1861 | Page 29

Infrastructure

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The Bridge - 1861 - Erasmus+

Around 1860, workers in the city began to develop worker’s unions and on the 30th of October 1871, 20 of them united together and formed the General Dutch Workers Pact (ANVW). In 1874, a prohibition on Child labor was filed. Together they collected signatures and they demonstrated in front of the Upper House. They also took part in the School battle in 1875. After 1875, slowly but steadily groups of workers began to join other groups and eventually in 1921 the ANVW joined the VDB.

The ANWN

B. H. Herd, leader of the ANVW

September 20 1839, people surround the wooden train station ‘De Eenhonderd Roe’ at the border of the city. Something new has appeared, a new invention. Some new transportation vehicle. People appear to call it ‘vuurpaard’ (firehorse) It’s a tram! 15 minutes before it leaves the 9 wagons of the tram fills with passengers. The first wagon is filled with a band which makes it happy. At 1 o’clock the conductor whistles and it leaves after he shouts ‘trein ga voorwaarts’ which means ‘train go forward’. It takes the tram 356 minutes to go from Amsterdam to Haarlem. It’s a fantastic experience. A few weeks later the “Haarlemse Geneeskundige Commissie” took place in a train to talk about the trams (then called “vuurpaard” by the common folk) and if the suddenly changed horses and cows which suddenly dropped dead. They were also arguing if the rumor that people died of high speeds while riding the tram. They bought a ticket test if it was a reliable public transportation. While the start was very slow, it gradually picked up speed. They liked it, however, they concluded that the faster the better, so it kept on improving.