davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13

the entire circle of the American portion OF the
city, from the Mississippi River TO Lake Poht-
chartrain, and from Carrolton 10 Cahal street
and Esplanade avenue.
Other cities give the following length of rides
for single fare: Chicago, "a miles; ST. Louis.
% miles; Baltimore, 17.5 miles; Boston, 100
San Francisco and Washington. Is miles. The
longest rides without change of cars may De hau
In New Orleans. Baltimore, Pittsburg and De-
troit where one may ride for more than ten
miles without changing cars.
Although the size and shape of Manhattan are
such that no other city suffers the same traffic
congestion, cars In New York take one further
and faster than do those in any other Northern
city,
Ten years ago the principal cities in the coun-
try took only eight miles for single rare
with the increasing use of electricity as a mo-
tive power for surface cars lines nave Deeii
heightened, but fares have not been increased
The seating capacity, comfort, ventilation ana
steadiness of cars have all been increased ana
the cost of making and operating them has also
been increased The old hOrsecar cost about
$500 and it's driver and conductor received y
dav for n day of twelve hours. The electric car
costs $4,000 and its motorman ana conductor
receive from - 40 10 ~ on TOT d uaS VI 'Oii
hours.
Copper and steel have greatly increased in
price and much heavier rails are now DelnS uSe0
than ever before. Rails weighing from JO 10 IzO
mounds TO the yard have taken the place OF rails
which weigh only 40 pounds to the yard Ihe
la ter were good enough for the kerosene Ighted;
coal stove heated horsec"r, but the Iuly equlppeu
electric car would make scrap OF them III no
time
Another interesting fact which comes to light
in the course of journey over the surface cars
of New York is that below 5Jth street vehlcular
traffic conditions so hamper the progress OF cars
that run of sixty miles is counted day
work while from 59th street to 143th street
seventy y-fve miles is estimated as a days WORK
and each car running from 145th street to Kings
bridge covers an average of more than ITO miles
in ten hours only an average days run
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13

to having persons drop into his lap step on
his toes when the has been overCrowded
By the time Kingsbrdge is reached he feels
that he has had his moneys worth
If he hasn't, he can ride on the subway till he
drops from fatigue, by merely going up and
down, taking advantage of the crossOvers and
never paying but the one fare. II he likes day
light travel better. he may ride clear around
the island on the II" train by changing from
west TO east at South Ferry without the pay
ment of another fare going from 155th street
of the West Side to 200th street on the East, for
five cents, a distance of over twenty miles.
The longest ride in one direction the ele-
waited is on the Third avenue line. from South
Ferry TO Bronx Park and 2OOth street. distance
Qf 1858 miles, for which the running time is
hfty-five minutes. on the subway greater
distance can be covered in one direction for one
fare by taking the Broadway division to Kings
bridge and 230th street distance of 1922 miles.
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
CROWDS OF COMMUTERS.

