Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-30

The introduction of the trolley system In Bos-
Con has been. % far as we know. on Q scale the
most extensive. and attended with the greatest
outlay Of capital, Of any in the world; and yet
takirr into consideration the manifest dangers
Of the current used, the bulkiness and great
weight of the cars. and consequently rapid wear
and tear Of the expensive tracks required for
such heavy cars, and the Disagreement of
streets and damage TO property because Of the
posts and wires in the streets, and the rafting
hupming noise made by the high speed of the
motor armatures and cog-gear il cannot be-
q We have often said, that the trolley sys-
tenn 10 more than . first crude experiment, a
passing incident in electrical DEVELOPMENT
Although. perhaps, the trolley system 10 the
best that has been practically introduced it
IL not the device that is to stay Whenever
system Of tramcars is invented that can be sue
csssfully and practically operated by storage
batteries; avoiding the objections above mem
toned. il will be hailed with delight; and
particularly so, by all who reside or own prop
erty along the streets where the trolley posts
and wires are now located. 1t certainly Is a
notable event that Boston has contributed 30
large an amount Of capital in introducing and
Improving tne trolley system; but il will be
more Important event IL Boston shall furnish
TO the world the first successful system Of street
cars oy which the Objectionable trolley system
can pc superseded by the more desirable stor-
sc battery syssem--Boston Transcript.
Boston, to which the trolley advocates point
with pride, views the trolley system a. q tenn
porary maksshift, to be soon discarded for
esstsr motor. There is no reason why waah-
1ngton should hastily adopt what Boston is
shout 70 discard There 10 no necessity for
Washington to pass through the first painful
stages Of electric rapid transit, to test Bostons
''eruds experiment." its passing incident in
electrical development" Boston has saved the
capital this trouble, and the disagreement and
danger connected with it Moreover II
u not 20 easy at Washington a.
IL may be in some other places to
discard outgrown systems Of transportation
when they have once obtained q foothold and
when it is to the interest of powerful corpora
irons that they be retained. 1t would be an
objectionable municipal rim to extend the
trolley system at this time to the beautiful
streets and avenues of urban Washington. The
capital promises to become the show city of
America in improved methods Of transporta-
ton The abolition Of the car horse and the
substitution Of the most satisfactory me-
chanical motor are in the minds and plans of
all our city railways. They are investigating and
experimenting continually. In two suburban
lines We can show to the world as admirable
samples Of the trolley system can be found
anywhere. The community is proud Of what
has been accomplished in developing this sys-
tenn in the outskirts Of the capital. but with
fun knowledge Of the best type of the trolley
IL insists that the poles and wires shall be con-
fined to the suburbs and not be permitted to
dishgure and endanger the city streets In
teresting experiments with compressed air
as motor have been made By the
Brightwood suburban railway. The first
device, upon which large sums Of money were
expended In construction on Brightwood ave-
nue., n conceded to be q failure, but il il
claimed that by the direct application Of COM
pressed air, without the Intervention of a cable
% originally proposed. line Is successfully
operated in Pullman, ILL.,. by the same COM
pany which owns the Brightwood charter, and
1t is intimated that this form of pneumatic
motor will be tested here. The storage bat
terry IL In everyday, practical and satisfactory
use on the city extension Of the lexington, and
the Metropolitan is spending large sums
OF money in the development Of the
greatest storage battery system in the world.
Before the summer 10 over we will have one of
the finest cable systems in the country, and
rapid transit along Pennsylvania avenue. To
complete the Lis; all that il needed is thorough
test Of the electric underground conduit system,
which has been successful in Buda-Pesth, Hun
gary, and which has been experimental with
W few places in this country.