Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-26
Policy Of Washington Traction and
Electric Company.
UNDERGR0UNDING OVERHEAD WIRES
Free Medical Services to Be Pro-
vided for the Employees.
WORK ON ROCKVILLE ROAD

iASCiS VA lAe " traction ana
Electric Company the latter corporation
becomes the owner Of 1916 miles of street
and suburban railroads in the District of
Columbia and nearby Maryland. The en-
tire system, it was stated on the best au-
thority yesterday, would be in complete
operation by the opening Of next year, the
work on extensions and the reconstruction
of existing lines finished and everything
thoroughly equipped in the best modern
style.
In addition to improving the street and
suburban railway lines the company pro-
poses to place underground all It's electric
light wires. and the work on this Is al
ready in progress, a conduit now being laid
in F street from 10Th to Tth Streets which
will be completed within thirty days. All
the dangerous and distiguring electric over
head wires on that street controlled by the
company will then be at once carried
through the conduit.
Steel and Iron Delayed.
In the matter of reconstructing and re-
facilitating the street railway lines and
changing them to the underground electric
as we'll as in improving and rebuilding the
suburban lines and their extensions. the
company has been confronted with the diff
ticulty observable all over the country
owing to the unusual demands upon the
steel and iron manufactures. All the con-
tracts for iron and steel work were let a
long time ago, and the work of construc-
tion is in the hands of Mr. e Saxton and
of White & Co The limit for delivery on
the part of the steel and iron men, in ac-
cordance with their contracts, has been
reached in some instances and is closely
approaching in others. AS an instance of
the cloSged condition of the steel and iron
industries. it can be reliably stated that
the concern having the contract for deliv-
ering the metal for the extension Of the Co
lumba railway to Deanwood offered the
traction and Electric Company $4,000 to
be released from its obligation.
Ifis was refused, as have been more re-
cent requests from similar contractors for
abrogatons of their contracts as such
agreements are always entered into under
heaVy bonds by the parties concerned for
their proper fulillrnent. Consequently the
only loss to the Washington Traction and
Electric Company will be one of temDer
and similar loss on the part of the public
which is impatient to have the promises of
the former carried out. Both will be re-
cuperated. however, before January, as the
manufacturers mentioned cannot afford 10
lose the substantial reduction which delay
in carrying out their contracts augments
daily.
The Extension to Rockville,
The work on the extension of the Wash
lngton and Rockville railway from Bethes-
da to Rockville has been seriously affected
~ aii uIi-ooheu-lOT contingency. The con-
tractors on the new Washington and Rock
Vile turnpike were engaged by the Trac-
ton and Electric Company to also grade the
portion of the turnpike to be used by the
electric line. They have been unable to do
so, and yet when offered an advance of S
cents cubic yard by White & Co. over the
amount of their contract with the com
pany, which would have assured them
handsome profit, they have declined the
n aft will la,
company to have the county supervisors of
Montgomery county abrogate their con-
tract with the turnpike contractors In uues-
ton and turn the whole thing over to
White & Co. In case this effort also fails
the proposed extension to Rockville may
be continued only far as MOntrose and
a very important section of nearby Mary
land, as well as the active town of Rock
vile, be deprived for a considerable time
of the advantages of quick electrical COM
munication with Washington.
Medical Services Free for Employees.
The Traction and Electric Company has
decided to regularly engage a competent
and experienced physician to attend all it's
employessand the members of their families
free Of cost to them
In addition to this the company has intro
duced a bath room at the Metropolitan
road car barn at the East Capitol street
terminus of the most improved equipment
porcelain bath tubs, with shower baths,
needle sprayers and all the modern acees-
Sories. The large hall at the west end of
the barn s being fitted up as a reading
room. 1t is steam heated and IS to be COM
fortably furnished, and will be kept sup
piled with all the magazines and popular
papers, as well as literature bearing upon
electricity ana its application to street rail-
way service. Each of the other car barns
of the various roads will be similarly
equipped at once.
The company has introduced even
basis of wages for conductors, motormen
and drivers all its lines, and they now
receive a uniform rate of 81 per day each.
A schedule is now being arranged, which
will go into effect Monday or Tuesday, by
which the employees on the reconstructed
lines will not be required in any case to
work over eleven hours day. AS the sub
urban lines are completed and modernly
equipped the same hours will be made
thereon instead of twelve, as at present.
The Company's Lines.
The street and suburban railway lines
owned by the Traction and Electric Com
pany, between all of which within the Dis
trct limits transfers are given wherever
they intersect touch, are follows
Metropolitan Railway Company, City and
Suburban Railway Company, Columbia
Railway Company Anacosta and Potomac
River Railway Company, Washington and
Great Falls Railway Company, Brightwood
Railway Company, Georgetown and Ten
leytown Railway Company, Washington
and Glen Echo Railway Company and the
Capital Railway Company. The company
also owns the Washington, WoodsiGe and
Forest Glen railway, which is a continual
ton of the BrightWood, and the Washing
ton and Rockville railway. which is now
being built beyond Bethesda, and will be a |
continuation of the Georgetown and Ten