The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-17

same
where just after private enterprise had cleaned
the front stoops, sidewalks and cutters Mr.
sharpes snow plough came along with whir and
rush and heaped the shining snow IN piles along
the curbs In Printing House square, at the
Aston House depots. and at sundry points along
the lines OF various names there were frequent
stoppages the consequence of which rapid con-
gregation of crowded cars. bewildering maze of
tangled norsss ana oaeSsn VI wond
A Jersey pedlers baiky horse was the innocent
of a long continued blockade on the Bowery.
near Grand street The pedler sat in his wagon.
smoking veteran pipe, aud gave the remainder of
his mind to his tired horse as he wearily plodded
through the snow. Needless of the shouts of snow
plough driver the Jerseyman journeyed In
other instant the end OF the wagon lifted
from the track and thrown bodily upon the aston
ished animal-but the driver, where was he? He was
picked up conscious and mad from an adjacent snow
drift and at proceeded to put his affairs i'll order
He succeeded well enough with the wagon, but his
horse would not bulge an inch. Every fendish mode
known to the average driver awaited OF in vain.
Meanwhile the came on. One after another they
arrived and formed in line. preceded by their
ing horses The block lasted upward of half hour
and it is safe to say that no pandemonium exists
wherein an equal volume OF profanity can be heard
in an equal length OF time.
But this not an exceptional incident. Fulton
street. near the ferry was in continuous condition
of uproar and disturbance. The street along the
river front. where the Belt line popularity
said to 'run was never before thoroughly packed
with vehicles of all descriptions, dotted here and
there with crowded cars, sad faced conductors,
icicled drivers and demoralzed horses. The police
men powerless. Every driver deter
mined every coigne of vantage, and, the
cars unprovided with poles. it was then.
it always is. an easy matter for an ordinary
cart or wagon to rush madly in front of the unpro
tected car horse that may be standing in his way.
The Third avenue line is OF the thoroughly
equipped for emergencies of this kind and was the
first Wednesday night to send ont its great
iron proved ploughs. But even this line was COM
PEELED to confess defeat. The King of Winter de-
featcd the best laid plans of the Third avenues d.
rectors. and intorfered the entire dag with their
time table. All that willing men and nerve strained
horses could accomplish DONE but as
the cars were hopelessy overcrowded and the
passengers simply would not bear hand to help
/ in time Of need the normal result was a scene OF
confusion and creature complaint. lnasmuch as the
active snow ploughs had winrowed the snow ON both
sides OF the tracks passengers had hard time OF 1t
when they left the Now and then ut street
corner there foot path, but it about diff
cult to stop the horses it to start them, and,
as rule passengers were forced to step from the
into hill OF snow and that means wet ankles,
uncomfortable wading and many hard and Disagree
able fall 1t not money making day for surface
railroads, although from four o'clock and later all
the were overloaded passengers being packed
TRAVEL ON THE 81" ROADS,
Omen as the service OF the 81" roads unques-
ties it would be difficult to find New Yorker to-day
who is not thankful for their existence Yesterday
red letter day in their experience, and although
they cannot claim perfection they can very earnestly
insist that popular convenience ever so
viceabe as they already proven to be. From all
residents of "up town" and middle town made
their way to the elevated stations. Early in the
morning, when there was not even pretence Of
in fact the surface roads were beddcd ten
inches under drifted snow-tho trains the "L
ing was cherries and chilly The snow damp
and clinging The stair approaches to the East side
sl,lsh and water. Slowly and Internationally regi-
ment of cold and impatient men followed each other
up the steps and swore ut the ticket seller because he
kept them waiting for their change Dangerous
congregatngs Of careless men and boys at
every station o,, The trail. trains were pushed
every every car was filed to ' suffocation As yet
the surplus steam in the engine boilers is wasted in
mid air, while whistling, blowing. stamping pas
sengers endeavor to get by violent gestcula-
tons or unnecessary profanity. The windows were
frosted by the frozen breath of well clad men, each
of whom contributed his proportion of snow to the
soaked and dirty mats upon the floor But in spite
of the wet mats, the comOrtless the dangerous
crowding OF the platforms at the stations and the
abominabe condition of the stairs the public recog
nzed the service Of the east side "L' and gladly
paid its fare. There great delay, a rule.
although occasionally trains unnecessarily slow
between certain points.
