The New York Times/1865/12/26/Our City Railroads

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An Account of Their Origin and Growth.

Their Financial Progress for Several Years.

The Streets and Avenues They Run Through.

Facts for the Guidance of City Wayfarers.

THE PASSENGER TRAFFIC.

It is a constant complaint with wayfarers in New-York that there are few popular guides to the geographical limits and available passenger lines of the city. And there are thousands, we doubt not, of permanent residents who know little, if anything, of the progress of our street railway system; of the routes traversed by the city cars; of the vast amounts of travel by this modern expedient of intramural conveyance; of the rapid growth of the traffic; of the vast capital invested, or of the field for developing new enterprises of the same kind which yet lies open. The subjoined report, carefully prepared from the statements of the officials connected with the different roads, will be found both useful and interesting. It has been condensed into the narrowest possible space consistent with the object of presenting a correct outline of the city railroad system as it exists at the present time. We take the different avenue roads in order, according to the number of the avenues, as being, perhaps, more convenient for reference than any other mode of arrangement. The cross-town roads, we numerate from their southernmost terminus.

THE CENTRAL PARK, NORTH AND EAST RIVER RAILROAD -(FIRST AND TENTH-AVENUES AND FIFTY-NINTH-STREET

FIRST AND SECOND AVENUES AND PECK-SLIP

THIRD-AVENUE

FOURTH-AVENUE, OR N. Y. AND HARLEM CITY LINE.

This is the oldest horse railroad in the United States, having been opened as far back as the year 1832, when it ran from Prince-street to Fourteenth; it was lengthened during the succeeding year, from Fourteenth-street to Thirty-second-street; in 1839 it was again lengthened from Prince-street to City Hall, and in 1851 was completed to the Astor House, as far as the city line was concerned. During the first year of its existence, however, it was by no means a profitable undertaking, as the total receipts were only $384, while the expenses amounted to $4,650, thereby entailing a loss of $4,266. The next year, however, was far better, the receipts being $5,019, while the expenses were greatly reduced, being but $1,862, thereby giving a profit of $3,157; the next year when steam was used as far as Harlem, the profits amounted to $18,182; but during 1835, 1836, 1837, there was a loss of $36,500, since which time, however, the road has been in a state of uninterrupted prosperity.

As far as we have been able to learn, there were not over 12 cars in use when this line was opened in 1832; now, the number reaches 69.

During the year 1864, the number of passengers carried amounted to 5,795,238, and the receipts for the same period were $735,101 39.

The capital stock is as follows:

Authorized	$	8,000,000
Amount paid in		6,585,050
Funded and floating debt		6,118,850

N. B.—The receipts are those of both lines, city and through lines.

The officers are:

CORNELIUS VANDERBILT, President.

WM. H. VANDERBILT, Vice-President.

WM. H. EMERSON, Secretary and Treasurer.

E. A. CHAPIN, Superintendent.

(The above gentlemen occupy the same position on the New-York and Harlem.)

The Route.

The route is from Park-row to Centre, Grand, the Bowery, Fourth-avenue, East Thirty-second-street, Lexington-avenue, East Thirty-fourth-street, Greenpoint Ferry, and returning the same route as far as Broome, where it turns off and proceeds by Centre to Park-row.

The fare is six cents. The distinguishing color light red.

SIXTH-AVENUE

SEVENTH-AVENUE AND BROADWAY

EIGHTH-AVENUE AND MANHATTANVILLE

NINTH AVENUE

HUDSON RIVER RAILROAD, (CITY LINE.)

This road was opened on the 23d of January last, under the control of the Hudson River Railroad, and has in its possession some 26 cars and 179 horses. The route is from the Hudson River Railroad depot at Thirtieth-street, to their former one at Chambers-street, and terminating at Broadway and Warren-street.

The Route.

From Warren-street, corner of Broadway to Hudson, to Canal, to West, to Tenth-avenue, to depot of Hudson River Railroad, West Thirtieth-street, and returning by same route.

The fare is 6 cents, and the distinguishing color light-red.

BLEECKER-STREET AND FULTON FERRY

THE DRY DOCK AND EAST BROADWAY

FORTY-SECOND-STREET AND GRAND-STREET FERRY.

This road was commenced in 1868 but not finished by the original owners, and it was sold to the present company who finished it.

The number of cars owned by this company is about 50, and the length of the line is about eight miles running from the Forty-second-street Ferry, North River, to Grand-street. The amount of passenger traffic during 1864 was more than considerable, being about 3,500,000, and the total earnings from passengers and other sources about $835,000. The total cost of operation for 1864 was a little over $300,000, which gives a very healthy aspect to the condition of the road.

The stock authorized is $750,000, of which $660,000 has been paid in. THe amount of funded debt us $261,600; the floating debt, $33,282 13.

The Route. From foot of West Forty-second-street to Tenth-avenue, to Thirty-fourth-street, to Broadway, to Twenty-third-street, to Fourth-avenue, to East Fourteenth-street, to Avenue A, to Houston, to Cannon, to Grand, to Grand-street Ferry. Returning, through Grand to Goerck, to East Houston, to Second Avenue[sic, should be Second Street], to Avenue A, to East Fourteenth-street, to Fourth-avenue, to East Twenty-third-street, to Broadway, to West Thirty-fourth-street, to Tenth-avenue, to foot of Forty-second-street.

Fare six cents. Distinguishing light, light green.

Comparative Statement for Five Years, ending Sept. 30, 1864, of Total Number of Passengers Carried on Street Railroads in New-York.