Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-19
READY TO BE RUN
The Electric System on Ninth Street
Practically Complete.
WILL Be OPERATED NEXT WEEK
Description Of Novel and Ingenious
Mechanism and Methods.
ESs ANTICIP ATED

I'VE are placing the finishing touches on
the new work of the 9th street branch of
the Metropolitan road" said President
Phillips this morning, land by tomorrow
night everything, think, will be compiet-
ed and the road ready for the running of
electric cars"
Mr.. Phillips expressed himself as being
perfectly satisfied with the tests of the
new system that have been made in the
past few days upon the loop at the south
ern eEd Of the line. where it runs out from
~ street to Water street and up the lat
tel thoroughfare to l. street southwest.
A motor car and a trailer have made fire.
quent trips and a speed Of sixteen miles an
hour has been attained with the exercise
of current approximatiag $50 volts. The
smoothness with which the trains have
run, the easy manner in which they have
been started and stopped and the freedom
from jarring and noise which have char
acterized the tests so far, incline the OFF,
cials of the road to the opinion that the
system will be immediate success. The
road will be placed in operation early next
week, and the experts of the company, as
well as others who have examined the sys-
tenn and who have been present at the re-
cent tests. are of the opinion that it will
give satisfactory service at once.
Steady Progress of the Work.
Since the work was commenced, early in
March last there has been steady progress
made in Fastening its completion within
the time specified by the act of Congress,
which is August 1. The selection of Mr..
8. L. Phillips as president of the road and
his immediate er gagement of Mr.. A. N.
Connect as chief engineer were the first
steps taken by the company after they
decided to modernize its equipment in
every particular. Mr.. Connect had valua-
BILE experience in the building Of conduits
and was also an electrical engineer of
recognized ability. When it was decided.
therefore, to place an underground electric
system on tho Metropolitan lines Mr.. Con-
nett went to work simplifying inventions
in use, and the consequence is that the
equipment of the 9th street line is entirely
novel In many particular.
The Conduit and lts Contents.
An egg-shaped conduit Of stable construc-
ton. arranged SO that it can accommodate
a cable in case an underground electric
system proves a failure, or becomes too ex-
pensfve to be worked with profit, runs the
entire length of the road from its northern
terminus at the Boundary to the intersec-
ton of Az street with the river. Suspended
in this conduit a.avto about a, foot be;
parallel tracks, about five inches apart.
They are supported every fifteen feet
by a porcelain insulator, which is sus-
pended from iron work laid in the concrete,
independently of the tracks. This is an
improvement of Mr.. Connects, as in other
underground systems where the cable IS
used the insulators are built up from the
bottom Of the conduit on soapstone founda-
tons, and are difficult to reach in case they
get out Of order. In the 9th street system,
however, the construction of the conduit
has been so arranged that 1t will be posi-
10 f1, 80 % ho
gotten at with scarcely any trouble what
ever and without any appreciate delay
The two tracks above mentioned are con-
nected at the power house with an immense
electric generator, which Is operated by a
Green electric engine.
Generating the Power.
Three Of the latter machines will be
placed in position in the power house, and
two of them are already on hand One,
however. is amply sufficient to run the road
on 9th street. and is capable of supplying
steady current Of 500 volts, which. Is suffi-
Client to run twenty-five cars at speed, II
the rate were permissible in city, OF
twenty-five miles an hour. This powerful
current, being conducted to the tracks, is in
turn transmitted to the motor car through
the grip, which runs in a slot between the
surface tracks. This grip is equipped at its
lower end with two movable magnets that
are hung upon flexible springs. and thus
preAs easily against the tracks below the
surface. The current enters through one
side of the grip, from the right-hand track,
and passes by wires to the electrical motor
on the platform in front After supplying
the power here for the operation Of the
machinery which runs the cars, the current
returns through the grip and is taken back
to the generator through the opposite track
to that which originally supplied it.
Handsome New Cars.
A number Of people have visited the power
If ha OF do
or two, and have examined the novel ma
chinery in position there. as well as ad
mired the new cars which are to be run on
the road. The latter were manufactured
by the ]. G. Brill Company of Philadelphia,
and are superior specimens Of modern
cars are painted a prevailing green. front
and rear, and along the running gear,
while the roofs are white. The lettering Is
in gilt. The interior equipment Of the mo-
tor cars, all Of which received thus far are
of the open variety, is very striking. The
Lprights and handrails and seats and backs
Of the benches are in polished wood work,
while the metal arms are Of FURNISHED
brass There are twelve double seats in
each motor car. That they will make
brilliant appearance at night may be easily
realized when 1t Is known that no less than
eleven electric lights are arranged under
the roof Of each motor car. The trailers
are fitted up in the same manner as the
motor cars, only the seats extend directly
across the car, and are eight in number,
giving each car a seating capacity Of forty
passengers.
The electric motor on the front platform
takes up very little room, and fs simply
operated by the motor man with the slight
turning of a wheel. Each motor car is
equipped with Blackiston fender, auto
matically operated by a series of levers.
which the motor man can put into immedi-
ate operation by the pressure Of his foot
upon a raised. corrugated iron disk on the
floor of the platform. In addition to the
fender, wheel guards will also be used.
Further improvements Contemplated.
The entire equipment Of the 9th street
line is absolutely new, and as soon as it is
in successful operation the work of provid-
ing the street line with similar system
will be commenced. The machinery in the
power house at the foot of Az street was
procured with a view Of not only supply
ing the power house of the 9th street sys-
tenn, but for that portion Of the street
branch east Of 9th street. 1t Is a matter
of considerable. gossip just now in railroad
circles that the Metropolitan Company pro-
poses to extend its lines in other direc-
TONS and that IT has considered the enter