Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-28
wha, subj. influence is it tina. occasionally

What subtle influence il IL that occasionally
n,AAes It's way into the Capitol and endesvors
% impress members Of the national legislature
with the idea that the establishment and opera
ton In this city Of the overhead trolley system
10 demanded BY the solid sentiment Of the COM
raanity and would be a great public benefit?
WHOSE ave needs grinding and why, even II its
edge Be duT. should it be sharpened on this
battered old District Of Columbia grindstone,
which 10 turned forS ard and backward by every
speculative mind that bias behind II a trife Of
iufuence7 An increase in the number Of poles
and wire. on the streets Of any city Is undesir-
able for reasons that are thoroughly understood.
and the objections 20 an agg-svation Of tins Of
fensive and dangerous Disagreement Of city $
appearance apply with ten-fold force in the
ease Of Washington The capital is not coun-
try vilisse TO grasp desperately at the cheap
and nasty" variety OF rapid transit motor
IN order TO keep pace With ambitious
compositions Nor is II great CONNER
eiAl city whose rapid business development
mast Be accomplished At all hazards. sacrinc-
ing stsr.etiyeness Of appearance without hes
itztion In the race for dollars and cents. The
main strength Of Washington is that Of woman;
her beauty Among American cities the capt
tsl Is notable for broad, smooth, tree-lined and
park-intersectsd streets and avenues. II is now
deliberately proposed to destroy this character
istic charm Of the nations beautiful city in
order that few men may put money in their
purses Who in all Washington demands this
asgravaiion Of the overhead wire evil except
electric and street railway companies and their
dependents ard agents? Are few selfish men
ready 10 face the indignation Of a whole COM
nanity7 What legislator without a pecuniary
interest In an electric or street railway COM
pAny viii urge this dissertation and disfSure-
ment Of the nations city?
The advocates % the trolley pronounce 1t
success IN other cities. Boston is its great dis
play ground An editorial from the Boston
Irdascrlpt printed elsewhere In 1HE STAR,
presents IL in its true aspect as "a first crude
experiment., passing incident in electrical de-
vsIoprsent." which Boston Il now eager to dis
place BY some improved motor. Washington
may profit by BOstOns experience. The ex-
pertinent has been tried upon the dog ard the
dog IL now sick and yelping. Washington wants
tmF roved rapid transit motors, and it wants
the best that have been devised. II does not
want 10 be afflicted with "a crude experiment"
which electrical science has outgrown.
New York. Washington and several cities OF
Europe have satisfactorily working storage
battery systems. Paris and Nantes in France
and Berne. Switzerland, have successful COM
pressed air systems. Buds Pesth, Hungary,
has an electric underground conduit system,
covering the greater part of city Of half
million people, and working to the complete
satisfaction Of the public 1t is only in new
and progressive America that invention is
paralyzed and rapid-transit progress checked
BY eovetous trolley capitalists