Year: 1872

City passenger cars, since the very
| day of their introduction, have been the
target of criticism. But little good has
! been seen in them, and it has always
| been considered the perfectly fair thing
| to abuse them and their managers with
out stint. How useful they are we will
understand when they are taken from
US for a day or two. Then we will con-
fess that these carriages Of the public
are very convenient affairs after all.
The charge of ten cents is not in Itself
an extOrtiOn for a ride of a mile OF
more. 1t is only because the
railroad companies find that charge
to pay them, and pay them well, too.
They will never exact less as long as the
people pay, and they fear to test the
profitableness of single niekles. If the
charge be reduced and travel be not in
creased, there would be-a mob organized
to destroy the railways if original
charges were again exacted. Therefore
the managers adhere to the ten cents
charge for a single ticket. Everywhere
the substitution Of steam for horsepower
on street-cars is contemplated, and when
this is effected, such are savings assured
the companies that we.may expect a re-
ductiOn of the present tax upon bad legs
at least One-half.


STEAM UP. \


Whether we like the idea of steam on
city railroads or not. it is more than
probable that that power viii before
many months be 50 used. The same dis
astrous results that are now prophesied,
if we do adopt steam as a motive power
in our great cities, were prOphesied years
ago when steam communication be-
tween towns was talked of. Some ofour
exchanges, indeed, push the matter
further, and urge that not only
cars but private carriages, be run
with steam, and insist that these
latter can be made as light and beautiful
as those OF the present mode. Before,
however, this comes to pass, we must
have even roadbeds. The wood pave
ment must everywhere replace the
stone. A Boston cotemporiry, in reply
TO the argument that engines would
frighten the horses, calmly Tejoins:
" Then get rid Of the horses and have
steam only;" though it indulges in the
hope that the noble animal may in
time become used to the contrivance.
As to the danger Of steam-caTs, il is a
fair reply TO consider the danger involved
in the use Of horses. 1t is doubtless a
fact that more people are manned and
killed by horses than engines, though,
to be sure, there are many more of the
former than the latter; yet it is folly to
condemn the engine and acquit the
horse, which is equally guilty. The
american Manufacturer has this to say
on the subject:


zone of the results of the prevalent
horse epidemic will unquestionably
be to give a great impetus to investga-
tions and experiments having for their
object the substitution of some perfectly
safe and practical motive power for
street-caTs and road vehicles in place
of horse and mule power Certainly no
stronger stimulus to inventive genius
could be given We believe that smoke
consuming steam engines can be built,
which shall be noiseless In their opera
tons and more easily managed than a
pair Of horses, that shall work as cheaply
rs that animal, either on street-rails or
off them, and which shall be unobjec-
tionable in all respects. The great car
and transportation companies of the
country would do well to unite in offer
ing a handsome prize for such an in
ventiOn. This would excite the inven-
1--WE 5hAl VI OuL ultthitilAcs, lHudce tHeAu
to experimentalize literally, and doubt
less, in the end, produce exactly what is
wapted.n


THE MECHANICAL SUBSTITUTE.


In New York city even now the steam
engine supplants horses, and the Tribune
reporter is well pleased with the change.
The boiler stands beside the driver, on
the front platform Of the ear, aud the
two engines beneath drive the wheels.
These engines have power 70 propel
three or four cars, which may be linked