AT Tenth avenue the transfer is taken up ana
another issued by the West Side belt line OF
horsecars to the West 23d street car. AT thls
point one has admirable view OF commuters
from all parts of the surrounding country rush.
ing from a collection of ferries and squeezing
into waiting cars until these oVernoW anu tltO
residue hang the edges OF the cars IKE d hloI- @
ley fringe wriggling with life but having 1Gw
other marks OF human identity. Ie" GHNs oI0She
beyond lies that garden bordered part OF Mes' %
I'D street. formerly fashionable as LonGoh 1eI
race and not Yet altogether abandoned py eoiiio H
of its fine old families, which are WeuSeu IA
between long rows of boarding houses Beyohd
lies the heart of New York's shopping district
bOrdereG by Madison Square, with llS pedu
buildings and interesting associations, whence
the car traverses less attractive region
and transfers 20 the East Side belt line at First
avenue. on this one sees Bellevue Hospital set
amid squalid tenements and sparse factories
At Doth street a horsecar is taken which carries
one across the city to Tenth avenue passing
through the antique furniture quarter OF TN, tne
city: by the Church of the TransnguraIloh'
known as the Little Church Around the Cor
ner,'' and through an old hotel part OF Ihe Guy
the intersection of Broadway.
At Tenth avenue another transfer is issued
upon the West Side belt line to 34th street.
through which one crosses the site of the tunnel
terminal of the railroads which Will pass beheath
the Hudson. enters great shopping dlsulcG oe.
tween Broadway and Madison avenues, ana, at
the ferry which crosses to Long Island, trans
fer is made TO East Side belt line, Whlch re-
transfers TO 42d street
St GabrieI's Park and Prospect Place are
passed on the East River; at Park avenue the
Grand Central Station looms dinghy forth Il Lur-
ther on at Fifth avenue, the white pile of New
York's new library CLEANS upon the vision
against the green BACKGROUND of Bryant PARK.
This neighborhOOd was once exclusive Murray
Hill but its splendid residences have given place
to shops of all sorts and TO great hotels AT the
intersection of Broadway one is in the midst or
the theatre district of the city. and from the
brilliancv Of its lights goes to the gloomy
little ferry the Hudson. near which the west
Side belt line car again takes up the transfer
carries the traveller up Tenth avenue to o4th
street and transfers him to the 59th street
crosStoWn car. -
This route is full of interest taking in the chill
dren's school farm. Roosevelt Hospital and the
Vanderbilt Clinic, the Paulist Fathers Church,
Columbus Circle and Monument and the lower
end of Central Park. and one of the most inter
esting parts of Fifth avenue, with glimpse or
the BackwelIs Island Bridge at its terminal
to the east Here East Side belt line car is
taken at First avenue which carries one through
a tenement house district TO Seth street.
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13

or not. and in his effort to state II plainly md
give due credit il he often left the impression
that the particular statement he made was 81
there was OF II. l..
The democratic character OF Mr.. Beecher -
shown in this incident related n the book: Ins
boys the Heights all knew NJ. Be5cher' anu
liked to meet him. because lie always Lid a W. 49,
with them. In coming To church one day ne ny.
a group OF boys. They hailed him IN this fashion:
There goes Mr.. BeeCher he Is q Screecner- NHsn
he reached the church il seemed 70 please MN !"
tell the story to the congregation ,s.-
In a sermon on the fall OF man 11r BeeTnH q Sis
said Yes. man fell. but he fel. up. mus, mus
trating his meaning with gesture. Mr. (frlsWulc
writes: Intensely practical as Re was IN MS Son
ceptiOn OF religion. Mr.. BeeCher had very pIyJ-
found of the future life. and there was o
ways a substratuTn of that thought in his preac..
ing. In a sermon the DarWlHian theor! -
said: L do not care where ] came rom! u -
where going TO that am interested n
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13

the days OF the abolition excitement before the
ClVil War when the sentiment of the country was
aroused by the appearance of Uncle Toms
Cabn' written by Mr.. Beecher's sister. Mrs. Har-
rlet Beecher Stowe. Senator Griswold thus de-
SCrlbeS he raising Of f,Dds 20 Ct g.,
girl:
Another scene which none who witnessed it
could ever forget was in Plymouth Church II
WAS Saobath morning and usual every seat and
all available standing room was filed. After the
WiShed 10 present TO the congregation No one had
the least idea as TO what he was going TO do and
Ihe he people waited In profound silence. He then
SaLi sarah. come up here AS the audience
looked little mulatto girl in the body of
Ihe church. ran up the pulpit steps and took Mr.
hoSScher $ hithd. Turnj3g to the assembled multi
promised her owner 81 200 his price for her or She
Will be returned TO slavery. Pass the baskets
The ushers found their way through the vast
audience Although the church seated only n little
more than two thousand, there must have been
nearly three thousand present and soon the col
lection was made II appeared that the sum total
monds watches and chains Her freedom was an
nounced amid thunders of applause. This was not
IIne ohly instance OF similar nature. Mr..
Beecher was frequently condemned for even in
any remuneration for slave but il he thought a
thing right to do he did 1t without the least re-
gard 10 what other people might saw"
Another incident related nv tbs autbor oF NJ
Beecher Is follows: VI ~
ON one occasion the Broadway Tabernacle NJ
@ Inat uine located In broadway near Duane street
was opened Tor q mass meeting. Mr.. Reecher was
adVertlSeu TO speak, and the house was packed
he was listened 10 with closest attention and
deepest interest but the climax came when turn
ing around, he lifted a chain which had been taken
from slave In the South, held IL for a. moment
hiSh aboVe MS head. then dashed II 10 the floor
placed ms FOOT upon 1t and said. That the way
we propose 10 deal with the slave power in the
south The effect upon the audience was thriIlinr
ana the applause fairly rocked the building"
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
STRANGERS FROM EVERYwEFpv

