Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-02
What the Trolley Combine Will
Have to Do.
EXTENDING THE CONDUIT SYSTEM.
The Rock Creek Company Want
an Additional F Franchise.
AITING FOR CONGRESS.


i've with practical men is that the system
Of the overhead wire is the only one be-
sides the cable that is a commercial and
practical success. 1t may not be confusing
to the trolley advocates, but it would be
II they did not have so much at stake
when they meet in the committees rooms
of Congress the representatives of a com
pany in this city which has in operation
another system Of rapid transit that has
done SO well for them that they now wan,
to extend 1t. Unless the plans are changed
the Rock Creek Railroad Company intend
to ask Congress to grant an extension OF
their line along U street.
The company now has the authority to
build the road along Boundary from 18th
street to North Capitol street, but the road
Is actually completed only as far east as
7th street. Since early In the spring tina,
portion Of the road lying within the
bounds Of the city and extending from
Boundary and 18th street to 7th street has
been operated by an underground trolley
There have been no break downs or sus-
pension OF traffic such as marked the In
auguration of the cable system on the
now interfering with the running of the
cable road on Broadway. in New York.
Troubles Common to New Systems.
The underground trolley had the same
difficulties to contend with as confront
the management of every cable road in the
beginning. namely. that the road must be
are to run the road get familiar with their
duties 1t has been the experience in all
cable roads that its operation is free from
green men the underground trolley road
was run without any accidents or delays.
The reason is that the mechanical construc-
ton is so simple that In its practical work.
ings the road is easily handled.
After an experience of the past six
months and more through rain and snow.
tHa 1t~~A LIT ID
now in operation propose to go before Con-
gress and ask permission to extend IL over
longer stretch Of line If the under
ground system was not success such re-
quest would hardly be made. The situation
VIII certainly be an embarrassing one to the
overhead trolley advocates when they are
confronted IN Congress by this practical
evidence that the overhead trolley is not
the only successful electrical method of
street car propulsion.
They are prepared to meet any reference
to the line now in operation along u street,
because they say that such a short line
does not amount to anything and does not
on longer line with curves and grades.
They are prepared to sneer the Z street
line out OF Congress. and without discuss
ing the question of their ability to do so,
for there are two sides. it is pertinent TO
ask at this time How are they going to
handle the matter of the request of this
over an important part Of the road?'
AE8u"euuo 1nat VIII BE M00e.
There will be some members of Congress
who will not take for granted all that the
trolley advocates put forth. and. as any one
can understand, the situation will become
interesting when the overhead wire people
are brought face to face with an electrical
system that is a practical success. They
saving that It is not adapted to the topog-
raphy of their road and in other cases by
the plea that 1t is too expensive. The latter
to the underground system. for it undoubt-
edly costs more to dig trench and place
the wires in the earth than to plant some
poles In the ground and string the wires
devise a system against which this argu-
ment Of expense of the trolley advocates
stands, the overhead trolley is the cheapest
system of street car locomotion that has
ever been devised 1t costs to operate less
Practically the only thing left for the troll
ley people is to claim that the underground
wires won't work. This is a style of argu-
OF Columbus and probably long before. and
II Is just about as effective today in staying
the wheels OF progress as II was then.
world is round after all. even in the face
of the arguments OF the trolley combine.
however golden.
Waiting for Congress and the Trolley
A curious contribution to the part which
the Metropolitan Railroad Company has
played In bringing about the present Sit
uation is given by Mr.. w. S. Branson. 1t
seems that Mr.. Branson is the inventor of
a motor which he induced the company to
experiment with. For some reason after
the experiments were concluded, the mat
ter was dropped and Mr.. Branson states
that he never learned why his motor. " hich
he claims proved success in the expert
ments. was not further tested. About a
month ago. as he told a Star reporter. he
met Mr.. Cammack. who is one of the large
stockholders in the road and director, and
asked him why something had not been
done about his motor
oh said Mr.. Cammack, 'the company
Is not going to bother with motors any
more until Congress meets and We find out
whether they will give us the right to use
the trolley on our road"
The public is equally curious with the
directors Of the company to know what
Congress is going to do and perhaps their
pecuniary interest is as great for the
trolley depreciates the value of property
and in addition will fasten a system upon
this city which is Objectionable and de-
fective