The morning times., 1895-08-13

The snort tim ehis company has ownedthe
local lines and its preoccupaGion with ques-
tions concerning the construction of the
Washington Baltimore line have prevented
speedier disposition OF the controverted
question regarding the lexington trolley
poles. Very soon the directors will hold a
meeting and provide prompt solution of
all the questions. As far as he is concerned,
he fayors a modern apid-transit system
which will exclude the trolley He hopes
for the support OF pubic sentiment Ill these
improvements of the city-s street railway
service"
THE STAR HIS ALLY.
The indications are that he will get it
from the Washington Star. The owners
of that paper are neither blind nor obtuse.
There is no reason to suppose that the
acts, so often published in their col
umnS, have escaped their attention Moth
ing has occurred to give them new bear
lngs or TO make them indicate anything
other than the Star has been saying all
along thatthey do indicate.
New facts have come TO light which may
have csca ped the slow-coac ch methods Of the
Star and some OF these The Times VIII now
set forth, but the long known conditions,
unaltered by President NewboId's soft
words have been ample TO convince the
star that the syndicate means to fight for
room in this city; they are amper still to
convince all unpreiUdiced minds. TIE
syndicate continues stubbornly to retain
the hold it has already gained. New York
avenue is stiil decked with the dangerous
wires and poles. There does not appear
the slightest disposition to remove them.
There is but one conclusion: The Star
knows one thing and says another. Why
ii does so is a matter OF conjecture
The trolley interests Of the United States,
amounting TO millions of dollars, are all
practically under one control. The system
is generally believed by street railway men
to offer rapid transit in a form calculated
to bring far larger profits to the company
using it than can be realized from cable or
underground electric systems. 1t gives
smooth running and great speed at very
low first cost and moderate outlay for main
tenance and repairs.
WASHINGTON MUST COME IN.
With these advantages it has fought its
way into nearly all large cities. It can
not afford to have Washington stand out
as an example OF a city that has excellent
street car lines without trolley pole or
overhead wire. Washington is visited con-
stantly by public men from all parts OF the
country and is used more successfully as
an argument against the trolley elsewhere
than any other city would be.
Within the year delegations from city
councils elsewhere have been here to ex-
anime and report upon the street under
ground system They have been accompa-
MED by representatives of the trolley in
teTests, and it has been said here that
they would report against the success of
the U street line. If necessary, little
sugar" would be usedto secure such Il report
But it would be much better, once for all,
To take Washington out of the list Of exam
pies against the trolley. There is no
reason TO believe that President Newbold's s
Difference to public sentiment will prevent
his doing anything in his power to secure
the admission of the trolley to Wa shington
streets. Yet the Star affects to believe
that the trolley powers would not como in
here, even if they could, all because the
people might not like it.
Tue trolley Is to-Ofay at the south end
of the Aqueduct bridge. The rails of
its road, the Mt. Vernon electric, were
laid there yesterday. The mana gers do
not expect to make R0slyn the terminus
of their road. They are even now plan
ming to cross the river. Is it to be sup
posed they would by preference change
motive power on the Virginia side? Is it
more Troublesome and expensive to run
trains through?
GREATEST TROLLEY LINE IN THE
COUNTRY
On the other side of the city the Wash
ington and Maryland line is making prepar-
ations to build the greatest trolley road in
the country, connecting Baltimore and
Washington. 1t controls the Belt Line and
lexington roads already in operation. 1t
could run in North Capitol street to the
neighborhood of the Massachusetts avenue
crossing and make a fine depot
1t already has its trolley line coming in
from lexington along New York avenue
aud it is not removing it with any celebrity.
Once the great trolley road to Baltimore
is built and the most powerful motors
ever used, made by the Baldwin works
aud in the West, have been put on it, there
is no reason to >beheve that the syndicate
would prefer to break up its trains at
the city limits and come in by horse power
or anything else.
1t is not probable that even ''in defer
euce to public sentiment the managers viii
give UP the hope to do as well as the rail-
roads have done They viii argue that
their system is no more dangerous nor
gives more inconvenience; on the contrary it
is in many ways far less so.
President Newbold will probably find
many ptoblems still concerning the con-
struetion OF the WaShington-Baltimo
line" to prevent a consideration OF the
controverted question concerning the
lexington trolley poles
With the trolley owners knocking at the
eastern and western doors of the city and
owning right of way through and around
the city, will the Washington Star con-
tinue 10 shut its eyes and believe in the
millionaire sy ndieate's Difference TO
pu bic sentime nt'' at the cost of its
pocketbook? 1t probably will, but not
because it doesn't know better.