"Of course. there We're all sorts OF av,....- 4
in seating the guests. The ushers soon oar.1e
be able to tell where the strangers car0e 20 .
by their form OF expression Is this Ward r,a.e-
ers church?' invariably betOkened an FDgl,sbT.o-
as they always called him Ward Raecb.- =, -
land, and probably more of the foreig,e,.I ~ Eng
Visit flymOuth come from there than Fro-. Wno
other country We are from Canada Is TIM TN any any
most common salutatiOn- I am a cIerpvr..,7 80 next
oregon; l am a missionary from C6i1sia t'i ~ rom
tI0Hi oah FrdhclSco and this is my first WISH bi an
we are from New Jersey and never bsa5e1 S 5Ie.ss
Beecher 1 am from Australia and tJf tJAiE y M.
hrst visit 70 this country These are bSIt - my
every Sunday. 9--9'su Ile uShers
With the sermon there was evident = s.o--,z
attitude or expectancy Something yraS Sai SoIeI az
and every ore wanted To be sure 10 get If Ss.
tlneS IL was humorous. and a rfDpIe OS Ia'>-S.
would go over the audience Those I-bH Yer
about 1t were apt to be shocked and - ~ --s5rd
II trreverent- II is doubtful vyhetbarO Solsluer
who was present ever had that feei,gA ANS -ne one
times II was pathetic. and there Vvas SIite-
fumbling in pockets. Sometimes il was sor
and one could see the forms quiver and ero1Ic
Most often 1t was that calm quiet vet fo.@sTii
presentation of the TRUTH not in the shs+-oo, n
something TO be looked upon from varIous 49,, Is
then labelled and put aside but practical ,esasiis
the daily life; and faces would grow esrn'ss+ -
the results would be seen in the home tbs .h Snd
the Office -~' mo SlO1
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
METHODS OF A GREAT PREACHER

when it comes to the conduct Of the di-.-.,.
parts OF the service. however. there was notbtr.
humdrum or that savored of routine. Mr. RAArba.
was q remarkable reader. Delicate shada. ),
meaning came out IN the very tones OF his voless
and his power OF intense sympathy made il ess1,
for him 70 lnnpersOnate FOR the time being arnc-r
any character Had he turned his atteutiGs>Jo 10 tbs
stage he would have been n wonderful 3--or IA
he read the Scriptures the Bible characters STOOL
out with marvellous diStinCtness: We could almost
see them or hear them He entered also 90 flIv
into the deepest meaning OF what he read thar
the rendering shed new light on some Of the nose
difficult passages OF the Bible.
The sermon needs no description from me- even
II could give it. It seemed the very expression
Of the man-his Interpretation OF himself M
Beecher was 10 all appearances Welnigh reckless
In the vtgOr with which he made statements that
seemed to him 70 be true. with little or no re-
gard 10 their relation 10 other truths. The result
was that he was charged with being grossly in
consistent One day he would preach a sermon
that would have delighted the old New England
dfvines. The next Sunday he seemed an out-and-
out Unitarian, while Quakers. Swedenborgians and
all sorts of beliefs claimed him The explanation
IS that he very clearly the element OF truth
IN any system. whether he agreed with Il IN fuI
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
FLOWERS IN THE PULPIT

