360 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



the missile, at a certain distance, by passing through an electrical target, 

 liberates a body to fall, or oscillate as a pendulum ; and at another certain 

 distance, say one hundred feet, hits another electro-magnetic target, and 

 clamps or stops the falling or oscillating body; and then the distance the 

 body fell through indicates the time that the missile was passing t^e space 

 or distance between the targets. 



Locomotion in Cities and Suburbs. 



Mr. J. K. Fisher. — Common carriers and liberal citizens take different 

 views of street locomotion. The carriers look chietly to profit, which, as they 

 think, is most surely obtained by cheapness; liberal citizens look for some 

 degree of comfort and decency, even though it be not consistent with 

 extremely low prices. But while the carriers are uncontrolled, and left to 

 the laws of trade, their accommodations will be as bad as their exclusive 

 privileges enable them to compel citizens to endure. 



In expenditures that depend on their own choice, such as in their houses 

 and stores, the citizens generally are as lavish as could be desired. But 

 in what depends on their representatives, or those avIio serve them as car- 

 riers, marketers, etc., there is a less liberal expenditure. The splendor of 

 houses and stores is strongly contrasted with the shabbiness and filthiness 

 of streets; and the improvements in the style and co^t of buildings, within 

 thirty years, is incomparably greater than the improvements in paving; and 

 the same comparison may be made with respect to all kinds of public 

 vehicles. 



We in this Club should speak of those matters not as politicians may 

 speak who fear to make themselves unpopular with those who tolerate the 

 present condition of things, under the erroneous notion that they have to 

 pay nearly the whole cost of them, and cannot afford to improve them. 

 We should speak as men representing science, taste and progress. You 

 will therefore excuse me if I don't tell you how a cobble pavement is laid, 

 how an omnibus is managed, or bore you with a tame and dull account of 

 what you already know, and would gladly forget. It will be quite enough 

 if I say what is necessary for comparison between the barbarous systems 

 that exist, and the system which has long been recommended by the best 

 engineers in England, and by some of the best in this country. 



First, as to dirt. The quantity of dirt made per hour by a horse is not 

 known; but fifty-five loads were.taken every nightfrom Broadway, between 

 Bowling Green and Union Square, when it was swept under the direction 

 of Mr. Genin. The English engineers, in evidence before parliamentary 

 committees, offered that the comparative amount of detritus worn from 

 pavements and roads by wheels and the feet of horses was in proportion 

 to the iron worn from the tires and shoes; or, if there was a difference 

 from this proportion the blows of the feet caused more than this propor- 

 tion of wear. On Macadam roads, with four-horse coaches, a pound of 

 iron was worn from the tires in the same distance in which three pounds 

 were worn from the shoes; hence it was concluded that three-fourths of i 

 the wear was due to the feet, and one-fourth to the wheels. Marniel/ 

 ascertained and reported this fact, and Macadam, Forby and others agreed/ 

 with his conclusion. On the London pavements, similar to the so-calley 



