Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-22
THOSE AIR MOTORS
Promises Made by the lexington
Railroad Managers.
MIGRATORY PLACES OF MANUFACTURE
Mr.. kane's Letter to the District
Committee Chairman.
HE CALLS THEM FAIRY TALES

Chairman Babcock of the House District
committee has received the following letter
from Mr.. T. P. Kane of the lexington
Citizens Association in reference to Senate
bill 2S0l, which is intended a substitute
for all bills heretofore introduced relating
to the lexington and Soldiers Home and
Belt Line railroads. Mr.. Kane says:
This bill was introduced on the 10th in
slant by Senator Mcmillan (at the request
of the representatives of the railroads),
who disclaims all responsibility therefor.
such being the case, 1 beg leave to in
close herewith a copy of communication
published in The Evening Star of the 18th
instant over my signature, crit!cising the
various provisions of this bill.
Il also inclose copy of an editorial
which appeared in the same issue OF that
paper. taking corresponding view OF the
bill Whatever position The Evening Star
assumes editorially upon any question at
fecting the interests and welfare OF the
people of Washington is not far from ! e.
ing exactly what the people want. Permit
me, therefore, to especially commend this
editorial to your careful consideration, and
that of the committee in connection with
this b.ll.
In regard to the compressed air motors
with which Col. Douglass said it was the
intention of the lexington company to
very soon equip its lines, l desired 70 ask
ing, but was not afforded an opportunity.
"A year ago it was authoritatively stated
that the lexington company contemplated
putting on air motors and that contract
had been entered into with concern at
Rome, n. Y, to build eight or ten cars of
this character, which were then said to be
in course of construction, and would he in
Washington and in operation on the line
within less than two weeks from that date.
A month and more rolled by, but the wind
cars came not, and inquiry was made as to
to the cause. when it was learned that
disa agreement had arisen over the con-
tract, and it was declared off.
Last February committee of the North
Capitol and lexington Citizens Association
called upon President Newbold of the Eek
inston and Belt Line companies to ascertain
from him what prospect there was for a
change of motive power on these lines He
laid before the committee very comprehen-
sive plan of what the companies wanted III
the way of extensions, and stated that a
contract would that day be signed with a
firm TO build eight or ten compressed air
motors, which would be in operation on the
lexington line by the 18th of May or the
1st of June at the latest. This time the
place of construction was at PittsburS, Pa
''On the Eth instant the Washington Post
published an exceedingly entertaining and
glowing description of the air motor sys
TEN and its wonderful achievements in
parts not stated. Evening pleasure parties
mounted on gaily decorated double-decker
wind cars, lighted by electricity and capped
by brass band, gliding phantasamagoric-
ally through the streets of Washington and
far out into the peaceful quiet of the SUBJ
urbs that now long for rapid transit, were
graphically and Economically described.
According to this authority these bottled
wind annihilators of time and distance were
being built in Baltimore, and would give
hrst performance on the lines OF the Eek
iEgton company about the last of the pres
ent summer.
on the 18th instant statement was
published in The Evening Star, based upon
the authority of some .one connected with
these companies, that an order for the con-
structlon of ten of these air castles had
been placed with II. X. Butler & Co of
PlttsburS; that work upon the contract had
been commenced, and that these magic
cars would shortly be exhibiting their won
derful performances on the lines of the
EcklnSton company in Washington Ac-
cording TO this last authority the place of
construction had migrated from Baltimore
back again to Pittsburg.
On the 18th instant 1 wrote to a friend
IN flttsburg, inclosing a copy of The Star
article, and requested him to ascertain and
let me know what, if any, truth there was
in The statement Yesterday 7 recaived a
reply, stating that there is no firm in Pitts
burg or Allegheny City of the name of II.
r. Butler 4 Co.; that the name does NOT
appear in the directory of either city and
that there is no manufacturer of street
cars IN either of those cities, and none are
built there
Al tne nearing before your committee
yesterday Col. Douglass stated that the
place of construction of these migratory
air motors was now at Worcester Mass
having reached there from Rome via Pitts
burg and Baltimore, and that the bottles
that were to retain the stored wind are
being manufactured at Milwaukee, He did
not state the name of the Worcester firm
VINO are building these cars, nor where the
wind that is to propel them is being gen
Grated He said he asked the marufac-
turers how long 1t would take to fill an
order for ten cars, and they said thirty
days. He did not say that the order had
constructed, but that it would take thirty
days TO build them after the order was
given.
When all the things come to pass that
have been related III :he periodical fairy
tales that have been told the Washington
public by the agents and representatives of
the lexington road of this wonderful, al
ways to come but never here, air ca, the
millennium will have been reached in the
car service of the lexington line, and there
will be no longer any necessity for legis-
lative BE it enacteds' to direct or con-
troll the movements of this philanthro
corporation, and the harassed members
of the House District committee and the
perturbed spirits of the North Capitol and
lexington Citizens Association will rest in
peace.
Perhaps in tine course of human events
some plying zephyr will add its gentle
force to the bottled wind in these airy
castles, and watt them over to the land of
of time within which all these things that
have been foretold to US for nearly two
long years shall come upon us, and pen
altieS be unnecessary