Evening star., 1897-08-26
NO AIR MOTORS.
Six Cable Lines to BE Fitted With Tn.
foreground Trolley Appliances.

Six Cable Lines to BE Fitted With In
foreground Trolley Appliances.
From the New York Journal, Today.
William C. Whitney gave dinner at the
Hotel Netherland on Tuesday evening, at
which the controlling factors of the Metro
politan Street Railway Company were
present. and at which a discussion of the
great improvements contemplated for that
system marked 1t as 4 momentous gath
ering. 1t brought out the interesting fact
that TO compressed air motors are to be
used, but the underground trolley system
instead.
In addition TO John D. Crimmins, the
three Philadelphians who are practically
in command of this vast property-P. A.
B. Widener. John Dolan and William Ell
kins-were Mr.. Whitney's guests. These
millionaire capitalists, who were the orig
inal organizers of the METROPOLITAN Trac-
tion Company. and who finally merged that
corporation into the Metropolitan Street
Railroad Company. have spent much of
their time recently in this city, because of
the importance which attaches TO the
change in the motive power of the system
from cable 10 underground trolleys.
This change of power has already begun.
The advertisements announcing the new
corporate title of the cable road syndicate
appeared yesterday in the newspapers. 1t
is now the MetroDolitan Street Railway
Company.
Nearly 5000 men are at work on the
4th avenue line and other sections of
the system, putting in the underground
trolley appliances Mr.. John D. Crimmins
said yesterday: We are pushing the work
to cou.pction with the utmost rapidity.
The motive power decided on for the fu-
;ure is electricity. Compressed air will not
be used. The lines now being laid with
new rails and electrical underground troll
ley co11uits are 4th avenue. 59th street,
2id street. Ans terdarI avenue. the BCulC-
ward. from 6jth 10 list streets. and I'd
avenue. running from AStOr place to the
Harlem river
AN inme power plant is he;ng erected
on the East river from :t5th to 96th street.
We shall have the biggest electrical manu-
featuring plant in the world. and its ma
Chinery will supply motive power for all
lines. There 212 miles in the sys-
ten. 30 miles of cable and electric road,
leaving 1S5 miles of horse car line to be
changed to the new system. with expensive
steel rails. HarveyiZed steel plate crossings
and substantial underground trolley con-
Cults
1t may be said that the PHILADELPHIA di-
rectors have expressed their gratifica ton
at the extraordinary energy displayed by
Mr.. Crimmins in hurrying up the con-
tractors with their work. An army of men
is putting in the electrical appliances for
miles along the avenues
President Vreeland said that the road
would be opened by November and cars
running to the Harlem river If the con-
tractors putting in the city sewer above
Sith street finished in time.
All the special iron work for crossings.
including the HarveyiZed steel plates sup
porting the rails and protecting the electri-
cal machinery of the trolley beneath. are
under contract for delivery at an early day.
Ihe new cars will be longer, more com
modlous and comfortable than the present
broadway cars. They will be lighted and
heated by electricity. and other improve
ments will be introduced by Stephenson.
the builder There will be 800 of these cleo
URIC cars put on when the road opens, No
vember 1.
In regard to transfers Mr.. Vreeland said
the system Will not be curtaied but rather
extended. and the other railway compa mics
transferring Will have the benefit of the
new line One hundred and two million
transfers We're given last year. 1t is esti-
mated that there will be one hundred and
lWenty-seven millions of transfers tn S year
IL Will cost the company $12, 800 900 to put
IN ihe electric system. The speed Will he
as nigh as ten miles an hour. On the trims
10 Harlem electricity will save the road
twenty minutes in time