The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-30
ELECTRIC RAILWAYS IN EUROPE.

= ONSULAR Reports for October contains re-
port from Consul General Du Bots OF St. GALL
- Switzerland on electric street railways IN
Europe from which it appears there were on that
continent January of this year 2o4 electric street
lines in operation, with aggregate mileage OF 1922
miles This is surprisingly small mileage when
compared with that of electric railways in the United
States and the contrast is more striking when the
statistics are noted for the various countries sepa
rately.
OF the total electric street railway mileage OF
Europe Germany contains almost exactly half 7o7
miles France comes next with 246 miles. Great
Britain is third with only 81 miles, and little Switzer
land ranks fourth with 90 miles, nearly much
Great Britain Italy has 81 miles, Austria Hungary
Co. Belgium has az, Spain 81, while the vast empire
of Russia has only 10 miles.
There several cities in the United States that
have within their limits or in their suburbs, more
miles of electric street railway than all Europe
cept Germany, and Philadelphia claims to have
miles than Germany. In comparison with deve-
opment of that of transportation, therefore
Europe be hardly said have reached the electric
age.
The reason why European countries SO far be-
hind us in this mode of street traffic appears to be
not so much lack of enterprise the part OF pro-
moters and projectors an objection TO the over
head wires on the part OF the governing authorities
and that system at present to be the one most
favored by companies constructing electric lines.
Thus OF the total number of electric roads in Europe
III lines have the overhead trolley, lines the I'M
derground trolley, lines the third rail system, 10
lines the storage system and lines mixed system Of
overhead trolley and accumulators.
It is a curious illustration of how the blocking Of
progress in direction leads to its advance in
other that the checking of electric street railway
| 4t,a -
adoption there of the horseless vehicle to much
greater extent than in this country Our cities
SO well provided with street railways that hardly
need the self-propeled vehicles for which there is
such demand in Europe, and it will probably be a
long time before they used here for any other pur
pose than that of delivering goods of light charac
ter. Therefore while smile at Europe as being
somewhat silurian the subject of electric railways
we may expect them before long to mock at us for
being so slow in making of the horseless vehicle.
/ -
There will be general public interest in the outcome
of the suit brought in Alameda by Martial Davoust.
His wife killed by dangling electric wire Not
wthstanding that corporations tacitly claim the right
to dangle wires, the consequent slaughter being
ascribed to Providence people not ready to die
witness the spectacular taking off of their friends have
ventured heretofore modestly to take issue. Da-
youst asks money damages, not that the value of a
wife is to De computed IN cash. but that the under
| standing of the corporation may be aroused
Ladies in congress at Omaha devoted much time to
discussion OF short skirts When ladies get together
they are apt to do this, and to favor the short
skirt enthusiastically But they do not reach that
stage of devotion to reform which impes them to lay
aside their trailing street-sweepers.
If Chief Lees and Officer Kane will remain separ-
ated by the length of telephone wire they will save
the public many shudder of apprehension, though
the wire may melt with fervent heat
Jurymen in Astoria murder had fist fight
in determining the question OF guilt. The method is
unique, but it may be good others.
Kansas soldiers will vote sea, and returns will
be long in getting back, the whole State will be at
sea for awhile