New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-07
THE UNDERGROUND TROLLEY.

II e definitely announced that the MetropOli-
tan Traction Company has decided 10 Introduce
the underground trolley system Of propulsion as
soon as possible on number Of its lines. includ-
ing those in Sixth. Eighth. Fourth and Nladi-
son ayes The prospect would be more pleas
inc except for the thought Of all that the pro-
longed disruption of those great thoroughfares
involves. Nobody objects to the disuse of cables,
which are not satisfactory as motive power
and are Objectionable in other respects. The
overhead trolley Is generally regarded as the
cheapest efficient power for streetcars which has
yet been discovered, and the transportation COM
panles of NewYork would undoubtedly like to
employ ii If they could. But popular opinion at
present would not tolerate its use on a large
scale in this city. and they have probably never
seriously thought of trying to overcome or avoid
that obstacle. After trial Of the underground
trolley in Lenox-ave. and observation OF It's
working In other places the Metropolitan people
are convinced that. on the whole. it Is a safe.
efficient and economical means of propulsion,
and if its installation did not necessitate the
tearing up of the streets the community would
regard the substitution of ii for the cable with
approval. As 1t is. many persons are asking
whether an operation involving such a sacrifice
Of comfort and interference with traffic and
business is really Indispensable to the develop
ment of transportation facilities
II used to be confidently predicted that electric
storage batteries would ultimately furnish the
most satisfactory motive power for streetcars;
but though electricians are constantly making
improvements and have brought them near TO
perfection for some purposes they have not yet
succeeded in producing a battery which meets
all the requirements Of street railroad incud
ing economy of operation: nor is there sufficient
reason 10 believe that they will soon succeed in
doing so. If storage batteries were in other re-
spec,s all that could be desired, their use would
be additionally profitable and advantageous be-
cause of their giving perfect independence of
movement TO every vehicle they propelled. The
same advantage inheres in compressed air
motors. which have attained high degree of
efficiency within few years, have been in con-
tnuous operation for about seven months on the
Northumberland twenty Hfth-st. line of the
Third Avenue Company, are about to be tested
on one Of the elevated roads, and an apparently
inferior type Of which has been experimental
with by the Metropolitan managers with natu
rally unsatisfactory results. That the best form
OF compassionate motor has not been proved
defective or inadequate to streetcar requirements
under any conditions, but, OH the contrary, is
constantly accommodating proofs Of its superior
fly. is confidently asserted by those who make
1t. and appears to be believed by those who have
given II the fullest trial.
II Is not unreasonable. therefore TO ask
whether the Metropolitan Traction Company Is
justified just yet In deciding that 1t must tear
M several great avenues from end to end and
half dozen important streets In order to In
stall underground trolleys, when motive power
which involves no disturbance of the surface or
any other injury or annoyance is coming into
use. with a possibility Of its general adoption
in the near future. This Is question which the
municipal authorities ought TO consider carefully
before giving their consent to operations which
will inevitably be a shocking nuisance so long
as they last whatever useful consequences may
follow. The people are certainly not In a mood