companies, every day
for weeks more elegantly fitted car moved
down the new Columbus Avenue route
While the superintendent of either road
cursed and BACKED noses at the starting
point. 1t was rare fun to watch the con
slant developments Of spite. First, the
Metro. donS the most exquisite tntS of
colored glass, which sent their dancing
rays over the polished wood and beauti-
upholstery; then the Highlander brings
out elegant ground and cut glass windows,
and patent seats Of dark and light wood
Metro. responds with dainty rattan seats
and spring backs; and SO on, until ears
costing eight thousand dollars were doing
the same amount of blocking as the old
settlers, which had iustled along over the
pavements until every timber rattlede equal
to the ''paupers bones over the stones.
There are now running over the single
track on Temple Place the ears of four
different companies metropolitan, High
land South Boston and MiddleSeN. Each
company has within a year doubled its
number Of cars; and what wonder that
nine times out of ten it takes longer to 90
the few rods from Boylston street to Win
ter, than the miles from Winter to the
Highlands , If something is not done
before the extreme cold of winter is upon
us, it will be necessary to convert the
common into a burying ground for the
frozen multitude; for there is no bleak
er place on the globe than the corner
of Temple Place and fremont street
One of the spicy dailies suggested. not
long since, that either the Metropolitan or
Highland Companies put on a few sleep
ing cars, as expense was no object to
them, and patrons should have the com
forts, if left entirely to the merces of
horse railroads. Constant petitions for
new tracks are filed. The Union Rail
way, Cambridge Line) is clamoring for
an introduction to Temple Place, for all
other roads carry their victims over the
one lone track, and thew tcign would have
MO-. :. IL l'lu. Juf,tdll, Marsh \ 60.
are warning to the knife with the Metro
pOlltan Co., over the proposed double
track on Washington street, claiming it
will SO block the thoroughtarc in their
neighborhood, that trade will be injured,
and public safety endangered. \ new
track is being laid on Devonshire street,
for what purpose is not quite clear to the
people, as it surely cannot lessen the snail
pace farther up town. Thus, newspapers
and city gossipers find Il never failing har-
vest i'll the continuous war and rumors of
war. One word in favor of our horse car
system is due. 1t would not he possible
to find more gentlemanly men than the
conductors, always courteous, kind, and
willing to give any information desired
they contrast most tavorably with the
cut-throat looking set of New York and
other cities. New uniforms, OF blue cloth.
with regulation buttons Of brass. and
broad gold hat bands have recently been
added to the grand display, and Ulster
oVercoats are strictly forbidden by the
superintendents We regret to say the
comfort and welfare Of the poor fellows
in charge, are things totally disregarded
What wonder they are forced to '.punch
in the presence Of each pasSengaire,"
when one dollar and Seventy-tive cents
per day is the recOnpense for fourteen or
fifteen hours labor and exposure. Few
of the patrons Of the different lines would
be unwilling to have a little less fine
paint, and gorgeous glass, if the sum
saved could be given the conductors and
drivers. However, with all the ms and
outs Of the ruling subject OF the tlay, if
some wise head could devise Il plan to
have less cars, or more Boston, We should
have a system OF public conveyance I'M
equaled in the world.
The last great struggle for the preser-
walton of the Old South Church, bids fair
to be OF gigantic ulmelslonS. Nearly
every town in the state will contribute to
the fair: and every conceivable device to
allure the interested and diSnterested is
to be brought to the surface. one of the
most striking features, is the connection
of the church With the Transcript Build
ing, by Il bridge across Milk street. An
elegant cafe is to be fitted i'm the Tran
script Building, where choice bits of femi-
nimity will dispense freely the tempting
vands, and as freely relieve the suScepti-
bic masculine of loose change. Contribu-
tons from different states have been pro
fuse holly and mstletoe from the far
state Of Virginia, and constant sums of
money from other distant states. 1t will
undoubtedly be the greatest fair Of the
kind ever held in this country; and if
the Old church is rescued. all credit will
be due the energetic ladies Of New Eng
land.
I,