vi the introduction of flowers in churches in con-
nection with the regular Sunday services Mr. Girls
Woid writes: Among my earliest recollecfions oF
MT Beecher's preaching was the profusiOn of his
Illustrations from nature. Every part and mani
iestauoh OF nature had its place but so freouent
were MS references TO flowers that il became a
common saying among members of Plymouth
I IGmuTcn that Mr Eeecher must be very fond of
iIoMEls' '' ne seemed TO know every flower i'm the
h,s,uen @ or IN the held and constantly drawing
enforce point. " "'S W
one sunday morning, / think il was in 1872
9Ghe 9I one sent him small bouquet in a vase
ii., LOOK II 10 church with him. placed II on the
rIe tbrn{G {aole DE at his side and there it remained
iuush tile service. 1t is difficult these davs
S1ob So bhhderStand what commotion it occasioned
gu ouCu =! tnins as bringing flowers into Il church
On on .he sabbath day had never been heard Of and
E, EaS hot az all in accord with traditional New
nnsIdhd Ideas Every one in the congregation OF
COURSE noticed II, and that bouquet of flowers he
CainS ir curing the week the talk of BROOKLYN.
NJ, mere were not a few who were alarmed ~
ML, heeCherS rapidly growing popularity. and
VINO nade point of finding fault with everything
he5 me dd These declared that Henry Ward BeecheP
nad desec ated the house of God by taking fOwa-s
however, affected neither. Mr.. Beecher nor the
cnurch Flowers in the pulpit had come to stay
and stay they did. and now are recognized as a
iesltinate @ part of church service all over the
It used to be said In the days before the Brook
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
THREAT TO CUT
TRANSFERS DOWN.
A NICKEL NOW PAYS FOR
3T-MILE Ride.
Traction Trust Troubles Nay Cur
tail This PriUiJege.
BY VI. W. Mount.

The difficulties into which the traction trust
OF Manhattan and The Bronx has been plunged
recently may, il is threatened. lead to loss Of
many of the transfer privileges now enjoyed
II such word may be used in connection with
packed cars-by the passenger. The receivers in
whose hands the trusts roads now lie are being
urged to increase the revenue by forcing the
passenger who wants to take two cars TO pay
for both of them instead of paying for one and
getting a transfer. Those who urge this course
declare that the transfer privilege. it now
stands, is far too generous. Whether that is a
sound argument or not, whether curtailment of
the transfer privilege would not further in
flame public sentiment against the roads and
lead 10 more drastic legislation at Albany, or
whether a liberal policy of transfers does not
draw more nickels into the treasury after all
than a niggardly policy. will not be discussed
in this article, but the fact is that to-day by
taking the streetcars of New York one
may start at the Battery and finish at
Kingsbridge, leaving little OF Manhattan un-
seen. and all for the sum of five cents. The
distance covered is thirty-seven and one
half miles over thirty lines of Included in
the thirty lines are journeys over the same line
of cars taken different points in the city upon
the same ZigZag journey which, except in rush
hours, consumes less than six hours. Al other
times the trip extends from six TO seven hours.
The traveller over this route gathers some idea
of the immensity of the shipping interests of
New York, the tremendous congestion of traffic
below 59th street and the vast and varied popu-
lation which goes TO make up the city. This
trip for five cents is an education which is
within the reach of every one. In no other way
quite much, for neither carriages
nor automobiles would care TO penetrate those
denSeiy packed portions Of the city which only
horse car is able TO traverse with any degree of
success.
From the east belt line taken at South
Ferry Is seen the immigrant influx at Battery
Park-a great foreign population thrown into
the vortex of this great citys life Shipping on
the East Side is TO be seen, with its accOmpani-
ment OF heavily laden trucks choking up the
side streets about the piers, waiting their turns
TO discharge freight TO outgoing steamers.
Nothing but horse car could travel this terri
tory, for congestion of traffic, with its innumer-
able accidents and delays, is such that a
must be run which turn out of its track and
proceed around CbstructiOns in order to make
any sort of time. Besides this reason another
exists for not electrifying the belt line; water
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13

