Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02
The Fourteenth Street Line to Be
Completed First.
ELECTRIC CURRENT 10 Be RENTED
Plans to Give Immediate Better
Service to Mount Pleasant.
p r o B A B LIE RES ULT

1t Is expected that IL the material con.
tracted for to be used I'm installing the I'M
oerground electric system on the Pennsyl-
vania avenue and 14th street lines of the
Capital Traction railroad is furnished by
the contractors promptly as is antici-
pated that actual work can be begun by
the 10th Of the present month. The general
contractor for the street work. Mr.. Saxton.
stated today that IL the material on hand
by the middle OF next week was sufficient
in quantity to justify the beginning OF the
work that he was ready to go ahead. Thus
far, 1t is stated but very little material has
been received. but 1t is thought that before
the end of the week that a larger quantity
will be on hand. At any rate the con-
tractor. as he states. is prepared to begin
work by the middle of next week.
In this connection IT is interesting to note
that II Is Mr.. Saxton's purpose to begin at
the northern end of the 14th street line.
namely. In Mount Pleasant. This fact. as
Well as other features of the present
plans of the management of the Capi-
tai Traction road has some bearing on the
question which is now being agitated by
the residents Of Mount Pleasant and VI
cinity with the view of improving the eN-
listing street railroad facilities.
Plans of the Company.
One of the objects which the company
has in view in the completion of the install
lauon of the new system on the l4th
street branch of the line prior to the rest
or the road is to have cars running by a
RAPID transit system far as l. street.
ana III possible as far the Treasury De-
partmeht. III Is thought that when the
ioad Is completed TO either or both these
points electric power can be rented which
VIII be sufficient to operate the road N
is not known whether it will be possible
70 secure the necessary power, but 1t is
me intention to hurry forward the COM
pie1ion Oh TINS portion of the line with
the view OF affording to the public at an
early date as possible rapid transit
Other electric roads buy their power, and
IL Is thought that ii viii be possible TO DO
the same in the case OF the l4th street line
without delaying Tor the completion of the
oaiance OF the road and the power house,
"nich Is to be located in Georgetown.
In the event the road is operated by the
new system with a hired current as tar as
street, 1t is proposed to run the cars
from Mount Pleasant down l4th street
thence down u street to eth, where trans
1efs VIII be given to the ca bic cars which
are operated by the same company III this
plan Is found to be feasible, IL is believ.l
that the new and improved service on the
iith street line, as Tar u street at least
VIII De IN operation at a much earlier date
than Will be possible in the case of the
entire road
Action of the Companies.
In view of this, it is said by those in
teresteo in the management of the Metro
poiitan and Brightwood roads that it is
not likely that either company will go to
any considerable outlay of money in order
TO provide service which, in their opinion
at least would be only temporary.
1t Is the belief that soon as the new
system is in operation on the l4th street
line that the former traffic will be re-
gained. This same consideration il is
said, would have weight with the Herdic
Company.
1t has been proposed, for example, that
the Metropolitan Company run cars from
9th sueet to 9TH. and thence over the
Br1ghtwo GOD road to 14th and Kenyon
streets. Then again it has been suggested
to the Brightwood Company that cars he
placed on the Kenyon street branch TO
make continuous trips from 14th and kor.-
yon streets to 7th and Florida avenue 1t
has also been proposed to the Herdic Com
pany TO put on line of herdics from 18th
and Howard streets. running down Howard
to 18th, thence along 14th street to Co.
lumbia road. and along Columbia road to
where the Metropolitan line begins.
The Outlay of Money.
The Herdic Company has this proposition
under consideration, but it is said that 1t
will involve an outlay Of several thousand
dollars for herdics, and it is possible that
that company may look on the service in
the same light that the other companies
do.
1t has also been proposed to the Capital
Traction Company to take cars from the
Chevy Chase line and run them over the
Kenyon street branch of the BrightWood
road, thus furnishing a continuous service
to the city lines. II is not thought
that any Of the companies named VIII act
favorably on the various propositions SUBJ
mitted to them, and in wel-informed rail-
road circles it is thought that the residents
of Mount Pleasant and vicinity will have to
be content with the present horse car SER
vice on the 14th street line until such time
as the new underground system may be in
operation, above suggested.