Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-12
Billions Of Nicke|s for
Street Gar Rides.
Fifth Avenue Losing its FASH
ionabIe Distinction.
Passing Of Two Famous Vessels.
Difficulties Of Police.

New York. Dec 12.-Americans are
the greatest users of street cars in the
world and figures which have just been
compiled here show that this city is
the greatest car-riding community in
the country. The average number of
rides for each one of it's inhabitants.
men. women and children. during the
past year was 81. This gives total
OF $50. 776, ,165 rides during the year. or
nearly tenth of the tota! for the
whole country. which is about fifteen
billion 1t is almost equal to the en-
tire number of passengers handled by
the tramway systems of England and
Wales. In other words the average
yearly expenditure of each New York
er for carfare has reached the very
considerable sum of $15.S5. while the
total amount spent in the shape of the
billion and third Of nickels collected
by conductors every year is S66.53S.S11.
Every day 3.5G0.G00 passengers are car
ried the great majority during the
morning and evening rush hours, In
spite Of the inadequacy of the exist
ing facilities to meet the present de
mand. the riding habit is getting
stronger grip on the city every day.
About 350.000 more persons now ride
each day than in 1906. AS against the
average of 81 rides a year for each
person in the past year. five years ago
the average was only 26G rides. The
total length of the street railroads Gov
cred in the figures is 763 miles OF great
er than that of many important steam
systems. Including sidings and turn
outs and reducing third and fourth
track to single track mileage, the to-
tai length of track is 1872 miles, In
spite of the walls from the various car
lines and their recent abolishment or
practically all transfers. the figures 1or
the past year show q slight increase in
the earnings of each car per mile, the
figure as given being just fraction
under 26 cents per car mile.
The announcement that two more
blocks OF Fifth Avenue in the heart of
what was only few years ago the
most exclusive section of wealthy
homes in the city are to be converted
to business uses marks another step in
the rapid passing of this thoroughfare
as a fashionable residence street. For
several years the homes which once
lined the avenue from the magnificent
Washington Arcn TO tHe loNef cru W
Central Park have been steadily dlsap-
pearing and this movement has pro-
&C efed moro rapidly since big depart
ment stores began to invade the once
sacred precincts. 1t is known that one
of the two blocks just sold is to be-
used as the site for Il local dry goods
emporium. now located further down
town. ard it is rumored that the other
has been acquired by a famous Chi
caeo mercantile establishment which
has often been reported as about to
invade New York. In five years more.
it is predicted by real estate men. there
will not be a dozen private residences
in all Fifth Avenue below Tifty-nintli
street. Even the wealth of multi-mil-
ionaires cannot withstand the en-
croachments of business and they are
being driven further uptown or INTO
the side streets whittier the fashionable
clubs that formerly had houses on the
avenue are Following them. For time
there was a tendency to build big. lux
uyious hotels on Fifth Avenue. but this
has ceased. Hotel visitors find the
hrillancy of Broadway and the con-
venience of it's great hotels to thea
Continued on Page Twelve)