New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-11
TROLLEY CARS IN BOSTON.
THEY ARE A TRAvEsTY ON RAPID TRANSIT
WAITING LINES OF woULDBE PASSENGERS
MOURNING THE WAY AMONG


Boston, Oct (speclan.-At almost any hour In
The day but especially IN the afternoon. line OF men
and women may be seen patiently standing on the
curbstone OF washngtoH.st. in this city. Al hrs'
you think they are arryng for some procession but
they only waiting for their particular trolley car
II is one OF the pathetic sights TO be seen IN Boston,
or suggests the impotence OF man when dominated oS
lis own inventions change the figure IL reveals
the Boston man as the slave Of the dabolcal Frank
cnscin he has created
That the trolley cars rule and largely ruin this
town Is soon made evident 10 the stranger. Owing
10 the and crookedness Of its streets, II
Is perhaps the last city in America In which the trolley
cars ought to have been introduced Yet In no city
are they numerous. The business portion OF
Boston to-day may be briefly described as tortuous
pandemonlum OF noise ard confusion The guide books
Of the city say that the trolley cars run in every
direction; but, far the business district Is
concerned, this Is a mistake. They don't run, they
stand still and crawl. I have dozen cars
standing still for several minutes within the space OF
two blocks while the line OF waiting would be pas
sengcrs stood both sides OF the street looking at
them In helpless patience. The motor man on these
cars is not happily named; he ought to be called a
sator" man In fact his stands still so frequently
that the city might fairly charge the companies rent
for car storage The motor Is not idle, however
Whether the car Is running. crawling or standing
he clangs his gong, and the noise made by this hend
ish instrument Is maddenlng | have done my share
OF grumbling at the elevated roads OF New-fork but
really shall be glad 10 get back again to that quiet
and roomy city, where you occasionally. at least
hear yourself think In the less crowded portions
of the CITY, the trolleys try to make up for their
DELAYS and the consequence Is that collisions and
other serious accidents OF daily occurrence Ih'
experience OF Boston with the troleys ought 10 be
solemn warning TO the misguided men who are trying
TO introduce them In New York.
The only way to get about In Boston is to ash
questions all the time. aud while all citizens are
courteous In answering such questions. many are un
able to give clear answers. The Boston man WHOM
YOU stop for information, generally pauscs for
moment before giving 1t. lie does not throw out
my preliminary eXpletlve such Well. lemmc see
10 keep you going while he is urging the answer io
YOU in his brain. Is the 'us;om with the New
Yorker lie stands erect. looks ut you with mild
interest. and finally gives you the more or less eab
crate directions you require. Not always, though
favorte plan with many IS 10 npart to you littl'
knowledge for immediate use. with the lde: that you
VIII consult some other citizen. or perhaps several
for more knowledge you need 1t. You see ma
brown building there at the turn OF tho street ?" IL
will rcmnrh. Well. the first corner to the left
after you reach 1t, and then any ono will tell you
what TO do next. lou cannot make n mistake NJ
Obligation at all glad To help you. Our streets dc
seem q little crooked at first - you are passed
from clCclOHc 10 ului NOi H'lIif 81 ~
your destination. For this reason. II tour through
the city enables you to meet great many people
At night is entirely HELPLESS. as tn" names OF tn
streets are not posted the street lamps but on th
corners Of tie houses about fifteen feet from TN
ground.
The visitor who knows Boston BY reading is quite
apt 10 be n little disappointed at what he sees. IL
famous features do not loom up with that awe insTlr
| ng grandeur that he cXpects N discover In them
| And when he first views the old south ChurcH
! Kings Chapel. or the Justly revercd Bunke
| Hill Monument itself. his feeling IS simply respec
| largely tempered by Indifference. This Is especially
So II he be q cynic by tempcrnment-one Of those mel
who Grid at the Pyramids. end make uncompnment'r
remarks about the Lcanirg Tower OF Pisa. Nor
over. IN. old landmarks Of Boston are all certain &
disappear In the OF time. To make way for III
| new Industrial and commercial Boston which Is no'
coming into being. Even the { ID south Church Is
he torn down, TO allow ii widening Of Washington 81
The laws OF progress and chnnge ineXOrablc. an
| they are making themselves felt In Boston today
slowly, II Is true. but Just ns surely as In the newes
! boom town Of the West Those p-opls who pctur
| BOSTON as a sleepy literary town. living It's pa.
glory arc nightly mistaken. In hn,tling enterpris
and far lghtad business sagacIty, II will compare wit
any city In the country