Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-10
BY ELECTRIC POWER
New Cars on a Section of the 18th
Street Line.
HOW THE FENDER is TO OPERATE
Putting in the Copper Wire as Far
as Georgetown.I
2 L S II 1 n G. THE WORK

Yesterday morning the plows which con-
meet the motors with the oonduc tor bars in
the conduit of the 18th street line of the
Capital Traction railroad arrived in the
city and were at once put on two of the
new motor cars, and these cars were run
up and down 18th street from the terminus
to U street all day lorg. There was no
hitch of any sort. which indicates, it is
thought, that the work of installation has
been perfect. The cars are In operation
today. and as they take the place of the
slow-mcving horse cars the change is one
which Is appreciated by the residents on
Columbia Heights and along 14th street
extended.
For the present the electric cars run
up and down both the tracks without
switching AS soon as the feed wires are
in place along the 18th street line as well
as the Georgetown line west from 18th
street cars will be run by the underground
also between 18th street and Georgetown.
The new cars represent the latest i'm
provements In car manufacturing.
The Familiar Yellow Cars.
: They are painted the light yellow which
is familiar as having been the color of the
cars used in the cable system.
The seats are upholstered, and the cars
are trimmed with mahogany and are heat
ed and lighted by electricity. When the
cars were started, Mr.. CARL, the. chief en-
giHeer of the road, was present to see that
everything went along smoothly, and before
the day had passed the president Of the
road, Mr.. George I. Dunlop, was an inter-
ested spectator, as we'll as Mr.. Henry Hurt
and Mr.. Samuel L. Phillips, members of
the building committee.
The management of the road is gratified
that this test of the new work which has
just been completed has proved so salts
factory, and the completion of the balance
of the road is to be pushed forward as
rapidly as possible.
1t is expected that the road will be op-
Grated from the terminus of the 18th street
line to Georgetown by the first of next
month. That is to say, If it will be possible
to get sufficient copper wire and to have It
placed in the conduits which have been
provided for the feed wires. The copper
wire is one of the most expensive features
of the equipnlnt of the road 1t costs about
20 cents per foot. and sufficient wire for
the entire road will involve an expenditure
of about $3.50 900
Will Rent n Current.
Men are employed today In putting in the
copper cables on 18th street, and as fast
as the wire arrives in the city it will be
drawn into the ducts. When the wiring is
finished it is the intention to rent the cleo
Power Company and the cars will in this
way be operated until the entire system is
finished and the new power house of the
company, which is located in GEORGETOWN
is ready for use.
1t Is the purpose to run trains on both the
lfth street and the avenue lines as was
done when the cable was the motive power
There is TO be motor car, and attached to
II will be a trailer. The latter will be closed
in winter and open in summer. The trucks
of the cars are thought to be of an i'm
proved pattern. Elliptical springs are used
instead of the spiral, and the precautions
adopted in the way of tenders and wheel
guards are thought by the officials of the
company to be the best possible.
An Automatic Fender.
The fender, which is of the Parmentef
type, is carried several inches above the
surface of the street, but it is regulated by
a lever. which is the platform where
the rctorman stands.
If for any reason the man who is run
nirg the car desires to lower the fender he
simply touches the lever with his knee
and the fender falls TO the pavement and
is carried along on rollers. If d person or
an object escapes the fender there is an
automatic guard beneath the car, which,
when touched, lowers the wheel guard in
the same fashion that the fender is lower
ca, and in addition TO that there is a guard
completely surrounding the wheels.