New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-09

naturally discussed the expedicncy OF introducing
either cables or electricity. but the former motor
is not regarded with favor. and experiments with
the latter have not been successful when con-
Quoted by private streetcar compa MES The Leeds
Town Council will speedily act upon report Of
the Committee on Tramways. which has been in
vestigating this subject. 1t recommends the in
PRODUCTION of electric cars. with wires in subways
instead of being suspended overhead, to the dis
! fgurement OF the streets
In Bradford. as in the majority of large English
towns. the tramways owned by the corpora
ton and leased to private companies under a
twenty years contract The rentals are low
sl450 per mile for the first ten years and 81 500
thereafter but on the basis OF s450.00o as the
amount invested by the city in the construction Of
about twenty-five miles Of track, there Is now al
annual profit. after the sinking fund and the in
terest charges have been provided for. Other
towns have managed the business more shrewdly
and are making from the rentals 10 or IL per cent
the capital invested In the construction Of the
lines
The Bradford system is unsatisfactory for two
reasons: First. the rentals are considered too
low: and. secondly the private companies are dis
playing very little energy and enterprise in intro
ducing electricity some other effective motor
as substitute for horse power and steam. The
experiment which has been tried with electric
cars has not been successful Indeed, there seems
to be growing feeling in the town In favor of the
complete muncipalizaton Of the tramways as the
only practical expedent for getting rid Of the
noisy engines and ''doubledeckers' and introduce
ing new motive power under adequate safe
guards for public interests. With Leeds and
Huddersfield close at hand and successfully man.
aging their street railways municipal enter
prses ii is probable that Bradford, when the
leases expire. will enter upon the same policy.
BEHINDHAND IN ELECTRIC LIGHTING
In both electric lighting and railways England
is a long way behind America. Wien the British
Association met In Montreal seventeen years ago
Mr.. Preece, the distinguished electrician. ex-
pressed surprise that so few adaptations of cleo
trio lighting had been made in American cities.
During the long interval progress in electrical
science has been very rapid in the United States
and much slower In Great Britain. Outside Lon
don electric lighting is mainly confined to central
circuits in large cities and has been introduced on
a small scale Cities which own and operate their
gas plants have been reluctant to avail them
selves Of electrical supplies. Birmingham. while
1t has municpalized gas has strangely armed an
electrical company with lighting privileges for
thirty years-a radical departure from Mr. Cham
berlains original policy. Leeds has followed Biz
mingham and permitted private company to
supply electric light to consumers in competition
with municipal gas. Manchester, Oldham. Hud
dersheld. Bradford Glasgow Brighton and other
cities have established electric lighting plants
der municipal ownership and management In
Glasgow and Manchester this policy has been
markedly successful In Bradford also 1t has been
a profitable municipal enterprise. return of 10
parre nfh eip0 m de to he the
capital invested after payments have been pro-
vided for the sinking fund.
While English cities have. a rule. been very
cautious in introducing electric lighting they have
been equally deliberate in adopting electric tran
sit The Isle Of Man. which now has in operation
electric lines from Douglas to Laxey and also to
the summit of Snaefell. is I'm this respect In ad-
vance OF other portions OF the United Kingdom
In Birmingham. Leeds and few other cities
there are electric railways. and in South Stafford
shire there is one which has been most economi
cally constructed: but the trolley system has not
been introduced on a large scale. Blackpool has
electric tramways under municipal management
but the success Of the experiment has not yet been
fully demonstrated.
While English cities are behind American towns
in the adoption Of improved methods Of electric
lighting and transit there some compensa-
lions for lack Of enterprise The charges to con-
sumers for electric light In Bradford. where SUI
perior system has been introduced by the Town
Council. are very low. and in Manchester and
Glasgow the best methods have finally been en-
ployed after an exhaustive investigation OF prin-
ciples and appliances. Electric transit when II Is
provided on an extensive scale may be free from
somel OF the most Objectionable features OF the
American system. Unless all signs fail, the mu-
nicipalization OF electric supplies is the coming
policy in England. The town councils may even
tually furnish electric power not only for light
ing but also for the opera ton of machinery. Not
only the municipalities, but county and district
councils as well. are moving rapidly in the same
direction. Already there is a very strong move
ment in rural communities for the construction Of
light or electric railways at the expense Of rate
PAYERS for the benefit OF the farming classes. and
Parliamentary legislation is eagerly awaited for
that purpose. This is one of the newest develop
nents OF State socialism In conserva tive England.
T. " r.