Evening star., 1947-10-19

ne llrSt SCreeG railway ever
to be operated in this or any
other country was the New
- York & Harlem Railroad,
which was first operated in New
york City, November 26. 1882
Washington was then certainly
lin its ox-cart days with a popu-
Ilation of less than 10000, and
Georgetown trailed behind with
i8,441. The District did not need
"a tramway at the time. and
made no serious effort to get the
horse car until 1859, being perfectly
contented to ride on Van Denver
kens omnibus line or in one of
the sea-going hacks. for Washington
was then very dusty place when
1t was dry and very muddy place
when it was wet. and the old saying
You old stick in the mud" applied
to nearly every one.
The first street railroad in the
Nations Capital was the Washing
ton and Georgetown Railroad
Co, chartered by Congress May
IT, 1862. and when the road was
sufficiently completed, between the
Capitol and the Treasury Building,
an experimental run was made on
July II following, and the next day
at about the time of the adjourn
nent of Congress, the cars were put
in operation, and all of the, citizens
who wishes to avail themselves of
the privilege, were given free ride.
First Car Route.
The roads official opening was on
July 20, the tracks then being in
perfect order from the Capitol to
the Department of State, then To-
Gated on Fifteenth street, where is
now the north end of the Treasury
OF the opening Of this road, the
press said at the time:
This morning the cars on the
Washington & Georgetown Pas
senger Railroad commenced running
the road being in perfect order from
the Capitol to the State Department.
All the closed cars that the company
have received. 10 in number, are
being used today, carrying large
numbers of passengers, as many as
40. on one or two occasions being
seated in them. The first up this
morning, crowded almost to suf-
location, was brought to a stand
still on the curve near the Treasury.
probably owing to the roughness of
the rails, but an extra horse being
put on, the difficulty was overcome.
Passengers going to and from
Georgetown pay cents. and are
transferred at the State Depart
ment, to or from the omnibuse5
running from there to Georgetown
The company has made some
As or so appointments Of employees,
about half of whom are on duty
today. among whom is J. F.
Upperman, as timekeeper at the
Capitol. Mr.. .Upperman has been
the timekeeper for the amnibus
line at this point for IS years past.
AS the road progresses the ap-
pointees will be notified to 60 on
duty.
The track is laid as far as the
circle, ana cars Will, IL Is expected,
run to that point next week. The
cars in use are handsome and COM
modious. and in the Smoothness in
which they glide along afford an
agreeable change from the rough
jolting over the pavement expert
enced in other modes of venicular
conveyances.
Horse-and- Buggy Days.
OF course, the older folk, who have
been through the mill, can see a
tremendous improvement all along
the line in most every way. They
can look back to the horse and
buggy days, and recall the Saturday
night bath. to the old hogshead with
which we used to catch rain water
for laundry and bathing purposes,
to the days when women wore
hoop-skirts and bussels, and give