New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-03
THE WRONG AND DANGER OF THE
TROLLEY


ST RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO WALK-soME
FIGURES ~ 70 MOMENTUM.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir. The public seem to think the trolley com
panics have right to their cars through our
streets at a speed OF ton miles an hour because
OF an ordinance FOR their accommodaton passed
by the late rotten Common Council
That ordinance never mad any validity whatever.
Rapid transit ten miles an hour through the
streets o. a popuous city means murder For
license 10 be valid the effect OF which is to expose
the PEOPLE to manning and killing, II must be
shown tina, the people desire such speed in spite
OF ~ perils- not a portion OF the people. those
merely who ride, but the whole people. Everybody
knows that there persons who. rather than be
ten minutes late in getting home TO dinner. would
have trolley speed at the risk even OF torn inos'
crushed skulls and manscd bodies though these
too were those OF children. The persons VINO
clamor for such speed seem 10 forget mat the
rights OF those who walk are equal to the rights
Of those no ride. and that rapid transit Is quite
possible without committing wholesale murder 10
get 1t.
What rapid transit means In blood and carnage
on a street surface crowded with people OF all
ages from childhood 10 fourscore years, the halt,
the lame and the blind" included. needs no argu-
ment; its years ghasily record tells the rear
ful story os It's crime: one hundred killed ana
over three hundred MANNED and cgppled ior me-
Four hundred once happy homes ruined and blasted
and darkened forever, can any money payment
I'm damages atone FOR wanton cruelty like this?
And where is the man who dares TO say that the
delegated powers OF the people were ever meant
or given for purpose so unutterapiy hehu'S" anu
hideous? Nothing more audaciously criminal IN
respect TO the rights and welfare OF people living
under the scheme OF representative government
was ever known nothing 10 equal ii ever heard of.
In face OF this array what have the apoloSists
for tho troeys to say. and how do these facts fit
In with their contention for the validity OF an or
dinance that licenses the speed OF ten miles an
hour on the surface OF streets? 1t is too late
for the trolley magnates TO deny the bloody char
meter OF this speed its "damnabe" history is writ
ten In crimson upon our pavenents, Its accursed
guilt upon the souls OF its authors In characters
'black as the hinges or hell"
II IL the momentum OF moving oody mat pre-
vents it's being brought 10 sudden standstill II is
the terrific momentum OF the trolley that sends II
or and the brakes applied IL Is deadly force
beyond the conro Of any as ma b wnat T MS
| am unable to say as ! nave not It's exact
pute' that the weight OF trolley is fully double
that of the horse car. whatever that may have
Weight Vyfh " of the he hOrecar was long take its
weight doubled to represent that of the trolley
Assuming tons the weight OF the horsecar
and its speed . miles an hour. which It's limit as
fixed by the city ordinances; we get 10 az us mo-
menun danger limit for multiplied into gives
10 as the product Assuming b. or double that OF the
horsecar. as the weight of the trolley, rs speed
for { multiplied into 10 gives 60 as It's product
II due regard to the lives and limbs or the cltl-
zens demanded an ordinance limiting the speed Of
| the horsecars to miles an hour II IS equally and
even more imperative with electricity as the motor
! But miles an hour is SPEED that has reference
to the momentum. Is, and this momentum Is de
termned 10y the weight OF he car Where as Isl, N
the ease OF the horsecar. this Is ) tons. we nave
! IL as the momentum beyond which Is danger. But
with the trolley weighing 6 tons the momentum a.
| the same speed becomes 3d. for times Is 80. or J.
! beyond the danger line. TO run trolley with q
! momentum OF danger no greater than the prescribe
| limits OF the law and of safety to the people, tn
! trolley az It's present weight must not exceed =
miles hour for into pa gives 10 "a It's product
For the trolleys TO conform TO the city ordinanc,
when IL meant for protection 10 the citizens
instead OF being II Is. ordinance In faVoi
of a monopoly. conspiracy against the people anu
license for murder manning and slaughter. ines.
Juggernauts must either have their weight cut dow
to g. or one-half, and run at miles an hour or De
limited to 22 at their present weight The rights ane
! lives OF the people are supreme.
! Brooklyn. Feb %. 1895. THADDEUS HYATT.
| THE MONTCLAIR CLUB AND THE TROLLEY
To the Editor OF The Tribune
| Sir: Allow a word In correction OF the statemen
faya la mir moi