Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-28
Meeting Of the North Capitol and
lexington Association.
REPORT ON TESTS OF TIE AIR MOTOR
Cost Of Operation Regarded as I'm
portant Factor.
THE PIPE LINE PROJECT

coin avenue ana N street, duout my
members being in attendance. Mr.. w. G.
Henderson presided, with Mr.. W. J.
Hughes as secretary. None but routine
business was transacted.
Messrs. Henderson, and 1. w. Linton re-
ported the progress made toward the build
ing of the new school house, the site for
which has been located at the corner of
LIST and Quincy streets northeast. They
stated that the plans had been completed
and approved by the Commissioners, and
that advertisements would shortly appear
for bills to 90 the work. Mr.. Henderson
stated that the general opinion of such
members of the association as had seen
the plans was that they were exceedingly
artistic, and that they provided for
building which would be one of the neatest
and most attractive school houses In the
city. He said that the work could not be
commenced before about November 10,
and therefore the building could not be
completed in Time for occupancy during the
present school year. although, If pushed, 1t
might be toward the latter end of the
school year.
School lions.
Mr.. w. ]. Fowler inquired IL something
could not be done toward expediting the
completion of the building. and spoke of
the urgent necessity for additional school
accommodations for that section. because
of the crowded condition of the other
schools. Other members also urged prompt
action, and President Henderson stated
that the Commissioners would be seen and
everything done that was possible to hast
Ell the work.
Messrs. Tingley and c. NJ. D. Browne
called attention to the necessity for some
additional street lights on Quincy and
North Capitol streets, stating that owing
to the distance apart of some of the lamps
there were some dark and dangerous
places.
Messrs. B. Waters and j. F. Hammond
called attention to the necessity for better
street sweeping in that section, particu-
larry on Quincy street, and Mr.. Waters
spoke with considerable feeling on the sub
ject, because, he said, he had on two or
three occasions called attention to the same
matter without securing any improvement.
He suggested that the Commissioners be
urged to set apart certain days in the
month for sweeping the streets in that
section, as had been done in other sections,
and then the people would know where the
blame rested If the work was not done.
As it is, the streets are to be swept when
ordered.
Gates at Grade Crossings.
Mr.. Magee called attention to the neglect
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad to at
tend to the lowering of the gates at the
Florida avenue crossing after o'clock at
cessity for gates or watchmen at the vari-
Gus street crossings of the road through
lexington, but there was some question
raised as to the power of the Commission
ers to compel the erection of gates at these
crossings, because the railroad owned a
right of way through there, which had
never been condemned for street thorough
fares.
Mr.. T. P. Kane of the railroad committee
made a report covering the actions of that
committee since the last meeting of the
association, and stating the status of the
railroad question generally. He referred to
the air motor tests, which were made under
the supervision of a representative of the
District government; to the protests filed
with the Commissioners against the issu-
ing of permits for an air motor equipment;
to the hearing accorded the representatives
of the association on the subject, and to
the position taken by the railway commit
tee at that hearing. He also referred to
his visit to New York in August to inspect
the air motors in operation there, and SUBJ
mitted a written report, detailing at length
the situation in New York as he found it.
Air Motor Tests.
Mr.. Kane then made a full report from
the committee on railroads in reference to
the tests Of the air motor here.
"a second and final test was commenced
and concluded during the past week. he
said. An invitation was extended by
Commissioner Black and the attorney for
the company, Mr.. Rideout, through our
president to a representative committee of
this association to witness the towing test,
and Messrs. Henderson, Hughes and myself
were present at that trial on Tuesday last"
After describing the route over which
the trial vas made, Mr.. Kane said:
1T is proper to note in connection with
this test that the trolley car which was
towed in weighed, according to Capt Nc
Farland's report, 1900 pounds, while the
VI oil Oh n q o ir m yvna Ct tod hxt
the same authority to be 10000 pounds.
Officials of the Air Power Company, how
ever, give it's weight as $1,000 pounds. If
necessity should arise. therefore, for one
air car to tow in another of the same
weight it would have to pull 10000 or q. 900
pounds, whichever the correct weight may
be. instead of 1900 as in this instance if
the cars should all be of the weight of the
air motor now in use.
Ability Not Shown.
Its ability, therefore, to pull disabled
car of the same weight out Of the way was
not conclusively shown by the test made.
The forr days so-called schedule test
to which the car was subjected last week
was but a repetition of what had been
done during the former trials, and con-
sisted simply Of running the car from the
power house to 18th and G streets and
back again at 8, II. 4 and O'Clock each
day. four hours intervening between each
trip. A ScneOuie test 10 De OF any value as
an aid in determining the ability of the
air motor to maintain regular and unin-
terrupted service should be the same as
the schedule on which the other cars on the
line are run 1t was impracticable, how
ever, for the Commissioners to require such
schedule because of the representations
of the company that the capacity of their
compressor was not sufficient to manufac-
ture condensed wind fast enough to per-
nit of a more frequent running of the
cars than four hours apart.
when authority was given the Ecking-
ton company to equip its lines with air
motors, IT, after a trial, they should prove
satisfactory, it was with the understanding
that sufficient power could be stored on
each car to enable 1t to make a round trip
over the entire line. and one of the special
advantages claimed for the air motor was
that itrequired no disturbance of the streets
TO install like other systems.
Ninth-HOur Proposition.
Now, at the ninth hour. the receiver
comes forward with an application for
authority to lay a pipe line along the entire
route of this company from which to re-
info rec the power at various points on the
line, to do which will involve the tearing
VI of the streets, which they claimed at
the outset would not be necessary.
'At the time this application was filed
l met Chairman Babcock of the House