Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1891 — First Street Kailway. [ARTICLE]

First Street Kailway.

The first street railroad chartered in this country was the New York and Harlem, but now known as the “Fourth Avenue,” and the date of its charter is April 25, 1831, or sixty years ago. The patent was taken out in 1833 by John Stephenson, still living q,t the advanced age of 85 years, and bears the signature of Andrew Jackson, President; Edward Livingston, Secretary of State; Roger B. Taney, Attorney General; and John Campbell, Treasurer. The car is described as “a transition from the existing styles of coachwork, being the union of three Quaker coaches suspended on four short leather ‘thorough-braces,’ which afforded an ease of comfort not since excelled.” Its picture represents it as a cross between an omnibus, a rockaway and an English railway coach. In addition to comfort this car had another advantage which is now beginning to be appreciated in the congestion of street traffic in large cities. It was divided on the inside into three compartments, each seating ten passengers, and the roof held two seats more, one at each end, capable of seating ten more. So we see that the “upper deck” feature is really as old as the first street car built. In those days it was supposed, as a matter of course, that the passenger was entitled to a seat, and forty persons was thought to be a fair load for one car. Nowadays in Chicago and New York 6uch ideas are too antiquated for courteous consideration. Passengers are not given seats, but are lucky to get standing room. The rapid growth of cities has rendered intramural transit and rapid transit one of the serious problems of the age.