New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-24
SIC TRANSIT.
THE FIFTH AVENUE STAGE AND THE
LONDON OMNIBUS - NEW YORK

THE FIFTH AVENUE STAGE AND THE
LONDON OMNIBUS NEW YORK
STREETS AND PAvEMENTS-THE
ELEVATED RAILROADS AND
THE ELEVATED PASsEN
GERs-HACKs AND CABS
ANOTHER COM
PARISON WITH
LONDON
London. February II.
Mr. Depew has lately been telling us in the
new Magazine Of Travel" which was lying
about in the beautiful Library Of the Majestic
what he thinks Of foreign travel. America. in
his opinion has nothing to learn from Europe.
| imagine he means to limit that rather sweep
ing judgment to railroads. Even as to those, |
am not sure that agree with him entirely; dan
gerous though IL be to differ from Railroad
President and ar expert with such wide knowl-
edge Of American and European systems. Per
haps Mr. Depews is a pious opinion or. which
may come to the same thing. patriotic opinion.
Passing that over for the moment assume
that he would not say that in the matter Of
municipal locomotion America has nothing TO
learn from Europe, or that the streets Of New
York are as well paved as thos' Of London or
Paris or Berlin; which last is perhaps the best
example of all Would he say that Fifth-ave.
stage is superior TO the omnibus Of the London
and General Omnibus Company? Probably he
never rode in either. If he had tried both he
would | think admit that the London vehicle
is much superior to that Of New-York. Not the
least agreeable way OF seeing this huge metrop-
oils or Of getting about in IL is on the top OF a
good omnibus with garden seats. as the poetic
secretary of the company calls them. There Is
a double row Of seats. holding two persons each.
with an aisle between them; all facing the
horses and easy stairway from the footboard
to the roof They are used as much by ladies
as by men, They used even IN wet weather.
being provided with tarpaulins blanket lined
which the careful conductor spreads over the
unoccupied seats when it rains. so that YOU find
your place dry and comfortable. The omnibuses
are well and solidly built and roll smoothly with
little noise over macadam asphalt or
wood pavements 1t is the combination Of good
vehicle and good pavement which makes ocomo-
ton by public conveyance good in London.
II is the combination of bad vehicles and abomina-
Bile pavements which makes locomotion In d
Fifth-ave. stage form Of mild torture the
rattle Of the windows and the grinding OF iron
tires on rough granite blocks. the jerk at start
ing the crowd hanging on 10 straps the habit OF
stopping in the middle of the roadway instead OF
pulling into the curb, the slainnlng docT-dii
these are peculiar to that aristocratic thorough
fare The caricatures Of the Fifth-ave stages
and horses in your sparkling weekly contempt
rarv. Life" are hardly caricatures
In London almost every private carriage and
hanson cab has rubber tires. In New-York
hardly saw one and when asked why they were
NOT used was told that the pavements cut them
., nieces in two or three weeks. They last three
mr. four months in London. even on hansoms
driven every day for fifteen hours day or more
That may give you n notion of the difference be-
,yeen the surfaces Of the streets Of the two cities
uere the rubber tire has almost ceased to be
thought a mere luxury; 1t has become a luxurious
necessitv Yet New York is in many respects the
most luxurious and comfortable city In the world
WHY does she submit to be joled and deafened
he har street traffic? The noise is worse than the
ioltinp Fifth-ave is one long shrek Converse
ton between wayfarers on the sidewalk can only
no carried on nv a continuous effort. and in the
shrillest note the human voice Is capable OF. Is
this one reason why American voices are said 10
be pitched so much higher than the English!
The muffied roar OF London is not mufiied in
New York; the unceasing camor OF the American
city is more like yell than roar as II the ecno
of the aboriginal warwhoop were still to be heard
! on Manhattan Island,
The Fifth-ave. stage is. no doubt. relic of the
past; mere survival. AT It's worst 1t Is less
nuisance than cable would be If run through
that noble street. The cable car am told. is I'M
popular having an awkward habit Of running
over the innocent pedestrian. and Of upsetting It's
/ own passengers by sudden starts and stops. Ex
. perence and a more considerable view Of the