The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-21

d good sized town, even though a great
economy of space has been effected in
recent years by replacing many thousands
of horses with automobiles.
Through the department stores of New
York alone you have a greater volume of
traffic than that of many towns which
consider themselves important places.
And the curious thing about it is that
there is hardly an accident of any de-
scription through this traffic. Not one Of
the vehicles under my charge has had a
mishap during the last four months. and
l believe that the other stores have equal
~ clean sheets"
Besides the department stores, there are
thousands of smaller retail establishments
keeping anywhere from one to a hundred
vehicles. Then there is the vast special
lied traffic of the dry goods district, the
wholesale grocery district and the iron
and steel wholesale district, and many
other wholesale centers.
In every one of the districts, street after
street may be seen full or wagons and
carts bearing the products of the particu-
lar line of industry with which the dis
not be equalled in London or in any other
city of the world.
Taking it all round" said a veteran
police captain who has served in nearly
every part of New York. Il think il is
safe TO say. that somewhere between
half million and a million wheels revolve
over the streets of Manhattan every day.
1T is marvellous that there are not
more accidents, for New Workers are
fonder than any other people 1 know of
taking chances in the midst of the whirl
of traffic
1T is impossible to control them as
pedestrians are controlled in London when
crossing the street. The Londoner is
meek and well disciplined in the presence
Of authority. but the New Yorker delights
in defying on general principles.
IL a policeman holds up his hand to
warn him that it is dangerous 20 cross
the street at the moment. that is an ex-
cellent reason to a New Yorker for inn
mediately crossing. There is the same
trouble with the drivers OF vehicles. but
in a lesser degree. for we hold the whip
hand Of the law over them as We cannot
hold it over the pedestrians.
And whether he thought that New
York's streets were more crowded with
traffic than those of london. the police
captain replied:
u Undoubtedly they are. I know London
well and there are on-y A few streets
there which are as much crowded. and as
constantly crowded. ss practically the
whole OF the business section of Man.
haitian
There is one conclusive proof OF the
truth Of this assertion. Thousands OF
cyclists are 10 be seen all over London.
even the busiest thoroughtares. such as
Fleet street, they ride about by scores
II the thick 81 the traffic.
A cyclist in the business part OF Man
haitian i uncommon. The danger to life
and limb are too great
Another official Of the New York police
force said that what struck him most
iorcibly about the street traffic was the
cool courage Of the drivers Of vehicles.
Give the devil his due he said 7
know many drivers are reckless and ap-
parently thoughtless OF human life. bat
on the whole they are the brsvcst men I
know.
A dozen times a day, at the least. their
nerve has to stand supreme test. and
failures to meet that tesa are rare, in