Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09

Freight trains are not allowed upon the
main line during the day. On the South and
North Rings they are permitted. as in this way
alone they reach a number of the freight
stations At the present time work is going on
which. when completed, in four or five years
more, will give to both North and South Rings
complete double-track freight service, entirely
distinct from the passenger lines.
The main line serves to supply the Central
Market of Berlin. Cars filed with food sup
Plies. other than live animals. arriving during
the day, are kept on side tracks on the Ring
lines until midnight, when, with such other
provision cars as may have arrived during the
evening, they are brought to the side tracks Of
the market near the center of the city. Here
they are Immediately unloaded and their
contents let down on large hydraulic
elevators to the main floor of the market
which Is on level with the sur
face Of the ground. The supplies thus received
and delivered aggregate from 100 to leo car
loads each night. The sidetracks of the market
will not accommodate more than forty freight
cars at time, hence when un,caded they are
Immediately taken away to make room for
others. When a few years ago this market
of the general sale Of produce from
carts it aroused great opposition, which
has now. however, wholly died out
from the discovery that by the new
method the prices Of food supplies have been
sensbly reduced. The market is owned and
of the market traffic, until the produce comes
within the walls Of the market. rests in the
hands of the state officials.
1.-The same system obtains in the management
Of the Berlin slaughter houses. which are To-
Gated on the North Ring, and at which as many
as 49, 900 head of animals of all kinds have been
landed in day (the average daily supply is
80. 0O0). Here. too. the service of delivery is
largely performed at night, though when the
special freight tracks are completed this will
not be in the least necessary"
POINTERS FOR THE CAPITAL.
. The Berlin system commends itself to Wash
ington, in that it provides noiseless rapid
transit and permits passenger stations in the
heart of the city and ample freight facilities,
without a single death-trap grade crossing,
with no obstruction of the streets and no real
Disagreement of the surface of the city. And
Berlin's experience suggests improvements
upon its system in somewhat greater height
of the structure, a more extensive use of the
space under the tracks and the provision of a
distinct set of freight tracks. The same end is
reached of course by tunneling as in London,
where terminals and local rapid transit have
been secured by burrowing extensively under
ground. But travel on the London Metropoli-
tan and District roads is a suffocating expert
ence to an American. Washington could tun-
mel to better advantage than London, where a
considerable portion of the line is built in land
are, at certain stages of the tide, be-
low the water level of the river,
compelling the operation of five pump
ing stations to establish thorough
drainage. But where circumstances do net
forbid the elevated structure the route in the
air and light will be approved by most Ameri-
cans. The New York elevated roads-tracks