Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-12
STREET RAILROADS,
The Views of the President of g.
Berlin Company.
REMARKS ON VARIOUS MOTORS
Pleased With the Underground
System in This City.
OPPOSED TO THE TROLLEY.

Modern methods in street car propulsion
Is as much Of a problem in Europe as 1t is
In this country. This is evident from the
conversation Of Mr.. H. Kreismann, the pres
ident Of the board of directors of the Great
Berlin Tramway Company, a corporation
which owns practically all the street car
lines In the German capital. Mr. Kreis-
mann has been in the city for several days
examining the systems in use here He has
been In Chicago and in other large cities
and intends from here to go to New York,
where he wants to be posted on methods
employed there. A Star reporter this morn
Ing had a conversation with Mr. Kreismann
at the Arlington and was told that the
methods OF operating street car lines in this
city had no special new features. I'm
Europe" he said, I'VE have the horse car
and the trolley. the underground system
ana the storage battery. In fact we have
everything In this line that can be seen in
this country. But in Berlin the horse cars
are still In use. and there is general desire
that change should be made to a more
modern motive power. Our company desires
1t and the people are beginning to say that
Berlin Is behind the times and is old fogy
with the horse cars still on the streets.
The Trolley Out of the Question.
our company allowed the promoter Of a
storage battery car to make experiments,
but the attempt was abandoned without
giving US the new motive that we desire
The trolley is, of couse. out Of the question
Berlin Is the capital and the royal govern
ment is supreme. The city owns the streets
put before our company can make a change
IN the road bed the police authorities who
represent the government. must be con-
suited and their consent obtained. OF course
tne trolley Is out of the question on the
streets OF Berlin. We know that and have
mace no effort to get authority to put 1t
down. In the first place the king would
rot like the looks Of the wires strung along
the streets and then the poles would inter-
Iere with the movement Of the troops and
OF course the troops have the right Of way
In my opinion the trolley is dangerous and
on that ground l would not like to use it.
There are objections to the underground
system now In use in Buda-Pesth. The ex-
pense is, Of course large. and that deters
railroad managers from introducing it.
Then. again, the objection to it in Berlin
would probably be that the width Of the
Slot, owing to the expansion and contrac-
ton Of the slot rail, would at times be
such as to interfere with traffic and en-
danger the wheels. The underground sys-
tenn In operation in this city 1 was espe-
cially interested in. and while I arm not an
expert, 1t seems to me that it is a CONNER
cial success"
Mr.. Kreismann speaks English with what
seemed remarkable fiuency for a foreigner.
but 1t came out incidentally that he had
been a resident of America for a number of
years. and is probably one Of the oldest
employees In point Of service that there has
been connected with the diplomatic service.
Before the war he was a resident of Chi
cago. and held the position Of county clerk.
President Lincoln appointed him secretary
of legation at Berlin. Subsequently he be-
came the consul general Of the United
States, a position which he held for twenty
years. After leaving the service he con-
tinued his residence in Berlin, and went
into the active management OF the road, OF
which he has been president for a number
of years.
Government Supervision.
"At first" he said, I'VE sent over to this
country for the rails and the cars, but now
everything is made at home and 1 must
say that our equipment Is much better thai,
that of most Of the roads in this country.
We come more directly under the control
of the authorities than similar corporations
do in this country. The police fix the sched-
ule on which the cars are run. They de-
termine the width Of the cars; they direct
that no one shall be allowed to get on the
car unless there Is a seat. II a policeman
sees a passenger standing up In car the
conductor is arrested and fined. The police
can direct us to widen a street where We
propose to put down tracks, and II 1t is
necessary to pun down house or to buy
some ground the company pays the bills.
We are obliged to pay to the city each
year about per cent upon our gross earn
ings. and In the course Of ten years more
our entire property reverts to the city and
they lease 1t to the highest bidder. Yet in
spite of these circumstances we manage
to pay yearly dividend Of from II to IA
per cent.
TT should he said on the other hand that
while the government makes these cxactions
We have the protection of their authority
and 1t is an offense for citizens to block
the road and interfere with our traffic.
Street railroads are run in Berlin for the
best interests Of the people and due re-
gard is had to their rights. This may not
be the case in this country at present. but
you are young yet and will come to it after
awhile"