The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-01
over YAE HIGHWAYS
A Trial Trip on the Gilbert
Elevated Railroad.
EVERYBODY PLEASED.
From Trinity Church to Fify-ninth Street
in sixteen Minutes.

Rapid transit receives popular ovation yesterday
afternoon the occasion Of making the first informal
trip on the Gilbert Elevated Railway. 1t was an
nounced that such trip would be made at three P.
NJ, and tho ocsrs directors and stock holders OF the
road and Of the press were invited 10
participate By two o'clock vast crowd OF people
congregated round the inclined plane OF Trinity
Church, which the passengers would have 10 as.
cend in order 70 reach the above, and
by three o'clock all along the limo Of tine
road y Of human heads dotted sidewalks, door,
steps, windows and roofs IL roughly estimated
that not less than a hundred thousand people wit
messed the interesting event. and, they nearly all
hurrahed waved handkerchicis. the effects OF the
popular excitement may easily be imagined. Indeed,
among The passengers on the train II was commonly
observed that II Sixth avenue had been stubbOrnly
opposed to rapid transit the past appeared TO be
exceedingly well reconced to It at present. II
could judge by the popular delight manifested by the
immense crowds Of spectators
THE ENGINE AND THE CARS.
Before the train started q great number Of people
inspected the engine and four that composed IT.
The engine itself unique and striking for It's
city, But for the tip Of the smoke stack which rscs
above tile root would ieok-and does l6okpreciseiy
like . car, for iss working gear Is enclosed in the
same ornamental exterior, and with it's French
plate glass windows At both sidcs and It's
cosey, delightful smoking nook in front, It 10 about
the nsatsst and un-sngine like looking engine
passenger ever behsld A silk-ciad lady might walk
through 1t and sit down In the engineers chair IN
front without staining her dress The engine has four
drivers coupled with two pilot wheels in front and
In tho rear. that tho principal weight rests
upon tho drivers, which insures great steadiness Of
motion. Like the the engine Is painted pleas
ant pea green color The themselves which run
upon paper wheels with steel tires, unanimously
pronounced superb They are exceedingly wide and
Spacious dispeng at the very frst glance any fear Of
overcrowding or su1ocation with an ample
aisle between tho seats and through which
to quickly discharge all passengers; with
immense french plate glass windows thirty
eight in number, and embossed glass Of the
same quantity; leather morocco seats, divided by
small arm, which tho perfection of comfort and
ease, arranged lengthwse at tho end and crosswise
in the middle, where thus cosey little hooks
ated for parties OF Jour; aud with their handsomely
and tastciuy decorated ceilings, panoed with oak,
with mahogany mouldngs, and delicatciy rescoed in
oil IN The style OF Queen Annette cars, Tor iightncss
s,rness and elegance, surpass anything ever seen IN
swell, what have you to say ?" Mr.. Pullman asked
QUO the passengers, who Jocoscly replied that ne
had only ono fault 70 ind the cars were 100 nice for
Tho general mob"
THERE'S nothing too nice for tho people" Mr. Pull
replied IN his slow, deliberate way, '.people boz
nave themselves better when they enter Car like
this 1t is suggestive to them OF refinement and eie.
gance. IL has educating effect, poeve, reclining
influence. as has everything elegant or beautiful"
START.
Al last, when tho people had sufficiently inspected
and praised the cars, the signal for starting given
The four cars were nearly filed aud as there are orly
eight seats 10 every car ana as quite number wore
slowed away u inc, engine: nearly ~ pas,
Mr. George n. Pullman and hts brother Albert. under
SPECIAL care these have been built; General
Horace Porter, Dr. Gilbert. Commodore Garrinon, Mr.
