Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-04
The Electric Street Railway of Ham
burg,
WIRES HUNG FROM THE BUILDINGS
Annual Payments Made to the
State.
N O c r o w d f D RS

Mr.. Hugh Pitcairn, United States consul
at Hamburg, Germany, las written al
length to the State Department regarding
the electric railway system of that city,
which he pronouuces "A model institution
and one worthy of careful study.
The electric street car system of Ham,
burg is claimed to be in every respect the
best and most complete on the continent
exhibiting peculiar features both in its con-
struction and its management 1t is an es-
pecially interesting fact that the whole
plant is the result of American invention
Up to about four years ago the old horse
cars on some lines and small steam cars
with trailerS on others We're the modes of
street car transit, but the perfection OF
electrical locomotion and appliances caused
an entire revolution.
Few No Poles.
The company was established with cap
ital stock of 21,o0o,o marks tS4 9O4 .o0o);
its rolling material consists of 800 trolley
cars and 400 smoking cars. hereafter de-
scribed. The system is one of aerial electric
current. the so-called trolley car system"
1t was with great difficulty that the wires
could be strung, as on narrow streets and
on those where traffic is extensive the state
prohibited the company from setting up the
poles. The company therefore had to make
arrangements with the different owners of
the houses on both sides of the streets to
obtain permission to anchor the cross wires
to their walls to which there could be
raised no objection, as ii was safe and OBJ
waited the presence of poles on the side
walk. To obtain this permission the COM
pany paid to house owners the amount OF
the cost price of the poeS-i7 marks (Sl1 2o)
for a -wire-current anchor and 6.i ma rks
tS1J, for a twO-wire-current anchor. Wher-
ever the poles set up they are of very
neat appearance, and serve not only as
poles for electric street wires, but also
as electric light poles.
In some instances the streets proved to
be too narrow to lay double track, and,
| in order not to diminish the strength of the
current, double contact wire was strung.
Payment to the State.
The Hamburg electricity works pays to
the state of Hamburg - per cent of it's
gross income as a return for the monopoly;
the street car company pays for the cleo
trio current 12l2 pfennigs equal to 291k
cents per kilowatt hour Zone kilowatt hour
equals LOCO volt amperes, 1.36 horse pow
err. The state OF Hamburg refunds to the
Electric Street Car Company 70 per cent
of this price, leaving a net cost price for
the electric current of 10 pfennigs OBS
centS) per LOCO volt amperes.
AS a compensation for the of the pub
lie roads the street car company pays to
the state of Hamburg l pfennig 20 23S
cent? for each passenger. The average fare
for each person carried being 11.5 pfennigs
" ~ cents, the state receives 81 cent
of the gross income of the company In add
dftion to this. the street car company must
keep the paving inside of the tracks and 80
centimeters Oils inches) outside of each
track in proper condition.
Low Fares.
The fares the Hamburg trolley cars
are exceedingly low. After long expert
menting. the tariff of distances was found
to be the better plan, and was approved by
| 30
that the street car company is not at lib
erty to fix the price of the fare on its lines
but must forward passengers at the rate
fixed by the board of public traffic. to be
approved by the senate. All lines are d.
vided into zones of 2 600 meters Il n miles,
and the rare is follows: For the first two
zones. 1000 meters or . ~ miles,, 10 pfen-
nigs OBS cents: for each two zones part
thereof thereafter, pfennigs 1.19 cents.
Each passenger upon payment of the fare,
receives from the conductor q ticket. which
is cut off from a long roll of tickets, each
ticket being provided with number.
Check on Conductors
When the conductor collects the fare, 1t
Is his duty to inquire the destination of
the passenger, that he knows exactly
whether a 10, a II, a pfennig ticket
should be given. At the end of each two
zones, the conductor fills in a blank form,
and states the last number of each grade
car (and he is liable to step on at any
time) he simply counts the number Of
passengers which must also be the total
number of tickets sold; if there Is a dis
crepancy, it proves that either there IS
passenger on the car who has not paid or
that the conductor has collected the
money. but neglected to give out a ticket.
The passengers are then requested to show
their tickets; the passenger having no
ticket (whether he says he has paid his
fare or noD must pay again, and the con-
ductor is fined mark "a centso for the
first offense marks 90 cents for the
second and discharged at once when the
third offense is detected.
No One Allowed to Stand.
The cars stop only at fixed hating places
to take on and let off passengers These
hating places are generally at street cross
ings, marked by a white sign affixed to
lantern poles, on which is printed the word
'Haltestelle" (halting place..
The trolley offer seats for 20 to %
persons 10 to IA on each side Beside,
persons allowed on the front and
persons on the back platform. The full
number of passengers being on the car, the
conductor lowers sign, "Besetzt." which
means occupied, and car cannot take
more passengers than the above number.
The regulations in this respect are very
strictly observed. Say, for instance a lady
steps on the car at halting place, while
the conductor is front, collecting fares. the
car being already occupied when the
lady stepped in; but there being no con-
ductor to prevent she goes inside. and
gentleman offers her his seat, the gentle
man then taking a stand on the platform.
The conductor returns to his post. when
the gentleman is requested to step off the
car at the next halting place having for
feited his seat and the being fully oc-
cuped. Should, he refuse to leave the car,
he is put off.
Fined for OvercrOwding.
The policemen on the streets have in
structions to watch the cars sharply when
passing their post; and if they detect a
carrying one person more than the
fixed number, the policemen note the num-
Der of the car. and the company receives
wcrd that the said conductor has been
fined marks az cents) to be deducted
from his wages and to be paid to the po-
lice board. If controller of the company
steps the and detects a surplus of
passengers, he notes the number of the
conductor, who is fined 3 marks az cents)
which is paid to a charity fund and d.
vided once year to employees of the COM
pany requiring support.
All cars-not only the trolley cars, but
also the smokers-are supplied with hand
and electromagnetic brakes; the latter are
applied in of danger, and afford a
sudden hating of the car. There are no
tenders in use on the cars, but accidents