The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-24
THE LIFE STORY Of
FIFTH AVENUE BUS.
Not Long Ago Noted Vehicle
Was Taboo on World.
Famed Thoroughfare.

NEW YORK, May 2A-"F1tth ave-
nue." belongs not only to New York
city, but to the entire United States
The story is told that in the early
days Of the millionaire exelusiveness"
Of this famous boulevard, all public
vehicular traffic was forbidden n
stringent restrictions In property leases
did everything possible 10 keep the
public away from the quiet avenue OF
homes" 1t was a great concession,
made only after many years OF dis
cussion that one passenger-earrying
omnibus system was permitted, SO that
the rich mans servants might go 10
and from church.
These omnibuses were permitted TO
run only q very limited distance, from
Washington square TO Central park,
under no other circumstances. Nor was
any other omnibus line ever 10 be per-
mitted to intrude. Tradesmen's vehicles
could not use Fifth avenue after 10
o'clock In the morning.
So recent was this state Of affairs
that 1t Is well within the memory OF
men still in their forties." In fact,
this was the Fifth avenue Of 1895, when
the Fifth Avenue Transportation com.
pany, Limited, became bankrupt and
It's entire stock was sold for sos 500 to
Ward Campbell, who became one OF
he incorporators and directors o. the
new company, and transferred all his
right for $4,000 in cash and shares, to
the Fifth Avenue Coach company, now
running all the Fifth avenue busses.
Today this company Is one OF the big
gest dividend psying organizations In
existence anywhere that Is, for those
original stockholders who were given
shares in the new company, Its assets
now amount TO nearly $4,000, 900, and
It's revenue for the year totals a like
amount, while It's carrying,
monopoly Fifth Avenue : New-York'
is a sinecure beyond price,
Fifth avenue is the most unique thor
oughfare In the world, with traffic con-
%tinueusly busy day and night through
out the year.
The company commenced to grow and
be successful from the moment II gave
up the horse-drawn omnibuses and
adopted motor BUSES of the double-
deck type as used in London,
It's first motor bus was used July L.
BY 1916 the company had grown so
that 1t was operating over 1856 motor
buses daily over its various routes.
Each motor bus then averaged IS miles
P 'SoG FAX SSG m tTtsI fer o6 ne ID. SeSr SeinS NEARLY tSsss
buses carried 10, $50, 900 passengers, and
Si,622, S04, 20,
For the year ending June 30, 1918, the
gross revenue was $2,ebA,4b7,47, q
which $4S, os9.S7 was for private bus
hire, and advertising, privileges: The
same period was 7,740, S2s, an increase
in the year Of 1897, ia miles.
Now, in the spring Of 1919, the phe-
nomenal growth Is still continuing day
by day. Although as 900, 900 passengers
we're carried In 1918 (the total number
| nf paatnr hpguau NyarlAe AuilU MS nav
ones are put into operation, and old
/ ones scrapped) the fleet OF 2a9 buses
| was crowded daily to utmost capacity.
There are few corners anywhere along
Fifth avenue, or Riverside drive that
have not crowds waiting for a ride. In
| Of the public demand or week days, and
are hopelessly crowded on week-ends
and holidays.
Fifth avenue Is not only "the avenue
of fashion," with its beautiful show
windows OF Americas best stores, with
its ,ps1atial homes Of multi,millionaires,
and Its Central park with all the natural
beauty and freshness of the country,
but ii also teens with ver changing
human interest and pleasure.
Fifth avenue Is no longer the exclu-
stve avenue OF the rich, to be used only
by them, but it is the most popular
and historical interest.
There is a saying: what Fifth ave-
nue. does today the rest OF tho world
copies tomorrow" and the phenomenal
success of the motor bus for public
pleasure and practical service is at
tracing the attention Of other cities
and localities In the United States and
elsewhere, about which further inter
esting stories will follow.
Each motor omnibus used by the
Fifth Avenue Coach company weighs,
when fully loaded, about six tons, and
has magnetic ignition, as nothing else
could enable the engine to develop the
reliable power, and be so dependable
under continuous running Of the engines
and the heavy strains Of starting and
stopping. The total mileage for 1919
will, IT. is estimated, exceed 10, OOO, 600
bus miles.
Under such conditions, no other igni-
tion system could stand up" or do the
work; the troubles, breakdowns and re-
pairs would render the busses valueless
for public use. Yet the wonderful little
magnetic, producing about 5000 intense
sparks every mile, never gives any
trouble, and enables the engine, the
source OF all power that propels the six
ton loaded omnibus, to develop every
ounce Of Its energy. 1t willingly works
all the time and never refuses or grows
tired,