The horse-drawn streetcar John Mason began operating in New York City, offering smoother, faster, and more affordable transit than horse-drawn omnibuses. Designed by John Stephenson, it featured upholstered seats and glass windows. It ran along the Bowery and Fourth Avenue between Prince and 14th Street, charging 12.5 cents per ride. Named after Chemical Bank president and railroad co-founder John Mason, who funded it, this innovation marked the first mass transit system in the city, significantly improving urban transportation.