The New York herald., 1877-01-08
AN AMERICANS LAMENT.
WHAT HE FINDS AT HOME AYTER FIVE
YEARS ABSENCE ABROAD.


YEARS ABSENCE ABROAD.
To THE EDITOR or THE HERALD
have just returned 10 New York after an absence
OF 1--WE years spent In travelling the world It's
useless TO describe the feelings return
ing home after such long absence; every American
has felt them after any length Of time spent abroad.
But with the pleasant sensations am sorry TO say
that great disappointment was awaiting me- Often
on my way back had thought OF all the changes
would find. and how New York must havo been i'm
proved during these nve years Ny fancies carried
so far that actually expected cross over from New
York to Brooklyn on the bridge. Hsiasi Dreams
wcro my expected improvements. and dreams sup
pose they will remain. I found the same bad pave
ment the same dirty streets, the very dirty and
crowded cars cold and uncomfortable as they
were whom left, and the same exacting and tricky
public carriage drivers, but rapid transit YET no
cabs and no bridge, and my disappontmen. was made
worse as could not help comparing New York with
many other cities oi much mportance and wealth
which are enjoying all the things much wanted
here What, above all, strikes you most is the want
Of convenient and cheap public conveyances. On my
tread again American soil, jumped without any ques-
ton into carriage, but arriving nj the New YORK
Hotel was asked TO pay 81 for scarcely twenty
minutes ride. Two doliarsI Why, sir, for the same
money anywhere In Europe you could keep public
carriage tor i've hours, and In Asia you could hire
palankeen and It's bearers tor the whole day. Is II
really true then, that we Americans know only how 10
invent and start new things which afterwards i'm
proved and made bctter ny other peopcY We were
tho first TO have street railways and cars but they
now just AS they were when first established Street
cars may be found now nearly all over the world, but
everywhere they arc cleaner, faster ana more com.
Portable than here In Paris where they werc intro
auSea ars arossS S Mors imam year age ney
ior horses on some lines In Chill, whore
the carriages sent IRON here ready made they
making some changes TO better SUIT them TO the cli
mate 80 as TO render them more comfortable TO the
travellers. The want OF proper public conveyances is
immediately remarked here by all foreigners. ana
badly felt by the whole community, and IL seems In
comprehensive that such want has not yet been
filed
can see no reason why there IL no cab company
already in operation here all such companies in Eu-
rope are paying satisfactory dividends, SO much SO
that new companies are projected 10 London and the
one In PARIS, La Compagnie des Pettes voturcs, Is
now issuing 1000 00ot OF obligations and
improve their material and rolling stock Such rc-
suits must show very favorabiy for enterprise
much needed and wanted hero, and It Is wonder that
IL has not been established long ago.
Before leaving England TO come home heard some
gentlemen who had spent some time here during the
largest items in their general travelling expenses
this country had been Tor carriage Eire and one OF
them added that II would not be such bad invest
mont for English capital TO establish large cab CON-
pany IN New York.
10 END this allow me, sir for tho information OF
your readers give the prices Of public convey
in different parts OF the world. lwiI not speak OF
street cars; the fares i've, six aud cents In
London, as every Que knows, for one shilling any cab
or hausom will take you from ono end OF the city to
the other at rapid transit pace In Paris, Tor forty
five cents during the day and nity.6ve during the
whole night q two-horse and iour-seat carriage will
promenade" you for hour. In st. Petersburg,
for sixty kopecks mot nifty cents you get dros-
KY for y drive. In Vienna Tor thirty kreutzers in
Berlin for twelve slbergroschen (about twen,y.six
cents) you can get pubic carriage. In Havana and
most OF the West lndes, Tor Two reaes fuertcs
twenty-five ceuts) volante or Victoria will take
you from La Duana, on the Port, TO tho end OF the
Passed dc la Rena; In Mexico for four realcs (nty
cents) two-horse carriage will take iour persons
the Toros (bul nght or the Passed Nuovo and Rio
Jaaero 500 rcs lsixtythree cents about) will procure
will get comfortable palankeen and ts bearers for
the whole day.
After having gone over the above carriage fares
what DO said Of city, where carriage drivers
will ask you 81 for two-mile ride, falling down TO
81 II he cannot got the 81? Only this that is high
time for a company OF cheap cabs TO be started.
A RETURNED TRAVELLER.