Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-01
THE RAILROADS.
THE ELECTRIC ROAD SUCCESS
FULLY OPERATED.
Several Trips Made, Showing That the
Machinery is All Right-More Building
by the Santa Fe-Notss. s>-.e 4

The first car went over the tracks of
the new Belt Electric street railway yes
terday afternoon. Although the wire
had barely been stretched over the rails
and the roadway was clogged up and in
bad condition, it was decided to make
the trip, and the machinery was accord
ingly started up at about p. m. The
car was boarded by the superintendent
of construction and number of work
men and moved off at good pace. Care
was taken at all turns and the car was
slowed up after proceeding distance,
so as to avoid any accident, but the
dynamos Worked as if they had been in
successful operation for months and not
hitch was met with till the hill was
reached on Second street.
From Broadway and Second on to
the end of the line the track was
so covered up with dirt and obstruc-
tions that it was deemed best not to
proceed further till it had been cleared
off. Accordingly the car was returned
to the power house on the same track,
going apparently as we'll backward as it
did forward.
AT 9 O'Clock in the evening the same
car was started out again. the track hav-
ing been all cleared off and the curves
we'll fabricated. On this trip the
dummy was loaded with a number of
prominent citizens who take an interest
in the road, and were anxious to ride
over the line on the first trip.
The whole line was traversed on this
trip and everything appeared to work
smoothly. Stops were made at the
curves, and these were passed
slowly, so as to avoid any trouble,
but on the straight-away the car dashed
along at good speed, far exceeding that
attained by the cable cars. The hill on
Second and First streets was mounted
with perfect ease, thus doing away with
all doubt as to the power of the cars to
60 up steep grades. On the return trip
a slight delay was experienced at the
corner of Second and Olive, through
minor defect in the construction of the
curve. This will be easily remedied,
however, and no trouble is anticipated.
Further trials will be made today and
the company hopes to carry passengers
regularly over this division of the line by
the Fourth.
THE SANTA TE's HIGHLAND BRANCH.
The Santa Fe company will this morn
ing recommence the construction of the
Highlands branch of their belt line to
San Bernardino, which now extends as
far as the insane asylum station. This
will complete the citrus belt line extend
ing from San Bernardino to Redlands,
Mentone, and back on the north by way
of East Highlands and the asylum.
The construction has been delayed by
right of way difficulties, but yesterday
General Manager Wade succeeded in
clearing these all up, and ordered the.
construction department to commence
work this morning.
NOTES.
Receiver Polk of the San Bernardino
motor line, on Saturday night laid his
track on stretch of road in San Bernar-
dino city which his opponents had tried
to prevent his using. Polk usually ac-
complishes what he goes after in rail
road game.
General Manager X. H. Wade OF the
Santa Fe now has his family in his
beautiful new home at Coronado Beach.
Mr.. Wade has had some very fine
photographs taken of his twenty-acre
orange orchard at East Highland.