The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-13

by that of any city in the country. III Is 'here.
fore gratifying 10 know that, to the END OF
further improving the service, careful statistics
have been taken which show that the fastening
of the instepping and otfgetling passenger Is
matter essential to more rapid transportation
To further this aim. il is proposed TO install the
modern s'pav-as-vou-entcr' ear. by the use OF
which the outgoing and incoming passenger are
prevented from encounterng one another. his
bit of progress will save each several valuable
minutes in each trip. The total saving of time
will run into several hours daily, which VIII be
equivalent to the addition of a number OF cars
Results of experiments on Broad and Nam
Streets interesting III several particulars
On Main Street it was shown that 1t took nine
persons nine seconds and halt to get on or
of a car and eighteen passengers an average OF
twcnty-thrce seconds to get on or OH. On broad
Street it took nine passengers eleven and Tour
fifths seconds TO get off and eighteen pas
sengers twenty-eight seconds. Considering the
things that happen to a ear carrying busy man
10 his Office, these averages show an almost IN
conceivable speed. Who has not fdgeted from
one foot to another while massive WOMAN
negotiated the ear steps with her market basket
Wfte a bcyy of children caused complete
suspension of traffic as various relatives assisted
their abbreviated legs to connect again with
tcua f,md2 while the attractive young woman
on the front seat forget her parcels through pat
ting her hair. or while the man with crutch
tested the soundness of the pavement or the
cautions lady who, having learned that 1t is not
safe for women to ahght while the car is IN
motion, emulated the crab and, while beating a
retreat kept her eyes fixed on the dangerous
contraption she was leaving Seconds, i'll such
emergencies, involve a ponderous calculation.
The minute is the better multphcr, and to the
tervent soul hours are not not an extreme meas
ure. The difference in seconds on Broad and
Nam merelv marks the contrast between the
way in which men acquire indigestion to at
tack their work and that i'm which woman, we'll
ted, carefully dressed attentive details, fares
forth to shop.
Instead of minutes being an essential; instead
of the step lively of the conductor who figures
his run in seconds the time is not yet remote
when the cars used to stop at anybody's front
door: when they would wait on the corner while
one kissed his wife good-byc or started the house
hold on search for his umbrella. or even when
we all knew the mororman and conductor by their
Christian names and utilized them as "a sort OF
happy days. which are always just around the
corner of the past, when people had time, il
| little else; when conversation was pleasure and
an art; when everyone friends with every
one else, and suspicion not needful because
everybodys honesty crowed and tapped it.
wings. Now it is the same old rush that it al
ways has been the day after Yesterday: the same
| pace that kills the same money hunger at the
cost of reflection; the same splitting of seconds
lin response to sthe snQdcrel 1er,aud foys speed. X
| 1t has been so since the horse succeeded the OK
the street car the horse, the bicycle the street car
the automobile the bicycle and the train. II
will be so till the end until in the end, we shall
take thought, and arrive, and, without taking
thought. "arrive back
Ii will be interesting, however, for all those
who occasionally walk to time a rapid walk
and then time leisurelv one for the same dis
lance. Mess your time is much more valuable
than YOU think it YOU will find that the time
saved is exceeding poor pay for the exertion anG
exhaustion of speed 1t needs be that we trave
fast, the faster the better; bur- once aboard. the
philosophy of the matter is to sit still, and tc
regard The arrival in the spirit Of faith.