Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-08-06
gos Auasles 4lemld.
C.bl. Road. in San Franoisoo.

and, while TO the publ1c OF san
Francisco the transition has been
gradual and familiar, the inven.
ton Is of such q character as to de.
serve here special mention, be-
cause the inventor was for many
years the President of this noble
and enterprisipg society, and the
invention itself is another example
of what Californians are doing fol-
the world.
For many years horse flesh has
been the principal motive power
used In carrying people to and fro
in cities and towns. And as the
democratic omnibus succeeded the
more aristocratic cab, it in time
became supplanted by the less
noisy, more convenient and less
costly street car; but they all had
to be drawn by horses, and as these
modes OF conveyance multiplied, as
they naturallysdid from their con-
venient and cheap mode of transit,
more horses were used and a larger
number killed by overwork, espe-
cially on streets where the ascent
was steep, or where the number of
passengers carried was very great.
Steam motors, compressed air,
latent steam and other plans had
been tried without success, and
methods that could be operated on
country roads were not permitted
to be used in cities and towns.
Large corporations were form ed
for carrying on street railroad traf-
dc, and possessing thousands OF
horses, immense stables for their
care and maintenance were re-
quired.
In such cities as Philadelphia,
where streets are almost level and
laid out at right angles, the city
railroad companies have car line
on every street, and make large
profits on their passengers at the
rate of fare charged.
But In many cities like San Fran
cisco, where the streets run up and
over steep hills, the service to the
public was poor, the remuneration
to the company was not great,
while the comfort and care Of the
poor horses were certainly as bad as
IL
The higher hills of the city were
uninviting except to the enthusi-
astic climber who had just arrived
and wanted to get bird's-eye view
of the state.
At the north end of the city the
cars of the Omnibus Railroad Com
pany were drawn up Jackson street
from Kearny to Stockton, dis
tance of 875 feet, by five horses. the
elevation In that distance being IS
feet.
In the winter evenings, when the
cars were crowded, the struggle of
these unfortunate horses up that
steep hill was som mething terrible.
It was on such an occasion in the
winter of 1859 that A. s. Hallidie
was watching the efforts of the
horses to draw up an overcrowded
car, when one of the animals
slipped on the wet cobbles and fell,
throwing down the horse behind
him. The brakes were immediate.
ly put on, and the horses urged tc
regain their footing, but the brakes
being insufficient to hold the cal
on the steep incline, it slid back.
ward, dragging the horses dowr
the Hill to the crossing below.
To this incident are we indebted
for the cable road of to-day and al
Its attendant comforts.
A. 8. HALLIDIE'S PLANS MATURED
Within two years Mr.. Hallidi,
had matured his plans for road
but like all such inventions and en-
terprsses, it did not at first NEE
with much encouragement, and bu
for the assistance and cooperation
of two or three gentlemen, who saw
in 1t more than the mere fancy o
an inventive mind, it would have
sIumbered where It was born.
In September, 1878, the first rail
road of the Kind ever built was con
structed on Clay street in this city
and, while great many Difficult.
ties and obstacles had been over.
come. and notwithstanding it sur.
prised the majority of the people
by the simplicity of its working, il
yet failed for some time to con.
vince the skeptical of its ultimate
success, but as it continued to run
month after month under the care
and guidance of its master, 1t grad.
ually won the confidence and ad.
miration of the entire public.
The simple principles involved
and their ingenious adaptation
mark the value of the invention
and the success of the undertaking.
And what a revolution it has
made In the mode of transporting
passengers in this city!
The hills have fallen down before
1t, and they are now even more &C.
cessible and certainly more desira
BILE for residence than the level por-
tions of the city.
Where the goats used to frolic on
California street hill, mighty rail-
road kings have built their palaces
The bald old hill has taken on all
the bewitching charms of a young
girl with bright, new poke bon.
net, while Clay street and Russian
hills, decked out in new finery, fiirt
with those brown old hills across
the Gate in Marin county.
SUMMIT OF CLAY-sTREET HILL.
The summit of Clay-street hill,
reached by the cable road, is 3O7
feet above the starting point at
Kearny street, and the time re-
quired to make the transit is six
minutes by cars that depart every
i've minutes, ascending the steep
incline as noiselessly and as lightly
as . bird in flight. The feelings OF
personal discomfort, of commiser-
alton for the tired and straining
horses are entirely absent, and the
weary passenger returning home
enjoys a rest of body and soul.
Property on these hills, which
before the advent of these roads
could be purchased at almost any
price, now commands high figures
and is being rapidly built upor
and improved.