New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-22
PASSENGER LINES IN THIS CITY.

If is much easier to travel in and near New
Yor, than II was few years ago. The caDle
lines i'm this city carry lcgons of passengers
daily with more swiftness, convenience ana
comfort than the old hprse-car RAILROADS. couiu
proyide 1t Is plain that the cable cars are
much more popular than the elevated traiiis'
One can take n cable car ut any street corner
ON its route. while the stations on the elevator
roads are several blocks apart, ana traveiiihs
ON the surface avoids the weary CLIMB UP inc
elevated stairways Gable transportation WIN
It's system OF transfer tickets Is amazingly cheap.
For : cents one can ride by the Third-ave.
cable line and It's connections from the Postoihce
TO Fort George People are not compeheu ~
wait nearly so long for cable cars rs Tor eic
vated trains, and the chances OF getting seats
instead Of being compelled to stand are uSuinS
much better on cable routes than IN the Ua'ns
of the Manhattan Company
The cable lines do not supply genuine rapid
transit They are too slow for that. But they
are superior In every way to the horse cars an"
Il would be n benefit to the community II capIeS
! could be used In place Of horses on every sur
face road In the city which still retains animal
mower. The Belt Line. the Sixthave Scveh'h-
ave Eighth-ave and other companies coulh
furnish n far better service II the horses were
taken off and cables put In. TN the Iohs
boulevard line n cable Is sorely needed. 'h
| the crosstown lines in Twenty -third-st. anu
Forty-second-st., where there are II" curves
cables would he especially useful. newborn
ought 10 have cable cars running from river 10
river in Canal Grand. Eighth. Fourteenth
Twcnty.third. Thirty-fourth. Forty second anu
Fiftvnnth SITS Upon all these important anu
| hus,linp cross streets cable cars would prove
of marked advantage TO the people OF New
York Crosstown tracks were laid many years
ago in Twcnty-cighth and Twcnty-ninth SIS
but they have been allowed TO remain unused
The company which put down these rails OUGHT
to be compelled 10 run cars on them.
There Is no continuous line In Fouri"nth-S''
from river 10 river. Such line ought 10 be con-
s,r,,ctcd and operated ut the earliest posSip'e
date. An obvious and urgent need 81 the 0'y
IS Il cable line extending the entire iehgth vi
Thirty -fourth-st. The travel 10 and from 'he
grca, Long Island Railroad Ferry Is very hca'!'
but this ferry can be reached from broadway
only by roundabout routes. When lhir'yiouf'h
st on both sides from Parkave 10 Sh'hEi'e'
was lined exclusively with costly private houses
| and no business had crcpt In. the strongest nos
| filthy TO n hOrsecar line In that street between
the two avenues Just named was manifested ny
n number OF influential property -owners bu'
| the Stewart mansion Is now clubhouse ana
the William Astor house NJ the southwest corner
OF Thirty fourth-st. and F'fthavc has been dc'
, serted by the Astors. Trade Is rapidly invading
the block between Fifth and Sixth aves, ana
= cable line from the North River To the East
River ought TO be constructed through 1hlr'y-
fourth-st. at an early day.
| New-York is still far behind many cities IN
! the East and in the West in facilities for reach
| ing the various parts Of her territory True
| rapid transit cannot De secured for years Even
with the greatest possible energy ana eNpcdi-
| tion. the colossal undertaking OF constructing
an adequate system Of rapid transit Will require
| a long period. But in the mean time New-i orK-
ers should bcstir themselves 10 get rid OF horses
on their transportation lines and to substitute
| cables. They should construct new lines WITH
out delay wherever such lines are needed.
Northern New Jersey. Western Long Island ana
| the region above the Harlem River are rcJoic-
ing In the rapid multiplication OF passenger lines
| of all kinds Manhattan Island has Jagged n
long way in the rear Of many other places III
| improvements Of this sort. 1t Is time for New
| Workers 10 De up and doing.