Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-06
Plans of the Columbia and Mary
land Company.
CARS and EQUIPMENT ARRANGED
Quick Work in the Construction
Promised.
SYS TEN OF TRAN SFERS

way Company, which, as heretofore stated
IN The Star. is constructing an electric
line between Washington and Baltimore
has, 1t Is understood, secured an option on
one OF the most desirable pieces of prop
erty In the latter city, upon which it is
said to be the intention of the company, If
the deal is completed, to erect building
for their general offices and as the terminal
station for the northern end of the line. =.
This property Is at the corner Of Howard
and Saratoga streets, in the very heart of
the business section Of the city, and from
which the lines Of the Baltimore Traction
Baltimore City and City and Suburban
companies radiate in every direction.
AS the three companies named own every
street car line in Baltimore and the Column
bia and Maryland company either has al
ready made or has reason to believe it will
be able to make the most liberal transfer
arrangements with them for the accommo-
dation of its passengers, it Is within the
bounds OF probability that in the course of
few months, certainly by January next,
unless some unforeseen obstacles shall
arise, person can take Belt Line car
here. transfer to a train of the Columbia
ana Maryland line and go to- any TART of
Baltimore, returning the same way, for the
one fare, which. 1t is understood, will not
be more than $1.25 for the round trip.
The Actual Work.
AS already mentioned from time to time
In The Star, work on different portions of
the route, principally those near Baltimore,
has been in progress for some time, and be-
tween Baltimore and Ellicott City the grad
ing Is about completed. Work on what Is
known as the main line, between the juno
ton with the Ellicott City branch, not far
from Gainesville and Laurel, Is expected to
be begun next week and will be pushed to
finish as quickly as possible
Although the building of this road is
expected to occupy such short time as
way contractors there Is no doubt that
the roadbed will be fully up to the stand
ard OF the best steam railways in this or
any other country. Indeed. this Is a mat
ter OF absolute necessity for safety, as 1t
Is said to be the intention of the managers
of the road to offer such inducements in
the way Of quick transit between the two
cities as to either draw largely from the
numbers who now use the Baltimore and
Ohio and Baltimore and Potomac
trains for travelling to and from either
city. OF else induce a great many who
nave never heretofore seen the attractive
ness of both places to avail themselves of
the opportunities.
While there is still vast amount CT de-
tail to be arranged the statement can be
made on the authority of an officer of the
company that 1.-The cars will be q feet
long. heavier and more substantial than
any now In the service and intended to
make very fast time. They will be Heated
and lighted with electricity fitted nm IN
the style of a frst-class day coach of a
steam railroad, with air brakes and pro-
PEELED by the overhead trolley system (out-
side OF the city of Washington, unless,
perhaps. some experiments which are now
being made lead to the substitution of
some other motive power.
me through cars, which will leave
washington and Baltimore every half hour,
Will be run in trains of two, a car and a
motor. The motor will have a baggage
compartment, and will seat thirty-two per
sons, while the trailer will be the parlor
coach. and will seat forty-two passen-
gers. On the accommodation trains be-
tween the cities these cars will run singly,
starting at the quarter hours. The through
trains Will stop at the principal stations
only, probably at Hyattsville, Laurel and
Gainesville. while the accommodation cars
Will stop at all of the stations Arrange
ments will be made by which the accom-
mediation cars will not interfere with the
operation OF the through schedule, and it
Is expected that the latter trains will make
the run between Washington and BaIti-
more IN not more than hour, and that the
former will cover the distance, Including
tne time occupied IN making stops. in an
nour and quarter. There will be TWENTY
SIX OF these cars in all placed upon the
line as soon as 1t Is opened. Each car will
De htted with double trucks, and on each
OF the axles there will be a one-hundred-
morse motor. geared for speed. This will
give 40 horse power per car or four to
elgnt times as much as the ordinary street
car.
For the local traffic from Washington
TO Laurel and for the Baltimore and ELL
colt City branch the regulation electric
street cars will be supplied. They will
be twenty-eight feet long and of the latest
were ordered some weeks ago have been
completed and are said to be ready for
shipment to their owners. 1t Is the inten-
ton OF the con pany soon after the road
movable chairs for the use of theater par
ties between Washington and Baltimore
as they believe there will be a demand for
that sort of accommodation.
The Speed.
'It is expected that the main station in
Washington will be on North Capitol street,
a few squares from the Capitol. Along the
route there will be stations at Hyattsville,
Laurel, Savage, Leicester, where the road
crosses the PatapSco, and at the junction
of the main line with the Ellicott City
branch. 1t is also anticipated that the ac-
ccnmOdation cars, on account of the ease
with which they may be stopped and start
ed, will stop for passengers at any point
that may be desired. In Baltimore city
there will be several stations.
1.-The work Of building these stations will
not be begun until the line is ready for
operations. That part of the road nearest
completion lies in Baltimore, where most
Of the track laying has been done, and, il
desired cars could be put upon the tracks
at any time.
1.-The managers of the new railway do not
contemplate any difficulty in the way of
running the cars between the two cities in
an hour. and it is believed that much faster
time has been made by electric cars under
conditions not nearly so favorable for the
accomplishment of speed. AS a matter of
fact, the limit of speed that can be at
tanned by the electric propulsion of cars
has not yet been admitted by those who
know Gf there are any such), and there Is
decided impression on the part of the
travelling public, who have used this means
of getting from place to place, that the
cars which are even now in most general
use are run at the rate of mile a minute
whenever the motor man has an oppor-
tunity to show what his car can do.
''Of course, this does not apply to cars
operated inside the limits of cities but that
the practice is followed in almost all SUBJ
urbs where there are electric lines can not
1t Is believed be successfully disputed and
it Is predicted that 1t will not be long after
the Columbia and Maryland electric road Is
opened before the express trains will be run
between Washington and Baltimore in 45
minutes"