Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-25
CITY RAILWAY : TRANSFERS
System in Vogue on the Lines Of Washington
Traction Company.
Change Made Believed to BE Salts
factory to the Publfc-IntrOducing
the Electric Power.

Owing to the favorable weather Of yes
terday and the inducements for spending
a portion Of the day out Of doors, the Sun
day travel on the street railroads Of the
city was unusually heavy. This was espe-
cially the case on the various roads now
under the control of the Washington Trac-
ton Company. When the president of the
company. Mr.. George Truesdell. learned
that the day had passed without any hitch
or delay and that the large demands on
the traffic resources of the company had
been promptly met, he was gratitied for
the reason that he looked upon 1t as an
indicat alton that the process of amalgamat-
ing into one system the eleven separate
street railroads was making satisfactory
progress.
The task that has been accomplished by
the officials of the road was a great one,
for in addition to the details of working out
a system that could be applied to such an
extensive property some of the roads were
in such a state that 1t was difficult to keep
them in operation. However, the work has
gone on, and the point has been reached,
as shown by the record of yesterday, when
the running of the great system, even
with the unusual demands of Sunday
travel is done with smoothness that
would be satisfactory to the officials or any
road.
Tho recent change in the transfer sys-
TEN is believed by the railroad officials to
be satisfactory to the public. Up to the
time when the change was made what Is
known as the wide open system OF trans
fers prevailed 1t the intention to see
If by this system the travel would be In
creased to such an extent that the re-
cepts of the company would be larger than
they were before, spite of the losses which
We're inevitable. 1t was soon found
that the opportunities for duplicating rides
We're so easy that the loss more than offset
the gain.
ScOne of Present System.
The transfer system now In use aims to
provide passage for one fare through the
territory covered by the system, but not
to enable people to make use of the nu-
merous loops and return over practically
the same route for one fare. The system
of lines is such as to easily lend itself to
the duplication of loops. In the business
center of the city there are two parallel
lines on and on G. streets, which are BIZ
sected by the lines along 9th, 9th, 11th and
14th streets. Under the wide open sys-
tenn passengers could come down into
this section and by transfers return over
practically the same route
Now a transfer is not given on a transfer
except to passengers coming in from
Brightwood or Tenleytown, or over some
line of the company that extends only
portion of the way into the city.
1t is expected that soon as the sub
III ban roads can be completed, cars will
be run right down into the city, and then
there will be no occasion for the present
exception in the rule of issuing transfers.
Passengers are expected to ask the con-
ductor when they come on the car and give
up their fare for transfer at the desired
point, and in that way the conductor will
know whether the passenger is entitled to
this privilege.
List to BE Posted.
Arrangements are being made to post in
every car a list of the transfer points, and
in addition the general manager, Mr.. F. r..
Hart is having glass signs made which are
to be attached to the front of the cars and
suspended from the hood over the en-
trance, and which can be readily read IN
the day These will be Illuminated at
night.
1t is expected by Mr.. Hart in the course
of the next three weeks the work Of re-
cquippng the Brghtwood road will be
completed, and that similar progress will
pI obably be made on the Tenleytown road.
AS soon as the rails for the Belt or Anacos-
tia road are received 1t will be possible to
put down the new motive power on that
line. In spite of the many delays in getting
the material since the company has been
In possession of the various properties.
some twenty-three miles Of road have been
built, and as some indication of the magni-
tude of the undertaking, 1t is stated that
during the past few weeks about $4,000
has been expended in the District alone for
work In connection with the reconstruction
of the roads.