Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-01

II you were asked--wlthout being
given time for rcfiectlon--how long
& has been since ncarly every Amer.
lean city depended upon the old
fashioned horse ear Tor transporto-
ton. what would you say9 Forty
ycarsg
Well, Il has been less than thirty
three years since the possibilities Of
the cable car az means OF trans
portation were discovered. even
Thirty-flve years ago Il was not
known that cars could be drawn by
means OF the cable. and when II was
demonstrated that 1t could be done
the revelation fairly startled the en-
cheering world.
Il has been less than forty years
ago that New York believed the over
head railroad was the only means Of
relieving the transportation problem,
which was then limited TO street cars
drawn by horses and mules. New
York adopted the overhead plan in
1875.
But Ia San Francisco there were
some steep hills that made II impos-
siblo 20 use either horses or steam
md san Francisno was becoming
quite city. To overcome the dlffi.
Guilty Of the steep hills in 1879 ths
cable was conceived and used at first
only 20 draw cars over the hills on
Clay street In that city Then II wai
put into operation in the entire city
les spread was so rapid and 80 salts.
factory as means Of facilitating
transportation that II was regarded
ns a permanent method
But within twenty years cabl,
system became a curiosity, having
been superseded by the electric cars
The country has become 80 accus'
toned to the trolley car IN 30 short q
time. however. that everybody hal
come TO regard Il as the permanent
Eystem .fon insraupsal apsaarts Iieg'
with tho same assurance that tn
Bourbons In New York city thirty-sl'
years ago laughed az the possibilities
Of overhead railways, and the work.
doubted the feasibility OF the cable.
As matter Of fact inventors were
striving 70 find the way to appl
electricity Tor stree, car transporta
ton for az much as a half-centur!
before the cable car was invented
According 70 special report issue'
OF street ana Electric Railways" Il
1902 the DcVcr's model OF an eleetIi
car was exhibited az Springfield
Mass, as early az 1895. In 1878 TN
siomans and Holske trolley" roa'
was operated with gratifying success
at the Berlin exposition. hut unit
1882 electric cars were operated ont
for exhibition purposes, and as lat
as 1884 ono historian says "a tin
train drawn by electricity was use
az the Philadelphia electrical expo
sitioE on track four hundred fee
long"
The first electric street railway on
Grated as business proposition an
for profit was az Richmond, Va, q
1885. over two and a half miles o
track. and the same year trolie
ear was operated between Baltlmor
and Hampdon. a distance Of Nv
miles. In 1856 there were no NOR
than these two lines "a operation, bu
four years later the number had ~
creased 20 forty-nine. But It had r.
quircd fifty years from the time
perfect model was exhibited q
Springfield 20 convince the world tha
electricity was feasible as the motiy
power for street cars
The men Of the present generatio
who count themselves young men a
yet, have lived 70 see the depaFtur
Of the horse car. the passing OF III
cable car and the Fiae Of the trollcl
They win not be SO slow 10 boiiev
that tho trolley may be supersedc
by a street car as far IN adYannc Of
as tho trolley was in advance of IA
old cable car. as their fathers wer
slow 20 believe that nothing coul
over take the place o. the old hors
cars.