Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-18
THE TRAMWAY MEN.
They spend the Morning Talking About
Electric Roads.

The delegates to the street railway convention
spent the morning ight-seeing. large number
OF them visited the Treasury and were allowed to
inspect the vaults. The white buttons OF others
were seen in almost every other building and De-
partment At $50 the convention reassembled
I q the tea-room at WIZARDS. The committee on
insurance presented report OF progress and was
continued for another year.
ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
The question OF electric railways was then dis
cussed at length by the delegates and representa-
tives OF the various systems now In use Among
the latter were VIM. Bracken, OF the Julian Elec-
trio Company; Mr.. Love- OF Philadelphia; Thos.
G. Barr, the president OF the Peoples road Pnila-
delphia; Mr.. Sprague, the inventor OF the Sprague
Electric System, and Robert w. Blackwell, who
presented the Claims OF the Bently-Kn1ght system.
builds conduit road II there is no obstruction TO
his erecting aD overhead system. The latter costs
from $500 TO s., 900 mile OF double track, while
track.
THE WASHINGTON RAILROAD.
Mr.. Mansfield, OF the Thompson Houston sys-
tenn. was the last speaker on this subject There
is he said, IN this city, from 7th street to beyond
the Boundary, on New York avenue, about two
miles OF eleclrlc road, which exemplined all the
details OF the Thompson Houston system. It was
not the original intention TO hurry the construc-
ton OF the line so rapidly, but at the solicitation
cars are now running. This line has all the meth
DDS OF overhead CONJUNCTION most gener-
ally used. One Of these, the line poles be-
any other city. The width Of New York avenue
permits It's use here. In a cut beyond the Bound
airy is the bracket method-pole on one side only,
with arms extending over the track-while be-
yOnd are poles on either side, with tn wires sus-
pended between them. Mr.. Mansfield thought that
Senate the company has done all that could be ex-
pected. The line, he said, was built under very
unfavoraole circumstances and against determined
THE QUESTION OF DANGER
Mr.. Sinclair, OF Texas, asked what were the rel
alive dangers and safeties OF the Thompson ous-
ton system. He had heard that on the road at
Montgomery, Ala, there had been q number OF
dangerous accidents. Mr.. Mansfield replied that
no more than on any other. The only accident OF
which he had personally heard had occurred at
Montgomery, that road having been built under
the VanderpOOl system, which the Thompson
Houston company had purchased.
TOGO TO MOUNT VERNON.
The delegates were gwen their tickets to the
Mount Vernon excursion which takes place to-
morrow, and at o'clock the convention adjourned
TO meet laIer In the afternoon.
Az the banquet tonight 1t Is expected that there
VIII be about Two hundred and sevenJy-f1ve guests
LAST EVENINGS SESSION.
After having enjoyed drive around the city
yesterday afternoon with the ladies accompanying
the delegation, Mr.. Wyman's paper on Location
and construction OF car-house and stables" was
read and discussed by the members. ,etter was
read from President Truesdell, OF the lexington
and Soldiers Home road, announcing the compile
ton Of the line and inviting the inspection or the
delegates. This invitation was accepted. Mr..
Winfield Smiths paper on "Street railway taxa
ton" argued against the present system, on the
ground that as other vehicles were not taxed ex-
cept as personal property, street cars should not
be taxed. Antnvttation wasreceived and accepted
from Treasurer Hyatt TO visit the treasury and
view the surplus.
Messrs Lynch, Littell, Clemenshaw, Longstreet,
Rugg, Ackley ana Walsh were appointed 10 nom-
mate officers and TO select place OF meeting for
1889, and the convention adjourned until to-day.