New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-24

railway system called for Ideas OF an ihtei
and ingenious character. In the knickerDocAe'
days when men had more time at their o's-
posal than they do in this hurryins. hussnns
period stage-coaches provided satisiacs"S
means of transit The blowing OF horns an
nounced their departure at stated intervals
The coaches ran from taverns on the lower p~1s
Of the island over the old Boston POST ISoo"
ona tho RIoomIngdale Road 70 the hamlets on
tho north The modern development Oh tnis
system is still to be seen on Fifth-ave-. which
traversed by coaches. beginning at Bleecker-se
and running north to Eighty -sixth-st the
double deck stages. with seats on the 'oo'' "''
much in favor during the summer.
With the growth Of the city and the needs OK
more rapid transit facilities the rafting stages
gave wav to the horsecar the idea for which
originated ia this city. Nearly thirty years
after their adoption in New-York they were hrst
introduced into Europe by George Francis Train.
The New-York and Harlem, chartered In 1881,
was the first street railway In the world. In
1882 It opened its line from Princest to Har.
lem Bridge The cars were like stage-coacheA
balanced on leather springs, and with three COM
partments each. The driver sat overhead The
immense street-car system Of New-York de.
veloped from this beginning now carries millions
Of passengers daily. and extends to every part
OF the island. with its lines along both water
fronts and up nearly all of the north and south
avenues and across town at many convenient
points.
HARD TO HANDLE THE TRAFFIC.
Notwithstanding the introduction Of the ele.
waited railroad. which Is an important factor In
the transit Of the city. the surface lines. de-
spite their growth and the continued introduce
ton Of new methods. still have hard work In
accommodating their immense traffic.
The introduction OF the cable system on Broad
way and Third-ave. in measure revolutionized
the transit system Of the city, and enabled tho
companies to provide more satisfactory ser.
vice for their patrons, but in order to meet the
ever-ncreasing demands for rapid transit the
cable is to be superseded by the underground
trolley system. This system which has been in
use for some time on Madlson-ave., has been
found extremely satisfactory. 1t has already
been introduced on the Sixth and Eighth ava
lines, and work on it is rapidly proceeding
While the Introduction Of electricity into
street railways has been highly satisfactory, Il
has by no means solved the question Of rapid
transit. for which the city has been clamoring
for years. The development Of the electric sys-
tenn has, however, been extremely rapid. and
marks an Of Importance.
1t Is not much more than ten years since
Charles J. Van Doeple and Frank J. Sprague
brought out their first electric railway systems
and their theories were first put into practice In
Dayton Ohio, and Richmond, Va Since that
time city after city has introduced the electric
road, and there is now hardly village in the
United States which Is without electric cars
The introduction of the underground trolley
system in New-York has been attended with the
best results and its probable effects in the de.
yeopment OF the city should not be underesti.
mated II furnishes the workngnan and the
professional man a means for getting quickly to
and from his place Of business. and its extension
into the suburbs will give to- these two classes
Of men particularly an outlet from the close
confinement OF city life
The first regular transportation line In Brook.
Ign was a stage line owned by one Thomas
Hardy In 1S32. running from Fulton Ferry TO
Greenpoint. through Sands-st. Kent-ave. and
Williamsburg. Other Independent lines were
put into operation, until in the year 1850 they
were consolidated by Seymour l.. Hustled In
1853 the consolidated stage lines vote sold u;