lyn Bridge became the rival OF Fulton ,.-- =.
the means OF reaching Brooklyn that If one ~. az
TO- nnd Mt Beeehers church on Sunday mor1isi mTISsd
low the crowd. OF the distinguished ma .U lS.S
went to hear the great pulpit orator the ba who Mhe
writes: ' 'iie author
When we consider the guests. their nur.
ana quahty, the uShers used to yVOndsr UNDER
they all came from Truly, the fame Of Pl,,ds Were
nad gone INTO all the W I'D. Travellers VIlo.ctn
1t, Just as they went TO Washington Or -teIslted
IL was the thing to hear Henry Wars G1sasaFs-
In plymouth Church-usually the two vSara reeSner
utely identical DISTINGUISHED from all %sTe SoSo
IN !lre- IN America and every other cO1I,. .~aiaS
CnrlStendonl, were there Famous editors Iy noy IN
ministers eminent statesmen. great gsners,g ,gOpGlar
TO be seen in the audience Sabbath after 60 We're
among thoSe whom / remember We're Toi1i. .o9Js@tn.
Suth, Abraham Lincoln, General Grant q nos
Dickens Wendell Phillips, Theodore PartaS HyaIies
lam Lloyd Garrison Charles Sumner ~. VIII
Whittier Horace Greeley besides a hOsf 80 poet
During the Civil War most OF the s1ooi1 On oShers
governors Andrew Of Massachusetts Mo- war
New 1oTk, curtin OF Pennsylvania-and SCH oth Q,
We're We 10 oe seen IN the congregation, and II sts s
not an uncommon occurrence TO see roarI. - - Vas
New England regiments on their V-av to ~ oI the
stop over Sunday and march into Fvrno+L tS 'front.'
1t had become identified with those biaben nuIcn.
poses and deeper principles of The war 49, par-
pealed most of all to the New England cori sn ap~
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
BY THE TRANSVERSE ROAD.

On the seth street line the traveller sees a
great deal for his nickel. for this line crosses
one of the handsomest residence parts of Fifth
avenue and continues across Central Park.
passing the Metropolitan Museum of Art and
the Obelisk, in a course between the old res
erVoir and the reservoir and transferring
at the western extremity of the park to the
Eighth avenue line, which follows beautiful
route along the edge of the park past some of
New Yorks finest apartment hotels. Charming
views had of Morningside Park, above 109th
street. and of the imposing beginnings of the
Cathedral of st. John the Divine and the white
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13

George, passing New York University and run
ming along the edge of Hghbridge Park with
It's wonderful aqueduct and bridges, its Speed
way and amusement park above on the Harlem
canal, TO the Old fort. whose only sign of mill
tary occupation ramparts crowned as much
with beer hogsheads as with obsolete cannon
The distance covered is twelve miles which one
can travel in an hour and half A much longer
ride may be had over the Third avenue line
from 10th street through Fordham Mount Yer
non and BrOnXville. transferring three times
Philadelphia is second in the length of ride
which can be had for a single fare with a dis
tanCe of 2Gl3 Ples, which be traversed in
four hours. New Orleans equals. If II does not
exceed this estimate. making. its Belt Line
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
a SLOW TRAIN.

