The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-09-04
Cars Will Be Run Over the Navy
Yard Bridge.
ONLY ONE, HOWEVER, ATA TIME
The Brown Underground Electric
Contact System TO Be Used-Presi.
dent of the Capital Railway Conn
paoy Apprehends No Trouhie-Cit-
izens of Anacostia Satisfied.

Notwithstanding the unsafe condition OF
the Navy Yard Bridge. reported TO the Com
mlssioners yesterday by the engineer de-
partment, permit to lay the underground
electric system on the bridge was this
morning granted by the board TO Mr.. A
E. Randle, president Of the Capital Rail-
way Company, W hose cars were authorized
by Congress TO cross this bridge. The per-
init was granted on the condition that but
one car of the company should cross the
bridge at a time, and that all due caution
shall he exercise d in the matter Of running
the loaded cars across the Eastern Branch.
Armed with this permit, Mr.. Randle will
at once rush the work OF putting In the
underground system across the bridge,
ald by tie end of the week. he declares
that he will have his cars running from
the navy yard gate through TO Congress
Heights.
The report OF the engineer department.
left the Commissioners in doubt as to their
course FOR a time, but Mr.. Randle called
on theu yesterday afternoon and con-
vinced them that there would be little
actual danger IL but one car were allowed
ou the bridge at time. The report OF
the computing engineer was made on d
basis OF two cars, each loaded To Its
utmost capacity. crossing the bridge at the
la ne time.
Under such circumstances the strain on
the bridge would be Just little more
than :he calculations allowed. III the
assumed strain of two cars were cut In
half, there would he no good reason for
fearing that the bridge might cOliapse-
Under the circumstances the Commissioners
did not believe that they were justified
in refusing the permit already granted by
Congress, and so this morning, when Mr.
Randle called a. the District building, he
found the permit awaiting him.
II can well understand the apprehension
OF the Commissioners as to the safety OF
the tridge," said Nh. Randle this morn
ing to O Times reporter, lowing TO the
enormous loads we are carr ying on our
cars. which are now run only TO the end OF
the Navy Yard bridge Our cars run so
packe ed that l can easily understand that
If two of our cars, loaded in this man
ner, met on the bridgs, it might be unsafe
But when | explained to the Commission
ers yesterday that we intend to run only
one car across the bridge at a time, they
said this was entirely satisfactory.
Il have the permit now to put down
the system on the bridge. i expect To
have il in some time next week In my
opinion the bridge was never stronger
than il is now. We have Just finished
laying naw sO-pound iron rails, which
strengthen the bridge Just like so many
ron girders. Then, we have put in new
roadbed In the shape of 4-inch beams, in
place OF the thin planking formerly used"
The underground system to be used
crossing the bridge is known as the Brown
system. 1t is not conduit system, but
Is a contact system, somewhat similar 20
tha: formerly in operation on the North
Capitol street branch of the lexington road.
The Currnti lis furnished through a series OF
contact pointssetin In the ground ia the middle
of the roadbed. No current is in these con-
tact points until the car reaches the three
points Immediately preceding them, and
then, by series of mechanical appliances.
the current is temporarily applied to the
points.
4 his system is the cheapest underground
system known. as Ii costs comparatively
little 10 equip a road. The points are set in
the rnadbed from the west end OF the bridge
to the navy yard gate. 1t will require
but a few days to put them down on the
bridge, as the feed-wires are already in
position. The cans. when they reach the
Anacostia end of the bridge, will simply
slip their trolley, and, without stopping,
will pick up the underground current by
means of shoe" attached beneath the
car.
when The edict Of the Commissioners
declaring the bridge nsafe reached Ana
costa yesterday the citizens Were greatly
wrought up at what they considered a
deathblow to their rapid transit scheme.
Everybody declared that the bridge was
as safe structure as could be found
anyw here in the vicinity uf Washington,
although everyone agreed that that did
not mean much, as the bridges around
Washington are of certain antiquated de-
s:gos.
Last night was the date of the meeting
of the Anaeostia Citizens Associa ton
and the prospect that something relative
to the bridge question would bedone caused
a large gathering OF the citizens at the
pavilion at Congress Heights. where the
meeting was held. The citizens came