Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-30

that the resolution meant that the matter
should be subject to the approval of the
| adopt, but the adoption could not take
effect, UNTIL the Commissioners approved.
WOW q, would like to ask you gentle
you scohstAer tbs n proper and sattsfae-
Tory nottYe powef3 II your engineer has
taken up Ehese questions in his report"
Goa Gapfsin ;Blaci{ y win tell you that the
at all. 1eis IN by once. and have one
of my meal wofEkiR on 1t now 1t has not
been consifersdl by the Commissioners or
oy me: Bnt q ssR tement Is being prepared
viii try and Cd er the points as wei We'll s as
we can."o "a
A poinf De Great Interest. :.
Mr.. Server: "Thia Is point Of great in
terest to US. and means a great deal. The
ability of the ear to run has been demon
strated Thee question is, whether 1t will
run In proper and satisfactory manner
for the convenience Of the people.
1t seems to us that the Commissioners.
as the Representatives Of our people, and
acting for us in this matter, are called
| Upon to determine whether it has been es.
tabiished that these motors will furnish us
satisfactory service
AS to the time in which they are to
| make the test, It appears that both acts of
Congress contemplate allowing them one
year in which to equip their lines, and If
Trey take part of that year for expert
Inent, then they'll have that much less
time in which to equip. But the intention
OF the resolution is that the line shall be
equipped, either with one motive power or
| the other, by the LIST of July, 1898.
Our idea in coming before you gentle
men this mo ming was to see If we could
be OF any service to You IN coming to a
conclusion. We do want rapid transit, and
while we have a nu,lber of people who are
prejudtced against, air motors by reason
OF what they consider dangerous points,
they want rapid transit. too, and If the
Commissioners feel that the air motors will
give US satisfactory system of rapid tran
stiff they are satisfied, we are perfectly
satisfied to rest sur case. We do want
the Commissioners, however, to be thor
ougbly and absolutely satisfied that the
air motors are going to do what 1t is
the equipment of these lines with Them
In case the air motors are authorized
and do, not prove satisfactory, the results
| will be very great damage and detriment
and embarrassment to all of us. 1t will be
a damage to our property as ell as per-
sonal interests"
Mr.. Kane's Data
Mr.. Kane-"I would like to supplement
what Mr.. Serven- has stated by reading
some memoranda relative to the law in the
case" The following statement was then
read by Mr.. Kane:
tS4uhSS tSSt, ctCp ny DOtH fjeiC
and lexington companies. Test by one
does not suffice for other. Words of act
are plural and distributive. Belt has failed
to comply. and is subject to penalty. Re
suit anomalous If Commissioners approve
as Belt would have to accept alternative
and put in underground electric, and Eek
irgton the air motor.
2. Action of Commissioners Is limited to
approval or disapproval of first car, as act
ccEtemplates expressly three months
trial Company admit this car to be a fail
ure New Car has only been tested few
weeks. and cannot; therefore, under terms
OF act be approved Time has expired for
further test to make up three months
.. motor to meet approval must be found
ry the Commissoners to be "in all respect:
a proper and satisfactory motive mower
for the speedy and convenient propulsion of
street cars" Test by District of Columbia
expert was only, as to one element-me-
chan1cal construction and operation. If
motor defective in any respect. the Com
missioners are not authorized to approve
Defective in not lbeing able to carry suff1-
Gent poWeri for emergencies or Indictment
t:ea s5c: Sunday grade and distance
4. If thee Commissioners approve, thew
VIII assert, OFFICIALLY what no engineer not
personally Interested in air motor will say
not ms e the air m motor is
proper and satisfactory motive power"
Extends to District.
~ II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS approve, unQer
terms of act air motor must be placed on
all lines of company in the District of Co
lunbIa, not city limits.
y. Association not opposed to air motor
because ais motor, but because 1t has not
been shown BY company to be all that is re-
CURED by law. Burden Is on company,
which has allowed time to 20 by with out
taxing TIE necessary steps to prove its
Numbers OF people residing along line Of
road Will not c,r hoco. ,Sa'.o
OF explosion. That 1t will not explode is
mere theery-att- contemplates ascertain
ment of fact.'n - a.' D..
Neither the facts nor law Justify an
prevail. o. ~:
Thinks Test Not Sufficient.
do not think such test of the car has
been made as would be required by rail-
road men contemplating the adoption Of
the system, who were not Interested in
the patent itself.
They should have been required to state
how far the car would run on one charging.
how many trips 1t could make without re-
charging and how long 1t would take be-
tween trips to recharge.
Then they should have been required to
file with the Commissioners a schedule
based upon such claims and to run the
car on such schedule for several days at
least
Such test would enable people to know
whether a schedule. uninterrupted and reg
ular, could be maintained, and whether the
car could be relied upon to take them to
the railroad depot, If they wanted to catch
train, or to their places of business Oh
time If they depended upon the schedule
time.
Instead of such a test the car has been
run at irregular intervals and doctored I'D
for official tests.
The people have no confidence in the sys-
tenn and many Of them are afraid to ride
on the ear.
They do not believe that any regular,
Il, fef,
maintained with it and do not believe that
1t is the intention of the company to fully
and permanently equip their lines with it.
1t is believed to be temporary eXpedient
resorted to for the purpose OF evadirg and
postponing the putting in of the under
ground electric system, without any inten-