1 happened. recently. to be travelling on - -,
train which was "A marvel of slOwness. The ~s en-
wheezed and puffed and pulled but evidently ~ -
load was too much for IL. and the delays were ~
numerous. The passengers were not In the UN S~sst
humOr. and the conductor came IN IGI = sS-a7r q
deal OF harsh criticism One man on tlS -sn,isi
drummer, was especially indignant. anu 'T
and gibed the conductor unmercifuily- -. about
This blankety, blank, blank train Is luStt vim
the limit. Why. it couldn't beat molasSes !"
ter. etc. .vbals-
Finally the conductors patience became S eSi5In 5on
Ell. Say" he said to the drummer. II Ia Nv WaIky
like this tran why don't you get out anu an.,Iv my
Il would" responded the drummer, VnIt -
wife don't expect me until the train se'S -
Judges Library.
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
DOWN WITH THE DUST.

Not many Sundays ago a prominent preacher N
Chicago delivered a rather Ions winded sermon
charity. While the sermon WAS 5000 On7'
many of the congregation became disglsted az ~
length. and when the contribution box was pa.sSos
around there very little doing Inc 1sl.II 1aI
made investigation into the matter OF $50
offerings and discovering the reason Tor u -. 80
very much chagrined over the fact Shortly arr arr
this occasion he had preach another sermon r
like kind in the place. but he TOOK SaISS S.sr- a.
fall into the earlier and tire out ais -
erS. His text was He that hath pity upon "a "a
poor lendeth unto the Lord. and that Whlcn -
hath given he Will pay him again AFTER ~ Ieles -
ing the text three times he added. Now. ,ny,sn ny
loved brethren. you hear the terms OF TINS - -
If you like the security, down with the euS-.
Worlds Events Magazine
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
LONGEST TRIP FOR ONE FARE.

The longest trip on a surface car which may
be made in the city limits without any change
for one fare is over the Third avenue surface
line beginning at City Hall Park and the New
York Postofce. Brooklyn Bridge, and
passing through the East Side foreign settle
meuts on its way TO 125th street. where IL
crosses town through the old Dutch village OF
Haarlem, and turns into Amsterdam avenue on
the West Side. up which 1t continues to Fort
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
BEECHER'S CHURCH.
Experiences of an Usher in Sirty
Years of PIymouth's History.

"'Tis sixty years since" as Sir Walter Scott
wrote in beginning his first famous novel, NaVer-
lev" since that Brooklyn institution. Plymouth
Church began its career, on October 10, 1877, the
formal steps TO organize the society with which
the name of Henry Ward Beecher will always be
associated we're taken, and the past and present
membership has passed the total Of six thousand
Even before Mr.. Beecher passed away, after forty
years Of active service in Brooklyn. he was ac-
customed to say the church in heaven OutnuH-
bered the members earth.
For nearly the entire period Of the history or
Plymouth Church stephen NJ. Griswold. who has
been n member OF the Board of Aldermen OF Brook
lyn and State Senator at Albany. and who is now
the president of the Society of Old Brooklynites.
has served as of the chief ushers in seating the
great congregations drawn TO Plymouth Church
under all three of it's pastors. Mr.. Beecher. Or.
Lyman Abbott and DR.. Newell Dwight Hills.
Some OF experiences IN this capacity he has set
forth in a modest volume, entitled Sixty Years
with Plymouth Church"
BUYING A SLAVE GIRL
What is probably the most dramatic incident in
the history Of Mr. Beecher's pastorate occurred in
New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
WHY SHE WORRIED.

a lady carrying little dog in her aIu an
riding in bus that went along Park La ,,ow
the way up she worried the conductor lining
whether they had come to No -, meA''N
house nearly at the top. ,5,,ct0r
When they reached this number the 1850 4
stopped the bus thinking the lady vs. VS. she
alight there Instead OF doing this. howeS,,o IN the
went to the door OF the bus, and. holding W
dog said - sa5
Look Fido: that's where your mOehsi
bOrnP'-N p. c. In Illustrated Bits