The evening times., 1896-07-08

qucstion that has been exercising tine Two
great street railway companies or the chy
ever since the Metropolitan began putting
down the new system.
The public has been more or less inter-
ested. The contest has been eniirehcu pS
The personal rivalry OF the presidehts OIL
the two roads, Mr.. George L. Dunlop Tor
the Capital Traction Company and Mr.
Samuel L. Phillips for the Metropolitan.
once or twice this rivalry has become SO
acute that the two gentlemen have eX-
changed very sarcastic remarks and criti-
cisms of each other in the presence or
friends and even in the Commissioners
board room and in the committee rooms Of
Congress. ON one occasion, at least. it
came very near leading TO personal en-
counter at the District Building. The two
men are Old acquaintances, both having
been brought up in this city and were prac-
tically schoo!matcs together. They as.
sumed the presidency of their respective
lines about the same time, and each is
anxious TO show the best record as result
of his mana cement.
SO far Mr.. Dunlop has had decidedly the
advantage ID the extension Of his lines.
He has acquired the important Rock Creek
Branch running out To the Chevy Chase
section, and has had much the best Of
every hearing, both before the Commits
sioners and i'll Congress, looking TO addl-
tional franchise through the northwest part
vf The cit; and to the Geological Park.
FIGHT OF THE PRESIDENTS.
Against this Mr.. Phillips has been able
10 show the equipment Of his line with the
very excellent underground electric sys-
:em, tie last part OF which went into op-
Grafton yesterday. While this is certainly
Il great Improvement over the horse cars
heretofore in use on that road, Mr.. Dunlop
is slow To admit that il is really better
,lIan the cable operated By the Capital
Traction Company. Though he has sup
porters in This opinion, probably ma
JorIjy Of the commuLi-y. hold with Mr..
Phillips, who considers the electric far
superior 10 the cable, and laughs at his
rivals claims.
The result is that both roads have picked
up "A notch or two in The speed at which
they are operating, and the Commissioners
may Toe compelled TO interfere in behalf of
greater security TO the public. A small in
crease in speed adds much TO the danger
of collisions with other vehicles, or ruu-
ming down pedestrians and or inJuring
passengers who are careless ir getting on
and off the cars. This is worst, of course,
at tie crowded crossings, such as Seventh
and Pennsylvania avenue, and at these
every preCaution has already been taken.
The electric cars run at an irregular rate
of speed and this OF itself makes Il danger.
The reason for tie irreSularity was ex-
planned by Mr.. Phillips at hearing before
the Commissioners last winter. There are
parts of his road where slowgoine is un-
avoidable Then it becomes necessary 10
make this up by extra fast going some-
where else. if the schedule time is 10 be
observed. When Mr.. Phillips made his ar
gument on the matter lie urged that he be
allowed to run about fifteen miles an hour
north of New York avenue, and al points in
South Washington.
RUN AT UNIFORM SPEED.
On the other hand. the cable runs at a uni
form speed; if it goes ten miles an hour one
place, its rate is the same everywhere.
Mr.. Dunlop kne W there was no hope of keep
ing even with his competitor if the extra
rate were permitted at special points. Hs
therefore argued that if cars We're allowed
to run fifteen miles an hour anywhere they
must he allowed the same time everywhere.
His view prevailed.
Nevertheless, the electric cars have con-
tinued TO run very fast a [ some points to
make up for necessary delays at Others.
Mr. Phillips admitted to the Commissioners
that he had exceeded the limit before the
hearing was had, and it is probable his con-
ductors and motormen know that the y have
have been obliged to exceed it since, even
if lie does not.
In putting the new cars on tie F-StrCct
line the delays have tcen due especially to
the necessity of continuing The horse cars
and to the uncertainty Of operation at the
switches. The motor is likely TO go wrong
NJ these points On account of the unCcr-
tain operation of the underground trolley.
In order to make the neoc ssary time the
new cars run very fast at some points.
A motor that left tie B. Il o. depot at
$50 O'Clock last night felt its way up
the street at the speed of n horse car, until
it IeacLed the Shoreham.
DISTANCE COVERED QUICKLY.
When i third of the next block had been
covered the speed QuickeDed suddenly to
twenty miles an hour and Vermontavenue
Just in front of the Arlin gton, was crossed
at that rattliDE gait. The same sort of
running occurred on other cars. This sort
Of running will enable the electric to make
better time than the cable. Mr.. Phillips
may defend it, on the ground that his
average speed, as shown by the time table
as actually run, does not exceed the limit
of ten miles an hour fixed by the Commits
sioBers' order.
To meet this Mr.. Dunlop has quckened
the time on the cable line. He has said all
along that he would nectar ny schedule ma dc
by the rival company. He yesterday took
| two cars off both the Pennsylvania avenue
and Fourteenth street lines, and persons
| who observed state that the rate of speed
| was increased sharply.
Supt CARL of the Capital Traction Com
| pany when asked about the matter said:
"We didn't want to go faster, but the
| Com Dlissioners fixed the rate at ten miles
| an hour and we had to meet it. Yes, we
| took off two trains from the Fourteenth
| street and the Georgetown lines yesterday
and picked up TO the required ten miles an
1our. We're going TO keep up with the
| best time that is made here"
The transfer agent at Seventh and tho
Avenue said he could not tseethat the change
made any difference in the safety and com
| fort of handling the crowds at that point.
via D. & O. n. II.
Commencing June 8 and 6 and continn-
ing each Friday and Saturday until Auyust