Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-27
Some of the Delays Incident to
Street Car Construction.
POSITION OF CITY and SUBURBAN
Time Limit Expires Today for the
City Part of the Line.
GETTING THE MATERIAL


CITY and Suburban are engaged at present
in a most interesting race against time,
with time a sure winner. The law now IN
force requires that all the city portions OF
that road shall be running by means OF
underground electricity by June "a lsf'
that is today. Failing this the company
is to be under penalty of $50 day for
each day that horses are operated INSIDE
the city limits. The situation is peculiar
and involves long record of delays ana
hindrances which serve to cast much hght
upon the embarrassments connected with
street railway construction
At present cars are being run by cleo
tricity on the G and North Capitol street
branches Of the road. the latter having been
started last Sunday. Horse cars are Delhs
operated for one block inside of the city
limits. from the corner of New York and
Florida avenues to the corner of New Y ork
avenue and North Capitol street, Where
passengers are transferred to the North
Capitol street electric line, running on
seven-nninute schedule. No cars OF any de-
scrfDtfon are being run on the New York
avenue and 9Th street line west OF North
Capitol street.
Difference as to Loops.
The New York avenue branch of the road
WIS the first to be finished. although the
last to be operated. 1t was the original
intention of the company to end the under
ground construction that branch at the
city limits at the intersection of New York
and Florida avenues. and there to connect
with the overhead trolley line from Brook
land and the Maryland division. Had this
decision been adhered to there would have
been no delay and the law would have been
complied with well within the limit or tlne
But during the winter a controversy arose
between the company and the patrons OF
the line living In lexington as to the right
of the former to construct a loop at the
end of New York avenue, whereby the city
cars might be turned back at that point
without travelling through lexington. As
compromise the company finally agreed to
extend the underground system through
lexington by forming loop on r, Sd. I
and I'd streets, thus giving that subdivision
the benefit of the full city service of the
New York avenue branch. in addition to
the BrOokland and Maryland cars.
As compensation for this grant the
company asked and was given the right to
construct the overhead system on the North
Capitol street branch above T street to
Broukland by way of Michigan avenue. the
law then in force requiring the construction
Of the underground system. The law pro-
viCing for these changes was not signed IN
Ill the Sd of March. Surveys were at once
made for the lexington loop and the order
for The underground construction material
was given. il is understood on the 10th of
March. in what was supposed to be ample
season for the full compliance with the law
The law Of March 3 gave the company I'M
Ill September 3 to construct the lexington
loop.
"Cross-Oyer" Lacking.
Had the company provided what is tech
nica,iy known as ''cross-over'' at the
point originally chosen for the end of the
underground system on New York avenue
there need have been no delay in a full
compliance with the law as to the dermina-
t!c1 Of the city horse car service June q
Blu; MS device was deemed unnecessary in
v-eT oT the lexington loop With such a
cTJs--Gger the underground trolley cars
could nave been switched easily and run
back and fIrch without the service of a
pop In its absence everything depended
10 the entire New York avenue or main
branch OF the ROAD upon the completion of
tn loop in lexington, permitting the cars
WIN their plOws 10 use the tracks in sched-
ule order.
81 great has been the demand for Tnder-
ground conduit iron that it was next to i'm
possible 20 secure attention to the orders
70 tIe special castings and rolIings for the
EtkiAston loop. No less than ten single
track curves of various radH were neces-
say - warp the track around through the
SLolro' and Until those curves were on
hand no advance could be made. The
s-E1tght rails and the yOkes for them were
rect we'd several weeks ago. and part of the
NcFk was then done. to gain as much time
a. possible in anticipation of the arrival
OF the curves. The latter came lust three
MOI s after they had been ordered and
gangs Of men Were Immediately started by
SoH-recsor SaXJon TO finish up the long de-
layIi job.
The rails are now in place and all that
remains 10 be done is the final finishing of
the track. the completion of the duct con-
Guit. winch. OF course. must run through
lexington. and the installation through
'k!nStCn Of the insulation plant Ii is
TIE average experience that even after the
hxed plant Is in place there is serious dam
ger OF delay, for curves and crossings must
r nf ion,
and expansion. and the track must be
otherwise tuned. So il is not believed that
the cars will be running in compliance with
the law over the New York avenue branch
OF The road before the end of this week
II then Should this be accomplished the
EtNington loop will be two months ahead
Of the statutory limit, although the city
Ahe VIII be some days behind time.
4 Delay in Winter
The work on the city portions of the line,
on New York avenue and street west
and g street east. was seriously DELAYED
DUNG the winter by the exceptional
weather Tie blizzard put stop to all
construction for several weeks. 1t Is be-
hcyed that this fact had somewhat to do
with the present delay. for had it not been
Tor the non-completiOn of the city lines
iaSt winter the decision to construct the
lexington loop would doubtless have been
reached before the very close of the SEES
sion and the special iron would have been
ItN-lFe7' III time To permit luIl compliance
with the law
Even as the case stands there will be a.
delay % several weeks in the installation
OF the service planned for the Maryland
and Bro1kland traItlc 1t is the intention
OF the company to run those cars-the lat
ter pending the completion of the North
Capitol street branch. which waits on the
opening OF that street-oVer the Ecking-
Ton loop and 50 into the city without trans
fer. As these are overhead trolley lines
II is necessary 10 construct pillow pit at
the corner Of Sd and T streets, where the
Two systems come together, well as a
three-arH-ed "" 1t has been found ut
terry impossible to secure the necessary
material for this plant, in the great rush
on the foundries and rolling mills. Conse-
QUently. il has been decided for the pres
ent to stop the BrOOkland and Maryland
cars at I'd AMI T streets without attempt
ing 10 run them into the city, transferring
the passengers to the city cars at that
point. Later i'll the season 1t is expected
the iron will be forthcoming, when the
~ and the pit will be emplaced and the
complete service will be installed
Popularity of Underground System
The whole course OF the enterprise has