Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-06
DO We Want Slow Coaches Again

Do We Want Slow Coaches Again?
For some years past. except on crowded
thoroushfares, our electric-cars have been
run at a speed equal to about ten miles an
hour, and the accidents TO persons and
property have been few. Now that the
conductors. motormen, and public are
experienced in the operations of the troll
ley system 1t Is reasonable to expect that
the accidents will be even fewer in the fu-
ture than in the past.
1t is. therefore, far to say that ten miles
an hour is not dangerous speed. except
whore tracks cross each other or where
curves have TO be rounded or where streets
are crowded with vehicles. And yet the
City Council is hating and hesitating
about changing the ordinance combining
the speed to six miles por hour. In other
words, the electric.cars must go at
mules pace or violate the city law. Ii
the managers of the strect-car company
are businessmen-aDd wo think they
are-they will refuse 10 take this
risk much longer. and will drop their
speed to the ancient mule-rate. For this
to be done would be to give Richmond a
setback and would cause depreciation in
the value of property remote from bust
ness centres. Rapid transit is what has
made tho East End end the West End
grow. and IL is what has made our 6eauti-
full suburbs what they are.
The facts are that the schedule OF the
Church-Hill division requires ssventy-fiye
minutes time between Twenty-ninth and
p streets and Beech aud Main streets and
return. distance of 11S squares, or say
eight miles. Fifteen minutes arc, allowed
for stops and slowing down on the twenty
two curves which are on the line, leaving
one hour exactly for tho eight miles.
The Maln.strset line takes seventy min
utes TO run a car from Lombardy and Main
streets to Fulton and return, and il is
about the same distance and the time made
10 about the same as on the Church-Hlll
line.
The Broad-street mule line takes forty
FIVE minutes to ruu O car from Cherry and
Automatic streets to Ninth and Main
streets and return~-say four miles, which
is about a six-mile schedule.
Now the whole question is, Do we want
to schedule our electricians as the mule
cars are scheduled?
But for the financial depression that the
country is now lsbOfins under the Dis
PATCH believes we should have had cleo
tric-cars on Broad street by this time; but
If tho electric-cars are to be ruled down 10
six miles an hour what good will be ac-
complished $50 far as the public are con-
cerned) by substituting the motor for the
mule? The Broad-street merchants and
property-owners have shown Themselves
to be among the most patient psople on
the globe by submitting to the mue-car
40 long. and it looks to US that an adhe-
renee to the six-mile ordinance on the part
of the City Council will mean for Broad
street folks the mule now and forever.
We understand that at some points in
the city it will not do to run eloctric.cars
at eight OF ten miles an hour, because the
way Is crooked or is usually crowded with
vehicles. Very we'll. Exceptions should
be made In these cases. We don't want to
give the company license to main or kill
our people. but we do say that if, in the
Judgment of the public. the present cleo
tric.hne schedules are not too fast, then
their continuance should be permitted by
law.
The Street Car Company asked that the
rate of speed allowable should be changed
from six to ten miles an hour, but the
Council Committee (aftar reconsideration
would only agree to report in favor of
eight miles Except at curves, etc. and
even this increase IL opposed by some
members of the City Council.
We can't imagine that it Is the wish OF
any considerable number of our people
that we should retrograde in the matter of
rapid transit.
1t is right and proper and we urge that
stringent provisions should be made for
slowing down at dangerous points, but
that the motor should be regulated by the
mule the DIsPAToa teels sure would be re-
garded As humiliating retrogression in
city travel.