The Washington critic., 1886-06-22
WASHINGTON. JUNE 2s, 1885.
THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY.


agitated recently, and very energetic
and enterprising number of gentlemen
sought franchise for q cable railway
system. The bill for this purpose
came before the House last week, but
sufficient opposition to II was developed
to prevent its passage.
There can be no doubt of the desira-
bility of some other than the horse
power system. The cable is vast i'm.
provement upon the horse, but this,
too, has its drawbacks.
There is yet another system, to
which the same objections do not
apply, and that is the electric. This,
ii is claimed, has been brought to the
practical stage. having been in com
mercial use at Cleveland, Ohio, for
several years. Itapplles electricity from
stationary source of power, through
small conduit running along the
whole line Of road to motors placed
under the cars-the connection be-
tween the current in the conduit and
the motor under the cars being made
by conductor depending from each
car.
The cars are Independent of one an.
other, and can be driven fast or slow,
stopped suddenly, or the direction in
stantly reversed. Wherever it can be
safely permitted Gas on suburban
route the speed can be increased to
twenty miles an hour. Power can be
furnished from station for distance
Of five miles each way. Thus station
at Georgetown could furnish power
for the city routes and for line to
Tennallytown.
The cost Of the electric system is
greater for construction than the horse
road and less than the cable. Its saw
ing in motive power Is very great. The
cost of five miles of double track horse
road is estimated at $162, ,000-and the
annual expense of motive power is esti-
mated at 100000. Five miles of
double track electric railway would
cost, say, 1914, 900, and the annual ex-
pense of motive power would be only
$50, The estimated cost of five
miles of double track cable road is
S414,00O, and the annual expense of
motive power $75,590. In each esti-
mate of annual cost of motive power
the interest on the motive plant is in
cluded.
Thus 1t will be seen that the saving
OF $4,000 q gear by electricity as
against horses, would extinguish the
$1S2,00 additional cost of construc.
tion in two years and a,half, and
thenceforward be added to the net in.
come.
If these claims of the electric rail.
way projectors can be made good, we
must surely be on the eve of great
revolution in locomotion. If we can
have cars moving smoothly, rapidly
and safely through our streets, easily
started, stopped and reversed, and at &
cost SO much less that the public comfort
can be promoted without any increase
of fares, everybody who thinks a mo-
ment will say let it be done. The
owners of existing horse railroad stock
will see in the success of such scheme
an immense profit to themselves, fol
they will find the progress of the age
too strong to resist, and will make theil
jaded horses retire to make way for thu
lightning, at an immense reduction o.
cost.
The electric system should be tested
If any set Of men want the privilege Of
constructing two miles of 1t along any
unoccupied route between Georgetown
and the Navy Yard within reason
able time, and with good guarantees
for the performance of their under
taking, The CRITIC warmly favors the
project. Some well.known citizens o
Washington, who have hitherto
sought an electric railway franchise
have modified their request, and now
offer to give good bonds, to be ap
proved by the Secretary of the Treas
ury. that they will within nine month.
have two miles of electric railway in
successful operation, provided tha
their success shall be rewarded by th'
grant of franchise for certain streets
to be agreed on, with the approval ot
the District Commissioners. That Is
they ask for grant for certain streets
conditioned upon the successful opera
tion within nine months Of two mile.
of electric railway.
Let the National Capital lead tho
way in transporting passengers by
lightning, If the thing can be done.
THE FACT that some people do no
like the architectural style of the nev
Pension building nor General Meigs a
an architect, and the further fact thai