2001.076

Russo, Anthony

Donation

Gift of Anthony Russo

1874 - 1874

Date: 1874-1874

Display Value: Good Notes: 2001.076.0001 The Illustrated Christian Weekly. Vol. IV. No. 45. NEW YORK, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1874. Price Six Cents. ENTERED, ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1874 BY THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON. ----- Giving the Horse-Cars a Ride. The bold bluff that forms the Palisades on the west shore of the Hudson river as it reaches the neighborhood of the city recedes from the river's bank, and at Hoboken is a half mile or more back. It has lost, too, its precipitous character, and has become only a steep hill, dividing the lands on the shore from the broad stretches of the Hackensack meadows. The view from the summit is, however, very fine. Directly at your feet lies the city of Hoboken, stretching along the flats till it is absorbed in Jersey City. The broad river is alive with craft of every description, from the ocean steamer to the ferry boat. And across the river is the great metropolis ; its immense new edifices, like the Postoffice and Western Union Telegraph building, lifting themselves into striking prominence, appearing really larger in proportion than when seen near at hand. It is, indeed, the propinquity of the great city that makes this hill of any special consequence. Here is a place for residence, away from the noise and stir of the city, and yet near enough to be available for those whose daily work calls them to it. But, as sometimes happens, places near in point of distance are far off in point of time. He who lives on the line of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad for example, comes over the Hoboken ferry with our friend who lives on this Jersey bluff. The former enters the steam-cars, and the train is off, shrieking through the bowels of the hill and out on the other side, and ten miles away and the traveller is at home no later than our friend, living in sight of New York city steeples. For to reach the suburbs of Jersey City Heights, West Hoboken, and other places lying on or over this bluff, there must be a tedious ride in the horse-cars. These useful adjuncts to our modern metropolitan civilization are not noted for displaying any frightful velocity even when on a level. When it comes to ascending a hill two or three hundred feet high, it will be at once evident that they scarcely pass beyond a crawl, even with four horses attached. The idea struck some inventive genius — whom, we know not — that it would save time, and ultimately save money, to give the horse-cars — cars, horses, passengers, and all — a ride up hill. It is to effect this that the Elevator pictured in our illustration has been built. Instead now of a long detour and a zigzag up the side of the hill, the track leads directly to the base. The car is driven on a platform, and the platform keeping its horizontal position, as shown in the engraving, is hauled up to the top of the hill, where the horses, refreshed (why not?) by their short ride, again bring their activities into play, and the car goes merrily oh," over the hills and far away." The operating of these platforms for the ascending and descending cars is done by one man, who, from the little lookout house on the summit, regulates the engines which, situated in the large room under his feet, wind and unwind the wire cables. These engines are two in number, standing close together, and each working a drum around which the cables of the respective platforms are wound. Due precautions are taken against accident. The traveller by this route will find it vastly more pleasant to rise up into the clear air and the interesting prospect from the hill-top, than to plunge through the hill by the new tunnel which the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Eailroad are driving not far from this Elevator, or by the Bergen tunnel on the Erie Railway, a little farther south. Every device is to be welcomed that opens up the possibility of a home to those whose income would otherwise only allow of some rooms within the city. There can, of course, be a very delightful home in its internal spirit, even with the narrow range of tenement rooms or '1 flats." But the truest home must have scope and verge, and for people of small means these, at present, cannot be found within the city. It is also a pity when the working man, mechanic, clerk, or what not, must spend any great length of time on the way to and from his daily duties. His working hours cannot be shortened. The time thus spent must be taken from his family. In so far as this device shortens this time, for those living in the region named, it may be called a "family friend." This Elevator, something new in the history of horse-car travel, is built by the North Hudson County Bailway Company, at a cost of not far from $200,000. [end article on elevator] [caption for illustration] THE HOBOKEN STREET CAR ELEVATOR Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2003-04-13