The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-22
Has Worked a Revolution.

Electrical rapid transit has worked a
revolution The toiler Is no longer COM
PEELED to live within the shadow OF the
mill The broad country Is his in which
to live. London is being scattered or
shattered over an area OF 1900 square
miles There IS an astounding actual
decrease of population In all parts of the
traditional city OF London, and the move
ment has hardly begun. The workman OF
the near future can, II he chooses. live
from twenty to fifty miles from his
place of employment, and large share
of his class Will do 50. You may extend
your city limits and number him as
resident. but that Will not make him
so.
Every large city in Great Britain owns
or operates It's street railways. While
most OF them are anxious TO SO regulate
their rates an 10 turn larger or smaller
sum into the tax fund there Is constant
effort made to establish the lowest pos
sible rates OF fare. Glasgow goes to Inc
extreme Of refusing to pay penny OF It's
enormous revenue from tramways into
the common treasury. and only aims 70
make its lines self-sustainins. but. as VIII
be detailed later, Glasgow is an excep-
ton to the general rule,
There is no uniform rate OF fare on
british tramways. Instead OF our nlckel
for all distances. they have graded
cents OF our money. but the average is
almost exactly two cents. Most OF the
cars have two decks, SO that the pas
senger may ride inside or outside as ne
chooses When the conductor. taxes your
fare he gives you q ticket, when serves
as a receipt for it. If he demands mat
YOU show 1t at some future stage OF your
journey you must 90 SO o. pa J,a nn toaea
fare This system has It's advantages
and also It's faults. as must be apparent
Tracks Laid Solidly.
T6e tracks are laid much more soldly
and smoothly than those In the United
states, comparing the practice IN both
countries as n whole. The conductors are
so civil and obliging that an American
is constantly reminded ut the fact tnat
ho is in n foreign country. The rates of
snecd In the crowded sections of the cit
les are about the same MS In ours. but
motormen are not permitted to turn on
full speed on starting. and While the
result is more comfortable there is NOT
so much exhilirating expectancy as 20
the fate of the stout sehl'eliif'h "i'o 20
hanging to strap. ~
In Inndon and in several other cities
M messengers are permitted to stand,
either inside or on the upper deck. me
messenger who violates this rule Is arrest
ed by the first officer who witnesses the
infraction, and the conductor IS also tlap.e
to arrest. Some cities permit four 10
stand during rush hours, and Liverpool
fixes the number Of 'strap-hangers" at
nine, Cars stop only on designated cor
ners, and under no circumstances IS
speed exceeding fourteen miles an hour
permitted.
So far a. could learn there are no
electric roads connecting adjacent cities,
and thickly settled England is without
this splendid competition to the steam rail-
ated In the United States practically with
II, the last ten years, ! do not know how
to account for this phenomenon, except
on the ground OF the stolld stupidity, rs
norance or lack Of. enterprise which
marks the present day British capitalist,
~ is not possible to conceive of more
promising enterprise than system Of
trolley roads gridironing Englana.
and vet 1t is doubtful II the matter ever
engaged the serious attention Of her