Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-02
Underground Electric System for
Avenue and Fourteenth Street.
MEETING OF DIRECTORS TODAY
The Cable VIII Possibly Be Run
Temporarily.
ELECTRIC PROPOSITIONS

1t was practically decided today at n
meeting of the directors of the Capifal
traction Company. held at the union sta
tion, In Georgetown, TO introduce a system
OF underground electricity on the avenue
ana l4th street lines. When the directors
assembled three propositions were submit
TED for consideration. One embraced the
adoption of the air motor This was ouick-
/ iy disposed of, however. and the other two
suggestions taken up
These were respectively the introduction
or the Love system of underground elec
tricity, now in operation on the L. street
line of the Traction Compsny's road. and
the adoption of the system or the General
Elec,r1c Compan, similar TO that operated
on the lines of the Metropolitan Railroad
company in this city. While the meeting
was distinctly of preliminary character.
ana was not expected to, and did not take
oehhite action today, there can scarcely be
question but that the system of the GEN
eral Electric Company will be finally de-
cided upon and quickly introduced
1t was considered that the Love system
was equal IA all respects to the one thus
favored, and that its operation would be
as economical and desira BILE in every way
to the company itself. but il WAS suggested.
on the other hand, that the public in
Washington was so enthusiastic over ,he
underground system on + and 9th streets
that the Traction Company should follow
out its .ong-established policy of conform
ing to the wishes of the public in every
way possible
Work TO Begin at Once.
The general idea prevailed when this
sentiment became known that Contractor
E. Saxton would be engaged TO 30 the
work OF fitting the present conduits for the
reception CT the electrical appliances
Mr.. Saxton had prepared for the meeting
estimates covering the cost of the neces-
sary changes. 1t is understood and gener-
ally believed that Mr.. Saxton will begin at
once drilling holes on either side of the
conduits on 14th street and Pennsylvania
avenue. in order to permit the Introduction
OF the electrical appliances, above
stated, and that as soon these are put
In place an arrangement will be made with
one of the electric companies here to fur
nish power for the propulsion of the cars
until the power house containing the ma
ciiinery which is TO be purchased by the
company will be completed.
The power house will be located, IL is
thought, in Georgetown along the level of
lowing the coal used in such quantities by
the company to be secured in the most
economical manner.
An Important Pr0pokftfon.
A proposition of very great importance
was received from the Walker Manufactur-
ing Company of Cleveland. Ohio, which
agreed to bring on to Washington at once
two electric machines to be used to turn
the drums and run the systems by cables
Temporarily until the underground electric
system is permanently in place. The Cleve-
land company offered to have the machines
here and in operation within ten days, and
it is believed that the proposition will be
accepted
The meeting was a protracted one, being
In session several hours and the announce
aent was made at the outset that a num-
ber of the largest stocknol ie-s of the
company would insist that no other tEan
an underground elsctr.c system should be
considered in connection with the rehabili.
tation of the road. This effectualy pre-
vented any very serious consideration OF
the air motor suggestion.
While the meeting was IN progress, the
lcEg central room or the econd floor OF
the Union station next TO the meeting room
was a gathering place of a large number
OF the representatives of vario1s electric
and machinery companies and railway en-
gineers.
Prominent amcng them was Mr.. w. ].
Clark, general manager of the railroad li-
vision of the General Electric Company CT
New York; Mr. E. Saxton, the well-knowl
contractor; Mr.. +. ii. Sniffel OF the flrm
of Westinghouse, Church. Kerr and Corn
pany, the well-known engineers of New
York, Boston and Chicago; Mr.. Calvert
Townley, assistant to the first .vice prosi-
dent, and Mr.. E. n. Sawuelle of the West
inghouse Electric and Manufacturing Com
pany, the representatives, of the Walker
Manufacturing Company of Cleveland, and
a number of others.
Depot Rumor Not Credited.
The statement published in a morning
paper that the Pennsylvania railroad is
contemplating the establishment of a depot
OH the site of the power house, where all
the passenger trains of that company and
the Southern and Chesapeake and Ohio
companies could enter and depart cannot
be traced to any authoritative source.
Men well versed in railroad affairs smiled
today when asked their opinion on the
subject. One of them remarked that IL
was scarcely possible that the companies
mentioned would care to expend over a
half million dollars on a site for a depot
when they already occupied one In a GEN.
trail position without expense for taxes
or rent, and which they would doubtless
be permitted to retain permanently. He
said the vast expense. outside Of the cost
of the site. would put the proposition en-
tirely out of the question, he believed, even
II no other matters were taken into con-
sideration.