Navarro Mr. Alexander and other stock holders o The
road; sx.Mayor wickham; Mr.. Joseph seiigman. the
Chairman OF the Rapid Transit Commission Mr. jesse
Sciigman, Judge Noah DAVIS ana other prominent
gentlemen. LII the car were about twenty.
pulled torih It's smoke aud the train slowly
moved on jolly hurrahs went up from the
serried ranks o. spectators s below, ana there rs
not eagerly craned upward. But the excitement OF
the people below was scarcely greater than that Of
the passengers, VINO were all most anxious TO expert
ence the sensations OF tho ride With perfect GOTH
and with no porceptible vibration the tram
Increased ito speed, saot by Trinity church. flashed
by the Church street police station and ST. Paul's
Church, and as approached the first curve into Muir
ray street everybody satisfied that in point OF
motion II was u success. Looking below one could
soc few old women greatly scared AMI looking up
with frightened faces boys and girls pigglod and
laughed gave the strange, lying apparition above
u humororsy hearty welcome Here, al the corner
OF Murray street, which was reached IN Two minutes,
immense crowd had assembled. Tho curve was
cleared easily, smoothly and readily that there
was general burst Of admiration from Mr. Pull
FROM WEST BROADWAY TO SIXTH AVENUE.
The noise which was hard aud rasping Ut nrst
noWnesS
not seem 10 nishten tho horscs generally speaking;
but the train gded INTO West Broadway IL scared
couple OF car horses. who turned round and smashed
the glass side OF the Cur. Tho tram, which had
slowed in making the curve, now darted onward with
good speed and passing crowds OF men aud
boys standing on boxes and trucks and
cited girls popping thslr heads out aud 1uterins
their handkorcneis TO the breeze IRON factory
IL ascebded the heavy grade on West Broadway
with the utmost ease Here, near WORTH street, tie
passengers were on Tho highest point OF the road
thirty eet above the strectone coad LOOK into three
slurv "A A
catch the grins OF good humored delight with which
those who mad climbed upon them greeted The rst tram
oil the Gilbert Elevated Railway Canal street was
reached Ia something less tnan four minutes and not
the least VIBRATION was felt IN crossing tue great span
over tnis street. All through South Farm avenue the
mass Of curious ioungers who tDroneed sidewalks,
aoorsieps and roofs was Immense here one could
the sight was fortunately not a long one. tue de-
seen. from the neayy Craze on ives. Broadway
dull, hard, grinding rasp. Blocker street
attained IN SIX minutes, ana here there was much
Tss 81 na nad n no
Amity or West Third street, ana here Tho noise
loaoest, on account OF the solid plate giraers which
take the place Of The lattice grder The engineer,
brave eiiow, who had Tor thir years run the DO
ton Express. was slightly nervous. and Tor minute he
stopped ana backed before he rounded the curve into
Sixth avenue which, when accomplished, was rs
graceful and easy rounding as could possibly be de-
sired. Excluding tho delay OF one minute sixth ave-
nue. had been reached IN eight minutes.
THROUGH sixth AVENUE TO rIiE PARK
IL was here Ia SIKH avenue, from rhra street TO
the PARK thpt the most exciting and Interesting
look place. At ali the station platforms there were
hundreds OF men and boys cheering vociierously as
tho tram shot Dy. The windows were all lined wih
human faces agog with curiosity, and particularly
great was the number OF excited observers at all the
factories, laundres, &C., where vast number Of girls
are employed These girls, TO employ com mon but
everyday phrase, were 'tcklea TO death" to the
nrst edition Of the new raitoaa wonder, and they
sezed the nearest rag handkorchlef shawl or flag
wave thor enthusiasm 10 the passengers, ana iew
even hung AZ them ksscs oil delight Even the staid,
sober denizens OF sixth avenue looked up with
sn approving smile as thee train rolled by. One
woman held her baby to tho window 10 enjoy tue
novel sight, another restrained her pet dog on the
windowsl AS the lttlo rascal kept barking and
| ping al the flying enemy; few horses reared. but
scarcely any ran away, and there appeared To be a
general hu0Dub everywhere. sixth avenue, from
| having been euch a bitter opponent Of tina Elevated
/ Railway, had now waxeJ wondrou enthusiastic,
and " was general remark what change IN popular
sentim wrought by tho ganloor oi su.cess Fou
teenth street, where every men OF tho platform was
| covered with people, was reached IN ton minutes,