46 



CHAN T GE IX THE CHARACTER OP VEHICLES. 



Still another important change or class of changes in the habits of the 

 people of towns may he referred to the much greater elaboration which 

 has recently occurred in the division of labor and the consequent more 

 perfect adaptation to the various purposes of life of many instruments 

 in general use. A more striking illustration of this will not readily be 

 found than is afforded by the light, elegant, easy carriages which have 

 lately been seen in such numbers in your Park. When our present 

 fashions of streets was introduced sedan chairs were yet, as we have 

 shown, in general use for taking the air or making visits to neighbors. 

 The few wheeled vehicles employed by the wealthy were exceedingly 

 heavy and clumsy and adapted only to slow travel on rough roads, 

 a speed of five miles an hour by what was called the " flying coach," 

 being a matter for boasting. Now Ave have multifarious styles of 

 vehicles in each of which a large number of different hands has been in 

 geniously directed to provide in all their several parts for the comfort- 

 pleasure, and health with which they may be used. For the sake of 

 elegance, as well as comfort and ease of draft, they are made extremely 

 light and are supplied with pliant springs. They are consequently 

 quite unfit to be used in streets adapted to the heavy wagons employed 

 in commercial traffic, and can only be fully enjoyed in roads expressly 

 prepared for them. In parks such roads are provided in connection with 

 other arrangements for the health of the people. 



INADEQUATE DOMESTIC ACCESS TO SUBURBS AND PARKS. 



The parks are no more accessible than the suburbs, however, from 

 those quarters of the town occupied domestically, except by means 

 of streets formed in precisely the same manner as those which pass 

 through the quarters devoted to the heaviest commercial traffic. 

 During the periods of transit, therefore, from house to house and 

 between the houses and the Park there is little pleasure to be had in 

 driving. Riding also, through the ordinary streets, is often not only 

 far from pleasant, but, unless it is very slowly and carefully done, is 

 hazardous to life and limb. Consequently much less enjoyment of the 

 Park is possible to those who live at a distance than to those who live near 

 it and its value to the population at large is correspondingly restricted. 

 The difficulties of reaching the Park on foot for those who might enjoy 

 and be benefited by the walk, are at the season of the year when it 

 would otherwise be most attractive, even greater, for they must follow 

 the heated flags and bear the reflected as well as the direct rays of the 

 sun. 



