Daily Republican., 1882-09-07
KDevatod and Street railways.

Elevated Railways in the large cltie
will no doubt soon take the place of th'
common street railway th~t has dom
useful and valuable service 30 long al
ready. In New York where they ar
most In use they show what elevate'
roads can do for a city, and the coun
try as we'll around it, by the annihila'
ton of space. Before these railway
were built property in the upper par
of Manhattan Island was unstable a
profit and as the city grew and th'
dema for business locations increased
the business men were forced to fnt
residences in New Jersey, or out in th'
numerous suburban towns on Long Is
land. in Connecticut and up the Hud-
son. The problem of how the people
should be able to quickly move about
the great city became one which i'm
peratively demanded solution, for be-
tween the ponderous rumbling omni'
buses and the street cars, there was
little choice as both were unendurably
slow. The elevated railways settled the
question to the satisfaction of every one
except the owners of property along the
route, who suffered from noise and
dust and obstruction of light. 1t is
possible now TO go in a few minutes
from the Battery to Central Park, and
but little while longer suffces for q
trip to Harlem. Property in the North.
ern part of the Island doubled and tre-
bled in value at once, and real estate in
the lower districts Of the city which
had deteriorated as business moved
up town, more than regained the lost
prestige. All parts of the city are east
ly accessible and the Gothamites find
that their anxieJies are allayed. What
these railways have done on a small
scale the railroads proper are doing for
the country at large. Our own city has
n OF risen to the dignity of an elevated
railroad, but our people are well con-
tented to enjoy the benefits of the street
railway tor ears to come. There is no
the great value I litese
street railways have been to the city.
The Wilmington City Railway has been
one OF the chief instruments or causes
Of the rapid building up of the western
part of the city. Not only have our
business men of wealth built and ac.
luired stately mansions along Della
ware Avenue, but mechanics and work
ng men are equally benefited, as will
be seen by looking at the large settle
nents of the bone and sinew of the peo.
pie at McDowelville. Forty Acres, Rod.
ney street, Highlands aud Riddles,
aud Dupont's Banks. By
the aid of this railway mechanics are
enabled to live out in the suburbs, away
from, the noise, dust and hustle of the
city, and away from its evil influences,
and they can still reach the large manu-.
factories in the eastern and southern
part of the city without tie fatigue OF a
couple Of miles walk. 1t is true that
This attaches an extra expense of ten
cents a day for car fare, or about $50 a
year, but this is more than offset by .
saving of Doctors bills, goodJ health,
lower rents and better and cheaper
homes. What the Wilmington City
has done for that section
skirting the Brandywine, the Front and
Union Street Railway will do for the
part in the region of and
beyond tie old Aims House. Already
new life is springing up in all that sec.
tion and wholesome rivalry will set
in between the two sections of the city
most benefited by street railways. We
hope the time is not far distant when
new lines will be built extending to all
notably West Whining
ton, down to the river front on both
sides of the Christiana, and out to Riv.
erview Cemetery. Street railways
however will bs luxury in Whining
ton for years to come. When she
spreads out her arms and takes in more
territory and builds up the old section
of the city with manufactures and
1welling houses, she will then begin to
think Of elevated railways also. That
time is surely coming.