The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-09
OUR SIREkT RAILNAYS
The First In the worid-Sovne interesting
Comparisons and Figures.


Twenty-Five lines OF street railway are in on
Grafton in New York city. including tho eIe-
waited. Besides having the distinction Of being
the FIRST horse ear line In New York city, the
New York and Harlem. now commonly known
us tho Fourth and Madison avenue line. has
the honor OF being tho first street railway in
the world. The limo was incorporated on April
20. 1881, and tho first cars were run in Novcm-
Dor, 1892 from Prince street to Harlem bridge
The cars were almost like the stage coaches
that were in use then each having three COM
partments with side doors. They had leather
springs, and tho driver sat on an elevated seat
III front and moved the brake with his feet.
Tho llrst cars were built by joan Stephenson.
The opening OF the road excited u great deal
OF interest and the streets along tho route
were crowded with spectators. The Mayor and
the members OF tho City Council and other in
Nitod guests occupied the cars. Ii was thought
by many that there would be great difficulty
in stopping the cars and avoiding accidents to
other vehicles. one OF the officers OF tho road
determined TO demonstrate that the cars could
be Drought TO n dead stop with ease. and. after
having instructed the driver he stationed him
SOIL with some witnesses at the corner Of Bond
street and the Bowcry to await the arrival
OF tho first car At his signal the
driver was to stop with ull possible haste. The
driver OF the frs! ear. having had some cxpe-
ricnce. brought his ear to II stop easily. but
tho driver OF tho second car forgot the lever Of
the brake and simply drew hard on the horse
lines and shouted Whoa The ear slid
along and the tongue crashed into tho rear o.
the forward car and caused tho occupants
thereof TO jump out. No one was hurt. and
the cars moved on their way 10 Harlem Bridge
lhis is the llrst street car collision Oh record.
For some reason the street railway was not
and for time II was not much used by them
DOUBTLESS much Of its unpopularity was duc
TO tho objectionable nature Of the rail en-
ployed. it projecting too much above the sur.
face OF the, street. and was injurious to
vehicles. Tho Ilrat rails were made with
grooves. or iron cutters. 10 guide the wheels
The low step rail now in use was invented and
hrst Ysed ~ tEilaielphia in lo1o;
In 1891 street railways in New York were re-
vived ny NJ iouoat, u French engineer. who
recommended wrought iron rails and wooden
scepers and constructed in 1852 the second
street railway in tho city.-the sixth avenue
llnc-tho charter for which was granted on
S;,ert. q, 1901, Yhg second avenue line recciyeI
avenue line on Oct. = of the same year NJ
!ouhat returned to France in tho summer of
Paris the new system Of American street rail-
ways. known abroad generally as tramways.
Concordc to Passy on the Avcnuo de In Refine
That was tho first horse tramway in France
George Francis Train introduced the lorse ear
line III ENGLAND at 3irkenheah in 1898.
There are 1913 street ear plants in the United
States and Canada now. Of which $50 are
operated hy animals, 50 by cable 245 by eec.
MOS in New York seem to prefer the cable to
any other impr9yed method OF traction: The
way lines are In that direction. The most Sc
Iious objections to til" cable system are its
t ,lrst cost the cost Of operatinE and dsprecia
generally measures 4, inches in diameter. 1t
is manufactured in lengths Of 10000 feet and
weighs about l3.ODO pounds to the milo. It's
life varies from six to fifteen months. while
some have lasted only a few weeks. Each ca
BE OF ordinary length costs from $1,000 to
SlO.VUO san Francisco leads the world in the
mum Der OF its miles OF cable roads. III Cnlfor-
MIA the cables last longer than anywhere else
and the COMPARATIVELY light loads drawn.
The twenty-five city car routes in New York
nav Tb GSnI tho by nsVHn n
&c. being 1877 miles. Last year ii owned III
line last year. had 1900 horses in use Tho
total length Of al! the city car lines. excluding
cars in ana orse ye Mrre r
uuird to operate the roads. There are !si3
m.le. q tramwaySS opene,l for passengers in
40Gi cars. and animal TRACTION is still the ia
yorIte m"thod n lsal 5000 horses were
0UU.O0V "a ssenc"rs wrre carried. and the re- re-
cepts wee Siu.+Jl.u loo. Til, vIu" OF the
is aSopt s.Gogo92 he value of
city is -. 40 mi'ns. They operate 1921 passen-
ger cars - Sc vice cars, and 2:,l iocom motives.
and they carried in 1891 1855 s3.i,u52 passen-
shorte-t street railway in the city is the line
through the Crns"al lark transverse, from
FiGllty-fi!th strretani Fifth avenue. to Eighty
sixth street and Eighth avenue.
The Metropolitan Traction Company was
organized in 1891, with n capital Of S20.0O0.-
OG0. to operate tho roads controlled by the
broadway and other companies. 1t now owns
the stock of the Houston. West Street and
PavoniH Ferry Railroad Company, con-
trolling interest in the Twenty-thlrd Street
l:ailrold Company: aud al the stock Of the
broadway surface Railroad Company.
Tho movement OF passengers over the street
cars and elevated roads increased In five years
from 27!.uUO.uUO in 1884 to 3II.OOO.OOU in
crease for t." next Ave years lie rroportionatc,
the movement al passengers over tine lines
will be nearly 5SUUDOIOO