Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-06-24
TO RUN ON MAIN ST.
ELECTRIC CARS ON OUR BUSINESS
THOROUGHFARES.
Preparations Under Way and the Outlook
for n Good Service
Favorable.

Electric cars on Main street.
An uncommon sight, and one that at
tracted no little attention.
1t was little after o'clock yesterday
afternoon when three electric cars passed
the Dispatch Office going down the street.
One of these belonged to the Union
Passenger Line, the other two to the Rich
mond City Railway Company. All three
had been switched on the City railway
track from the electric road at the corner
OF Main and Beech streets. The cars were
carried 10 Fulton and left there.
As they passed down town heads ap-
peared in windows all along the route.
Faces lit up with pleasure at the thought
of no more tedious pulling up the hills by
mule-pOwer. Those who use the Nam
street line have no regrets at seeing the
horse-car passing away.
The city ordinance requires that the
Main-street line shall be operated with
electricity by July 1st-to-day one week.
THE SUPERINTENDENT TALKS.
Wishing TO find out what the exact con-
dition of affairs Is on the Main-street line.
dispatch reporter called on Mr.. Charles Sell
den. superintendent of the City railway,
last night. and in reply TO questions was
given the following informatiOn:
For the past ten days. including Sun
days. we have been working day and
night TO get the motors in the electric cars
for the Main-street service.
BY the 1st Of July / hope TO have ten
cars running on Main street and ne many
more as we can get out. The trip from
Lombardv and Main to Twenty-elghth
street and return can be made in an hour.
This will enable Us TO give good service
from the start.
MACHINERY.
The Main-street cars will have thirty
horse power motors-twice the strength of
those used on the other line.
The twenty cars furnished by the Rich
mOnd Locomotive-WOTksa are now being
equipped for service as rapidly az possible.
Both ends of the Maln-street line are now
being operated successfully with electric
cars-that Is. the Fulton branch, and from
LOmbardy and Main TO the Reservoir Two
were running on the former branch TO-DAY
and one on the latter. A third car will
probably be put on in Fulton tomorrow.
The Sprague people. | understand, are
so Overrun with orders that they cannot
furnish motors promptly. 1t requires two
motors to each car.
YESTERDAYS TRIP.
Three electric cars were run on Main
street this afternoon from Beech and
den. One of these belonged TO the Union
Passenger Line. The trip was merely to test
the track which was found TO be in excel
lent condition from Eighth street east.
Fair time was made, extra care having TO
be taken on account of the hOrse-cars.
Mr.. Selden was very circumspect IN h!s
utterances. in fact extremely so. He would
make no Cuesses or forecast the future III
anv manner. lie had nothing to say
positively az to the future service, stating
positively that he was not promising
man.
GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
There has been a marked improvement
in the last few days in the running of the
horse-cars, which considering the dllapi-
dated condition of the line and rolling
stock is remarkable.
When Mr.. Selden took charge about SIX
weeks ago there was in operation semi
occasional" schedule. Now, on both
Broad and Main streets, there Is q seven
minute service on all parts of the line, ex-
cept on the latter between Twenty-eighth
and Ninth. where there is an interval Of
about three and half minutes.
1t is fair TO presume that within four
weeks there will begood electric service on
Main street and the red car will be
thing of the past.