The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-09
TOO BIG A HURRY.
Advice to City Pcople-Thc Craze Tor
Rapid Transit.

| want. wen You uOh """' '"'| 80
of the kind, taking want to mean need
~ properIy it does. What yon mean tt
cav is that you desire rapid transit
Very well; you are a very foolish per
son: that's all. You desire rapid transit
10 children desire things not good fol
tbem. Why do you pine for rapid tran
sit? What are you in hurry about' lc
Get TO business? Then start ten minutes
earlier and take your time; you will dc
| vour work better and more easily II you
take it up with mistaken nerves. lo
get honel Home will lie there at
5.s5 ID. m. just rs surely as at 5:2J;
1.-The kids'-ch children, Il you are too pro-
per person to accept the classic slang
and their mother had rather see you
come home in placid than in a ruffied
state of mind. What are you in hurry
about, anyhow
For every beating pulse we tell
Leaves but the number less.
So sung a very pious and truthful YER
sifier of the last century. Why do you
desire to double the number Of pulse beats
by the uncomfortable excitement Of
rapid transiti' 1.-The numberless" is
accomplished rapidly enough by the
slowest process. ''Soon shalt thou forget
all things; soon by all things shalt thou
be forgotten, said Marcus Aurelius some
., 900 years ago. Why do you desire to
quicken the trot Of the procession toward
the inevitable chasm CT oblivion?
What you need-no matter what you
desire-is comfortable transit. Transit
that jars no nerve by rumbling cable,
jolting spring, clatter Of hoof on stony
pavement, direful groan of laboring en-
CINE, more direful shrek of steam whistle
or most direful jangle of brass bells out
of tune. You don't want to be packed i'm
a surface travelling car of any sort; you
don't want your nerves TO culver with APP
prehension for TIE fate Of the reckless
newsboy-too often newschild-who ex-
poses himself to more danger while
hopping cars" for an hour than many
battle field disclosed in n day. And
you don't want to be hoiste6 into an
enlarged edition Of a cash and parcels
basket, and whirled by steam or
electricity at an elevation too high
for safety, too low for comfort. High
enough to insure disaster in case of acct
dent, low enough TO catch the smoke of
household chimneys, and the odors Of
household cooking. Still less do you
want TO be shot through the bowels Of
the earth 10y atmospheric or other force.
As has been said, you will explore the
subterranean regions soon enough. jam
te premet nox, fabuleque names, said
Horace. They were too wise to banker
after underground railways in his day
But the more comfortable transit, how
are you going to get that? Easily, If
You have a talented pair Of legs; other
wise, with difficulty or not at all. And
even the most gifted legs will suffer dis
quiet at the bridges and crossings Of the
mos, crowded streets. Comfortable
transit is as yet afar of from you Your
grandfather had it; your uncle who
lives I'm the country has it. But your
grandfather was never in a hurry, and
your uncle never is. Therefore your
nerves were and Your I'M
cle's are as of steel. The fierce jolc and
hideous rumble Of the tbimble skeln farm
wagon are and were TO them luxurious /
and musical. You have hurried your
nerves into q tumble of sensitive mucus |
For You comfort means quiet. 1t will be I
iO-''Only more s0'-with your unfOr- /
Innate children. Science and humanity /
will provide for them; they can hardly /
be expected to help you, who are the
original sinful huuier The coming man
may cease from being in hurry, or
may decree that every other
street be reserved for passenger traffic
md foot travel only; or some large and
strong tamable birds. graceful as the
,wans OF Loeda, may he discovered, upon
whose backs, or drawn by whom in
,erial cans, the tired and nervous may be
'orne quietly, and quickly, too, to and
rom business; or balloons may convey
,eople at salubrious heights through the
ain of air or chloroform NAV be adj
ninistered to each street car passenger
~ the conductor in such quantities as to
ender him or her Oblvious TO the perils
nd discomforts Of travel This latter
experiment. might well be essayed under
he existing condition Of street transit,
which is neither comfortable nor rapid. -
,hicago Inter Ocean.