ANALYZING URBAN HISTORY IN THE YEAR 1861 THROUGH THE NY TIMES

A detailed Summary of ANALYZING URBAN HISTORY IN THE YEAR 1861 THROUGH THE NY TIMES

On March 22nd 1861, the New York Times ran an article entitled "STREET RAILWAYS. HOW THEY SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTED. Comparative Advantages of the Various Styles of Rail." In the column :CONSULTING THE PUBLIC CONVENINCE.

This article stated that the legislature had passed a bill about City railway charters, which would allow for better rail service, in terms of more cars, it was important that the public be aware of the primary importance for the laying of a track which will not infringe upon the rights of owners of private vehicles, nor be an inconvenience to the already existing highways. The article continues to describe the way in which the existing traffic runs and how the construction of the railway should be built in order for it to be most effective. The article also shows various types of railways and says which type would be best for the various parts of the city and why. The main aim of the article is to allow its readers to recognize not simply the obvious improvements of having a railway but also the necessity of having a railway built in a certain way, designed to prevent any major form of hindrance to the already existing streets.

In a previous article written on March 2nd 1861, entitled "City Railroads- A Call for

Despite the fact that the railroads were privately owned, people still felt that it was necessary for the citizens of the City to have a relatively cheap and comfortable form of service. They saw the railroad owners were profiting from the railroads, but were not providing the best service or at least service which could be better to the riders. Thus they challenged the system through the legislature.

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Despite the fact that the article failed to go into depth as to who the owners of the railroad companies were, it is noticeable that they are privately owned and operated, perhaps this was a factor which allowed for the advancement made on the system. Private ownership was also a reason for the public's call for reduced fares. None the less, the railroad was a significant advancement for the City of New York, allowing it to continue to grow to become one of the largest cities in the world. That simple continuous improvement in railroad technology was a major reason why a lot of people would find the City such an incredible place to live and work. It was this advancement in transportation that connected all the little towns and villages and helped create the City of New York.

With the construction of the railroad also came the questions about how they should be constructed and what would be the best way to construct them. These simple yet important questions, shows that there were people thinking about innovative ways to build the roads and also how to best utilize them to prevent traffic and to make them most efficient. This sort of thinking on the part of the writer of the article dated March 22 1861, shows that the people would be involved in the construction of this system. Not only did they want better service from the railroad companies, but they were aware that certain types of construction would better to accommodate their needs than others. It also that they are thinking creatively in terms of urban problem solving to develop a system which not only is efficient but practical as well.

Because of the cost of the far 5c, which the people wanted to be reduced to 3c, one can deduce that these were not very wealthy people. Also a reduction of 2c must have been relatively significant at the time, thus making an impact on the lives of the commuters involved. The railroad companies themselves were making huge profits and were probably not happy about having to cut their fares but none the less people were still willing to voice their opinions and set events in motion.

Overall, I found that by just looking at the continuous advancements made in what may seen as just a simple, everyday activity like transportation, one recognizes its great importance in the development of a City. It is a something taken for granted in today's world, but if it was not for the technology and the innovation made by those railroad companies, the City of New York may not have advanced as much as it did.

Instead, they have recognized the importan

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Approximate Word count = 2040
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History