The New York herald., 1878-08-27
RAPID TRANSIT.
Opening OF the Third Avenue
Elevated Railroad.
SCENES ALONG THE ROUTE.
The Din OF the Cars Complained
or Here.

tell his WHO that he had seen the devil gong up the
river on mill, had strolled down Third ave-
nue. yesterday ho would nave taken still more mar
veIlous sas home with him. for along he narrow road
way that lies stationary stills up aud down that
fair street thcre OF fiery Demons rushing
TO and fro all day. The long agony OF preparation,
from which tho east sido has suffered for year or
more, Is at length ended, and the citizens along tho
route OF the branch bf the New York Elevated
Railroad have at lenlth entered into tho fruits OF
their suffering Their streets have been dlggea full
with pinalls and numbered up with cumbrous IRON
work. Barriers have been lao and there against
which the tide of travel has dashed and then whrIed
Of in eddes INTO sido streets Dirt has strewn the
sidewalks, and pestiientiat odors have arisen from
the disturbed earth. Occasionally life has been
lost, as is tho case in the completion Of any great
work OF civilization But through 1t all the long sui
fering citizens wcro patent, tor the magic
words "Rapd Transit made Whisper
of consolation. There was prospect that
in the iulness OF limo IL would be pos.
sibe 10 get from end OF tho city to tho
other without spoiling naf day, and besides they
could not help themselves. So they tried to DO
patient, and wero measuraby SO. Every man who
had to rido In one OF the cells OF torture known
Third Avenue horse cars cast his eye upward in
despair as ho entered. and was soaced by tho irou
promise assured him that not always would
he be obliged TO suner.
IeStcruay Lno promise was Iuulleo-tn measure.
II is true that the date which the rapid transit
promised mad passed, and was renewed and passed
again and again, unHl old had died with
hopes turned ashes 1t s that only four days
moro remain before we were to have steam commun-
cation direct between the City Halliday, between
the Battery ana Harlem Bridge at all hours Of the
day and night 1t Is true that so long time has
elapsed these promises made that the easy
going, good-natured public has almost forgotten them
but tho great remained yesterday trains
genuine paying passengers aboard were
portion OF tho road The public, we'll used TO having
promises brokon that were made the basis upon which
privileges were granted, Kept lis equanimily and even
showed an unthinking graft udo for what given
Third avenue was In tumult, ana the tumult seemed
mostly joyous, Tor the thing that the people have
insisted on was partly accomplished. II possible
to 60 from the Battsfy to Fy-ninth
| able lime.
STARTLED FROM THEIR sLUMBERA
1t had been announced that travel would DO open
to tho blic along the far petod yes
ierday orning, 80 the people were prepared to
the trains. To be It had been proms Tor other
duys but this tme the puDc had tor itself
the really ready aud stations
place, tho sober ctizen who heard outside
his WINDOW The roar and crash Of the trans merely
muttered hearty curse ana buried mis- head la the
pillows As general thing citlzens did rush TO
| their windows, Tor II WAS TOO early But tho
was general enough. Tor WIN The passing o train
alter train came the con vction tina. tho no,se-that
greatest drawback TO the Metropolitan road In the
timat0n ol tue puolic-was SUBSTANTIALLY the same
tho residents iS,xth avenue had found H. Tho nne-
spun theories about tho open work pillars and general
plan oil construction oi the ihIrd avenue being
less calculated produce the Me,roportaa
road were dashed TO earth and shattered hope
OF course t remains Tor Professor Edison To deter
mne exac,ly tho irac,lonal difference be, ween tho
volume OF sound produced W tho two roads, but the
writer Is ready to declare lna practically the effect
6i the one Is the same that OF tho other to one
st andng ON tho sidewalk.
EysAGED CITIZENS.
he uhout Inc ann I'm tba hou Il
although tho most OF tho people, ~ was said tried To
finish tner morning maps, yet here and there along
the route as the FIRST tow trains up and down,
exasperated ctzsns pctnoric 0i habit, scanty to
their apparel ana purple IN EXPRESSION rushed TO their
| windows and swung defiant lists high I
tho needless engineers. NOBODY saw these citizens
excepting the brakemen and passenge tho OF
the train or the engineers were past before the de-
nunciatIons had opportunity 10 get out oil windows;
but all along the line were shadowy figures In wh.c
clothing gesticulsting iuriousy.
Some OF tho sights were iunny. Asmodeus, riding
on his Two STICKS over city nat unrooied itself
his keen eyes, doubtless tnan the travellers
tho early trans but the heetng ginpses the lat
ter caught through naii.draped windows AS
yet realized tho TACT that tho interiors OF their
rooms would be visible IRON tho cars, and there
was much cons qusnt careiessness IN tho matter
OF curtains Here aud there were elderly men be-
lathcred and betowecd nourishing raZors around
their faces and occasionally. seemed cutting tnem-
selves by reason oil tho startling noise OF ho trains
Hero and tncro were matrons trying TO look dgnilcd
they hastily drew down the shades, but failing by
reason oil insufficient drapery. Blushing girls were
putting on ex,ra bIushes, ana hardy young men
| laup ut their sad plight.
AS tho day grew older people grow thick tho
sidewalks, and IRON morning 10 evening the trains
passed along over .'seas OF upturnod faces." On
every corner people stood snzing-not with the same
curiosity with whcn they looked at the sixth avenue
trans two months ago. tor tne signt was novel,
but stil Ihere was curiosity enough. The children
yelled with delight, Tor II was more noise In tho
street, and TO children anything that makes
a source of plcasurabo excitement, but sober prop
cry holders on The avenue looked moro sober than
ever US they conncd over the arguments with whicn
they would meet tno demands OF their ,onanIs ior
streets were Ju0ant
TRAVEL is ARRANGED.
Tho arrangements Of the road TO fare, &C. proved
to be about the same as on tho Metropolitan road.
Tho rate nve cents between any two stations
road between half past i've and halfpa-t seven A. NJ
and between i've ana scycn NJ, and ten cents at all
oinsr times the trains arc as vet only running from
hal past nve A. N. 10 cignt r. NJ. but night trains
are promised snd piacards hung at the different
uons declared that que announcement would DO made
RENE mbcrcd that year the President OF tho CON-
pany Mir. cyrus W. Field, said definitely that trains
accommodating the grea, class OF Utzens VINO work
night, but IL IL understood that the New YORK
Elevated Rsiiroad Company will make effort
than the Metropolitan IN this direction, and that
trains Will be run alter midnight.
Throughout the day trans wcro run at nve-minuts
Intervals, excepting between nvs and seven oc lock
morning and evening. when tho rule was tn
intervals Tho trains were well niied throughout tho
day the station mcn claiming that the rush OF pas
sengore was oven greater than on ths opening day OF
the sixth avenue road Certainly II IL could be- cx-
peced that business would cohi,nu good 10
| yesterday there would bo broad margin Of profit
Ana yet Il seemed hard TO say where mo traffic
from. The horse cars we're as well flied apparen
| as ever and inquiry mado OF tho starter nj tho
lower end OF tho route as 10 tho effect any, Of the
| elevated road on the horse traffic.
al can't see any effect" hs said. "our cars arc
| carrying just tho same number as usual noticed
that one car on tue Fory.seccnd street Lcx,ng-
ton avenue limo had five or SIX passengers less than
| usual, hut that was tho only one"
| ''is II true that your schedule timc between tho
| Cty Hall and sixty NTH street has bceu cut from
| nuy minutes to fortyf" no was asked.
.No. Tho time Is the same II Is expected that II
49, A hgs