Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-20
u,un,Rc sTREEr-CAR SYSTEM.

Frank H. Mason. our Consnl-General
at Berlin, in a recent communication 10
the United States State Department de-
scribcs the electric sheet-car system oil
Hamburg. which. he says, is thought to
be the best on the Continent
The plant Is from the hands of Amer
lean inventors and manufacturers, and
Is operated by a joint-stock company en-
titled the Hamburger Strasseneison-
balm Gesellschaft" The company was
established a few years ago, with cap
ital stock OF Sl,9OlOO0 lis rolling stock
consists of 800 trolley-cars and 400 "smok-
ing" -cars-i C.. cars formerly in use on
the old horse-car line, and now utilized
as "trailers."
on many Of the narrow streets the mu-
nicipality would not permit poles to be
erected, and the company was compelled
10 make arrangements with property
owners to anchor the cross-wires TO their
walls. to which there could be raised no
objection. as IT was safe, and obviated
the presence of poles on the sidewalk. TO
obtain this permission the company PAID
TO houso-owners the amount OF the cost
price of the polcs-to wit. Sll.2O for
one-wire-current anchor-pole. and SIS for
+, two-wire-current anchorpole. Wher-
ever the poles are set up they are of very
neat appearance, and serve, not only as
poles for electric street-car wires, but
also. as electric-light poles The cleo
trio current is supplied to the stieet-car
company by the Hamburg Electricity
Works, which had-or claimed to have
a monopoly of manufacturing electric
currents in that city.
The average fare charged for each per-
son carried Is 2.7l cents. and the company
pays the State a percentage upon It's
gross income. We quote from The Con-
sul-Cieneral's report:
The fares on the Hamburg uolley-cars
are exceedingly low After long expert
menting, the tariff OF distances was
found to be the better plan, and was APP
proved ny the Senate. II might DE mem
fioned here that the street-car company
is not at liberty TO fix the price OF the
fare on its lines, but must forward pas
sengers at the rate fixed by the Board OF
Public Traffic. TO be approved py 'he
senate. All lines are divided into zones
of 1000 metres Q.2i miles,, and the fare
Is as follows: For the first two zones
q 600 metres, or 24S niles. 10 pfennigs
,2ss cents): for each two zones, or part
thereof thereafter. pfennigs u.lS cents
Each passenger, upon payment OF the
fare. receives from the conductor tick
81. which is cut of from long roll oil
tickets. each ticket being provided with
a number. The tickets have different col
ors-yellow for the 10 pfennig, or two
zone distance: green for the 10 pfennig
or four-zone distance, &c.
The numbers on the sides OF the tick
cts indicate the zones; the conductor
must tear out that zone number at when
the passengers step on the car. In TINS
way IL Is impossible for passengers Ia
commit fraud by buying two-zone tick
et for a four-zone trip, &c, as IL can al
once be seen where they stepped on the
car and an attempt TO deceive can be de-
tected.
Tho commutation-ticket system Is an
other peculiar feature. The street-car
company, acknowledging the fact that
hundreds of people are bound TO use the
cars a dozen or more times day, has
issued tickets valid from three 10 twelve
months, and the prices are so low that.
Il a person uses the ears over three times
a day, Communication means saving-in
some cases the fare for each TRIP
amounting 20 less than cent.
The cars stop only at fixed halting-
places to take on and let OFF passengers.
These hating places are generally al
street-crossings. marked by a white sign
amxed 10 Iantern-poles. on which is
printed the word 'Haltestelle" (halting-
place..
The troiley-cars offer seats for 20 10 q
persons. 10 10 IA on each side. Besides,
persons are allowed 10 sit on the font,
and persons on the back. platform. The
full number OF passengers being on the
car. the conductor lowers sign, BE
setzt," which means occupied" and a
car cannot take more passengers than
the above number. The regulations IN
this respect are very strictly observed
Ar. Mason giyss the following instance