The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-18
Gas WAGON TRIP FOR 10 CENTS
CHANCE FOR PEOPLE VINO DO\.r
WANT TO PAY S3 Az HOt n

the New htaKes-A Four Vile llidp
where You Look and Are Looked a.
-Thc voyagcrs n the sishIscrrs.
Apparently the least you can charter a
motor car for is somewhere abouts3 an hour.
Now the people this story is about didn't
want to pay so much, and they really didn't
want n car for an hour, anyhow, so ,tez
thought they'd go over to Fifth avenue amt
take an automobile ride for 10 cents on ,ns
OF tho new gasolene stages nov running
there. and that's what they did.
The uptown starting point OF the line Ia a.
Fifth avenue and Ninetieth street. and thew
found one OF the new gas wagons there.
waiting for its schedule time to start, and
that gave time enough to look her over,
Seats inside and out, oom for about twenty
ON the roof and sixteen or 80 inside. making
the total capacity probably thirty-six; the
roof seats reached by a narrow spiral stair
way running up ut the rear OF the stage
back Of the platform leading to the interior.
Body Of the stage built in Philadelphia,
running part from London; and out there at
the front end was all the regulation auto
mr. bile paraphernalia, the hood covering
the machinery and the various levers and
the lamps and the horn. She was all to the
good in the automobile way. lacking not
even the requisite automobile perfume.
-, And then along tho sides Of the enclosure
protecting the roof seats wore secured con
:piSSous .dSertisins sign. and there s va.
Of the spiral stairway at the rear. AL quite in
the London fashion. True. these signs
here wore not mustard sign, but the general
effect was the same; 1t was all quite English,
great enjoyment in a ride in this big gas
wagon. and in this expectation they were
not disappointed.
sven6e, just south Of Ninetieth street,
When they soa Ssv nj put hssdsd up q.
whenthey were bound down; but that was
all made OleaF int minute. Az the starting
time tho Jchau6eu ,hrahled her up, and
set the maobinery,to buxning-this another
vivid ~autouobile reminder, and then he
stepped into his seat and pusAed or pulled
a lever or two and gave n couple OF toots on
the horn, and then started her, snd abs
rolled around the corner into Ninetieth
street and thence into and down Madison
Syenue and 'sions hat to and through
down which she turped, o. to the south,
for a ride, styaightawsy, for four miles or
more, through soenos constantly changing,
but as constantly interesting, 70 the down
town end OF the I'm at Washington squsre,
Having come early h voyagcrs had
taken, naturally. front seats on the roof,
from which they could get an uDobstructed
view down the avenue ahead. while from
the roof they could look down on all passing
vehicles, For from the ground 70 the roc
dozen or so in commission, running
on q ak minute headway, and with more
coming lit Is about twelve feet, n rs you
sit your head IL o foot or two higher than
thai, g that on The roof your bead is
On the down trip. passing down the
west side Of the avenue md 20 above Ftsty-
ninth street, under the trees bordering
that side along by. Central Park. you may
feel your hat brushed occasionally by the
up 50 high; and al Along cvery.hersy
can look down on tho tops OF wagons and
all other vehicles. and even down upon the
tops of the hats of tho drivers who sit
perched in the high seats At tho back Of the
And while the passengers look down on
them plenty Of people ooh up st the pas
sengers. for these stages-they have Been
running now only about a month-are. still
new to many; they are new yet sven TO the
they would not have. done for tho old horss
stages. And 80 the passengers 40.
looking and looked at.
The voyagers met on the venue two
1 %bi, ssT fSs y sse%s H ;ec., dS Sdwr 1e On sSs .,s snd
seers the latter looked up at the yoyagers
evidently regarding the stage and its pas
sengers, as indeed they might quite cor
rectly do. as one Of the sights ofNew York.
But not only visiting sightseers. &C re-
garded the outfit. It was looked at with
interest by street sweepors and pushcart
men and cabmen and other drivers. It IVES
biggest thing on wheels on the avenue. =
The chauffeur stopped and started the
outfit easily aud smoothly, and seemed to
the work. He would swing In to the
curb to pick up.a passenger and then
At tho sound Of the go~ng-there's . con-
on these stage, you understand.
fares-he would. start her up. and swins
out again. clearing nicely whatever was
standing at tho curb ahead. and 20 keep
on his wav. "r
Some driver might look UP thinking
the outfit wa going to sdewtpe him a.
the chSuissur would honT SOnf
on the horn. which gave the passengers
great satisfaction.
The two voyassrs did find those roof
seats pretty hard; the inside seats have
spring cushions. but the roof seats none
at all; and with solid rubber tires on this
autos wheels the rough spots and the cross
ings were a little bouncy. but tho pair
didn't expect the earth for iocents, and en-
Ioyed the trip every minute.
And 80 they o dow Fifth avenue,
past the Park and the palatiai homes oppo
and past the palaces OF trade. and the
churches and clubs and ~hotels-going down
Murray Hill they met one OF these stages
hill easily-and through all the varied
trafHc. ON down TO and under the Washing
ton Arch and to Washingto1 Square, at the
end OF Fifth avenue. and the end
OF the trip. which was made in thirty min
utes. exactly schedule time.