The Sixth avenue IL" had its full share Of pub
lie patronage. Its stations and station stairs are
covered over so that passengers are from
the Storm but yesterday. although swecpers were
constantly at work. the steps dirty and covered
| with slush, The heated usual, and al
| though they were uncomfortably overcrowdcd they
were rs warm as any ordinary room. The down rush
tremendous aud scenes of risk and personal peril
similar to those the othcr road of frequent
occurrence Trains were despatched regularly, but
it was doomed best to slow down nat, and the
| average time considerably extended.
THE AFTERNOON RUsH.
But great as the crowd was in the morning 1t was
like drop in the bucket in comparison to the multi
| tudnous scramble OF the afternoon. Nothing was
ever seen like it or approaching it. As though
had their lives at stake they fought for place. As
though each train was the last facility Afforded them
for reaching home they pushed and strove for
mediation. The scenes OF literal danger that
witnessed at the stations at Hanover square Fulton
street. Chatham square and even further up dis
graceful to human nature and suggestive of terrible
possibility. The platforms are not rallied of. They
are high in the air. Yesterday they were wet and
slippery. The trains, up and down, take their pas
sengers from common platform, where hundreds
OF excited. rude, unruly men and boys contest for
precedence. and risk their lives and limbs with APP
palling recklessness. From four in the afternoon
until seven in the evening was the time OF the
greatest rush. A few women and work girls
now and then were caught in the crowd,
no safeguard They were whirled about like chips
in an eddy pushed and hauled and landed in the
cars tumblcd, frightened ana demoralized. Men i'll
a panic often run il they had lost their heads.
These pushed AS il they were in the same pre-
dicament Train after train passed Fulton street,
packed to its utmost limit Progress was COM
parstively slow, and curves treated gingerly.
No living conductor could have answered 1.-THE OF
the questions asked ana continued to iive No
brakeman not saint could pay attention to one III
fifty of the insulting remarks flung ut him and for
bear to knock the insulter down.
THE NOBLE ARMY OF GRUMBLERs.
The noble army OF grumblers were out In full force
They joined the great cloud of hurryers US they
climbed the stairs. and sworc at the porter
because the steps covered with slush. They
voted it an outrage because there but ticket
agent and all had to form in line: They made their part
the shout of lamentaton because the position was
one OF peril. They hurled at the conductors
trains that did not STOP and called attention to the
danger of allowing so many people to ride on the
platforms OF the They complained of wet feet
they stood on the mud soaked mats. and inyeighcd
against the penny wise and pound foolish policy
company that refused to warm their cars.
DIFFICULTIES TO be OVERCOME.
The fact is there not enough the pco-
pic II the average patronage OF the Third avenue
IL" is 100000 yesterdays travel must have equacd
l5oOO The uptown rush began ouite an Lour
earlier than usual Certainly by four O'Clock the
utmost capacity OF the present force thoroughly
taxed. Prudent discounted the five o'clock rush
and sagaciously went at tour. Spacious men think
Ing that prudent men would be ape to make rush ut
four deliberately waited till vc hoping that that
the wiser plan But there such influx from the
surface and stages, and such added patronage
from men who ordinarily walk home that the ex-
trcmcst cndoavor to accommodate the multitude re-
suited In dismal failure. Had there been four '.Ls
they would have been profitable Investments ON this
very extraordinary occasion. The engines mono
strong for the work they had to do and the
too lew TOR the people. Conductors mortals