Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 Excerpt: ...delivered January 4, 1864, urged that the surface railway companies extend their tracks. In dealing with the transportation problem, Mayor Gunther said: "The proper regulation of the city railroads is a matter of public interest in a city like New York, where a large portion of the population is compelled to use this means of conveyance to and from their places of daily avocation. These companies enjoying a valuable franchise and paying little for the use of the streets in comparison with the revenue derived therefrom, while they increase so materially the expense of cleaning and repairing, should be compelled at least to extend their tracks as far as the avenues they occupy are graded, and also to run cars as often as the local population reasonably demand; nor should they be permitted to use a rail endangering either life or property." Proceedings of the Board of Aldermen, vol. 93, p. 27. 1 In 1872 the street surface railways carried 143,559,543 passengers. Population Number o.f Railways Reported Passenger making reports Traffic 1 Davenport, John I., Population of the City of New York, p. 18. These figures are substantiated by A. R. Robinson, engineer for the Manhattan Railway Company, in a statement made by that company to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1867. Speech of Wright H. Olmstead on Rapid Transit, given at Lion Park, June 16, 1877. ninth street, and the Eighth Avenue Railroad Company ran its cars to Sixtieth street.1 Beyond these points there had been practically no development. As late as 1868 not more than a half-dozen modern houses had been built on the west side of Central Park.1 The territory where today stand the magnificent residences of New York's wealthy citizens was at that time a wilderness of rocks, dotted h...
