Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-01
NEW sTREET-CARs.
what The City Railway Company Is
Doing for Hts Passengers.

The constant daily Improvement of our
City Railway Company's tracks, cars, teams,
timetable, etc., since the administration of
Superintendent Semmes, caused an APPEAL
reporter to look into their headquarters al
the corner OF Main AMI Linden streets, yes
terday, for further developments. He met
Messrs. Rafe Semmes, the superintendent,
and George Vance, the cashier, who were
examining car No. 20, which is Just COM
| pleted, and was invited 10 join the inspec.
ton. This car and It's mate (No. 74) were
made for the Elmwood or red line under
the supervision of Mr.. w. T. Dryden, their
foreman who served in a similar capacity al
the Memphis and Charleston railroad shops
for many years past. The City Railway
Company are turning out two new cars every
month from their shops, every part of which,
save the castings, is made by them. The
new cars, Nos. 20 and "a, have many i'm
provements, suggested by experience, which
will add materially to their comfort, con-
venience and general appearance. The wood
work is almost exclusively of yellow pine,
and the finish within is of the natural wood
finished with black walnut, making a most
pleasing appearance. The cars are medium
sized, with entrance alike at both ends The
seats are OF yellow pine and walnut strips OF
two-inch width set closely together, which
are placed lengthwise OF the cars and are
covered in both seat and back, so as to give
comfort and ease to the passenger. The old
'bulrs eye" headlight is dispensed with, and
two rejecting lights placed on the inside
over the doors reflect the color of the car
through colored lights placed in the doors.
The lower-door casing is lined with an iron
casting TO prevent wear, and the new cast
iron brake takes the place of the old and
unreliable wood brake. The front hood is of
sheet-iron, and is much larger and more
roomy than the old style.
Mr.. Semmes has placed the new double
shelf cash boxes on all cars, and from to-day
will inaugurate a system regulating the
running of the cars, which will be attended
to by two "under-officers." whose duty it will
be to note the regularity of the cars at all
points named In the timetable the mis-
conduct or negligence of the drivers, cleanli-
ness of cars, and that the cash deposited in
the boxes corresponds with the passengers
hauled.
Change boxes are to be attached to the
dash of each car, and envelopes containing
change for twenty-five cents, fifty cents and
81 are within, 30 that promptness and accu-
racy in that department may be attained.
New regulations are to be posted couspicu-
ously posted in each car for the information
of both drivers and passengers.
Under the improvements our street=czra-
will be required to make rapid and regular
time, and will not permit their waiting for
individuals to hold parting conversations
with friends on the curbing or to run back
into the house or store for an overlooked
article. Such passengers will be only slightly
Inconvenience in waiting for the next car,
as there are twelve cars on Nam, ten on
Vance and six on fernando street at all
hours of the day and until 10 o'clock at
night with the addition of four extra cars
mornings and evenings.
The small boys, or street arabs, are of the
creates. annoyance to the company as we'll
the drivers by their habit of jumping on
behind the cars. The company are powerless
to have them arrested, and the drivers dare
not lash them, fact which seems we'll
known to the urchins of both colors and sexes
and all sizes. Our police would only exc
cute the city ordinance and assist wonderful
ly by pulling" few of these chaps.