The Washington critic., 1890-01-29
THE LAST RAILS LAID.
WORK ON THE TRACK OF THE
CABLE ROAD NE NRLY DONE,
To-Day or Tomorrow the Last spikes
VIII he DriVen-Iho Line VIII be
In Operation by April Transferring
the Big spool.

TODAY or Tomorrow the Last Spikes
wiz he DriVen--Tho Line VIII be
In Operation by April Transferring
the Big spool.
Work is in active progress on the Sew
cDth street cable line and 1t now begins
to look as If Washington would have .
rapid transit surface line in operation by
the 1st of April, if not sooner. A CRtrIc
representative, who visited the power
house this morning, found an army of
men at work on all sections of this mann
moth structure. The building is almost
completely under cover of skeleton
roof and the skaters began work on the
north end to-day. But little conception
can be had of the vast amount of work
that Is undertaken in this enterprise,
and but few know that the Seventh
street power-house will in every detail
be the most complete in operation in
the country. Neither the Chicago nor
81. Louis cable companies, virtually
under the control of a Pennsylvania
syndicate, with Baron" Yerkes at its
head, have plants that will approach
the Washington line when completed.
TRACK LAYING ABOUT DONE.
"Of course there is constant growl-
ing" said Mr.. A. N. Counoett, who is
in harge of the work, "but you can see
for yourself that we are pushing things
as rapidly as we can"
To-day OF tomorrow will actually
TNlp ho tpoa Il ,Ar.lf nd ai
only to get the engines in operation and
the cablo stretched. Forces of men are
at work at the only gap in the line
crossing the four railway tracks at c
street; also on the switches at the Sew
enth street entrance of the power.
house Privilege has been obtained to
elevate the grade of the street here
about two and half feet in order to
facilitate the necessary switching Of
grip-cars and trailers by gravity. The
three ponderous Babcock d Nelson $40
horsepower boilers are in position and
ready for the brick settings, and the two
500 horsepower Corliss engines are
on the ground. The tension pit is com
pleted and ready for the carriage,
which will act as governor over the
system. Mr.. Counoett informed the re-
porter that the contract had been
awarded to the La Clede Car Company
of st. Louis for 120 cars for both win
ter and summer service. They will all
be of the latest design and most com
plete equipment.
by the way" he said, 'if you want
to risk your life on o hod carriers lad
der just follow me and l will show you
the largest unobstructed floor in Wash
ington, or in any other place. as far as
that is concerned"
Following the suggestion, THE
CRlT1C representative ascended to the
| second story of the building, where he
found floor 800 feet in length by 80 in
breadth, covered by combination
truss roof Just how many sets this
floor will accommodate is hard to tell,
| but the conductors of the Seventh street
! line are already figuring on giving a
ball there before it is obstructed by
| tracks for the storage of winter and
summer outfits.
This room, however, does not cover
the surface Of the buildin in width by
| over sixty feet.
TRANSFERRING THE CABLE.
How about the transfer Of the spool
of rope now at the freight depot to the
power house?'
"To tell the truth, Mr.. Knox, who
has undertaken this contract, is still
wrestling with the problem. There is
no immediate demand for the cable but
he must arrive at n solution very soon
for we want to know whether we car
count on it when the birds fly in the
spring or not. 1t is no small job
though, and Mr.. Knox will be entitled
to his contract price upon delivery"
The weight of the cable upon thu
spool is over fifty tons and its length
1900 feet. When il comes TO stretch
ing it grip car drawn by forty or NOR,
horses will be required, after that q
splice will be made and the rcmainde
of the work done by steam power
When the track laying is finished th
force will he put at work on the cable.