The times., 1899-11-15
ENGLISH STREET RAILWAYS.
American Capitalists Preparing to
Build Roads i'm London

NEW YORK, Nov 14.-Americap street
railway capitalists, who have always con-
sidered the thickly populated sections Of
England rich territory for tramwsy routes.
but who have heretofore had little success
In securing franchises, now expect, il is
said, that the Government may lock more
fayorably on Americans and grant the de-
sired concessions. Therefore. American
agents are now unusually active in Lon
don with plans preliminary to the opening
of Parliament.
In Dover, Del. last Saturday, there were
filed two separate charters. from the ma
tUre of which il is thought that combina-
tions of English and American capital are
ready to undertake the construction Of
tramways in Great Britain. One concern
is known as the London Electric Tramway
Construction and Maintenance Company,
with capital stock of $4,000, O00. The
other corporation is the British Electric
Street TTamway Company. with a capital
stock OF So 900, 000, and with power 10 con-
struct ana operate trolley lines in Great
Britain and her colonies. BY its charter
the company expects TO begin operating at
Dover
Albert L. Johnson, of Brooklyn, brother
Of Tom" Johnson, who was formerly in
terested with him in the Nassau Railroad
Company. said today that he was making
surveys and maps with specifications of
proposed electrical tramways in and about
London for an American syndicate, which
hoped to secure franchise. The work was
commenced last May, and has been under
way ever since.
American street railway men look to-
ward England for profitable field OF
operations said Mr.. Johnson, because
steam cars make the long hauls and horse
cars and stages still do the short ones.
The masses in the thickly populated coun-
try and suburban districts have no resort
anything near a medium. England, be-
cause it is a free trade country. supports
the greatest traders in the world, and
within a step of ST. Pauls one can get
in connection with every quarter of the
globe yet from that same spot the same
person would have difficulty in reaching
nearby points in and around London.
There are no trolley roads like ours trav-
ersing the city, and connections between
town and suburbs are poorer. For the dis
tance YOU can travel here on cents II
would cost you 10 cents in London.
American capitalists believe that we'll
regulated trolley road through a thickly
settled bit of England country cannot be
beaten as an investment. But franchises
are hard to get. Under English law. a
trolley franchise can be granted only in
May or November The municipalities like
TO control these franchises. II they don I
care about owning them. they lease them
TO individuals or companies by which more
money is made by the towns,
Street railway franchises are much
harder TO secure in London than in New
York. When they are granted in England
they are only good for twenty-one years
Englishmen are not so far advanced as
Americans in street railroad construction,
and that probably is another reason why
the Government is not disposed to grant
valuable concessions to foreigners How
ever, this fails to impress Americans. Not
only are the capitalists over there but the
American manufacturers Of electrical sup
plies are there and building But one can
never tell what there is in it. 1t all de-
pends mind you upon those franchises.