The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-02

smaller companies. and has a controlling
interest in Companies al over the French
republic Mr.. Mcdonald says a good deal
ol electric tramM8y construction has
ALREADY been done in 3Pris, but so far
very few of the lines have been equipped
and made ready for operation. Some Of
the best lines have ofiy ten-mlhute
service. The cars are closed, with q cen
trad side entrance, similar in build to the
long cars seen daily on st. Catherine
street. They use what il known as the
Dato system, better understood as the
contact system. which has been in use
in Tours and several other cities OF
France In Paris from fifty TO sixty
miles have already been built. and in
some cases the trolley - in Use on tho
outskirts but the contact system is met
with nearer the center of the city.
The capital OF Che General Traction
coTl.anv of Paris IS 30.A9 600 francs,
and they control minor companies in the
city, with a total capital of S25,0OJ,0OG
The parent company has organizations
III Switzerland. Belgium. Egypt and other
Lands and Mr. Mcdonald position will
permit him to act In an advisory capacity
To these different roads. Pals, he says.
has still AN extensive omnibus service,
tha vehicles being like those used by the
old Montreal Street Railway company
while the streets were breaking up in the
!
ike passengers, the fare being cents on
tbs inside and outside. Tie delays for
tie traveller using the Omnfbuses are
sometimes very annoying. One gets q
number from the conpanNs office, and
has TO wait till this is called, and the
ti.nn consumed can readily be imagined,
the buses only running every five min
utes On the other hand. the new under
ground electric railway known as tho
Metropolitan gives the public q good
service. There is q three minutes serv-
ice. and each train Is composed of five
ears, with no limit 10 The number of pas
sengars. Each car has its own motor
power.
3ir. Mcdonald thinks that the NJ tropol-
itan is not up to the famous two penny
Tube of London, which, he says, is now
the talk of all Europe. On the Central,
the proper namc Of the tube, tunneling
Was resorted to, but the Paris under
ground line was dug out like a drain
and niled in when completed. Mr.. Nc
Donald was in London and saw the c.
!. y 5 reception, ana he states that on
th0t day the tube carried 235, coo paSSen-
gers on six miles of road. With three
minute service, which is about double
tie number carried IN Montreal on ninety
mites of track.
Ina Paris the streets are wide and not
50 congested as in London. and Mr.. Nc
Donald believes there is a great future
Tor The electric tramWaE there.
Mr. Mcdonald has had sixteen years
experience in the street railway business.
He was with the Montreal company for
six Years while it was q horse line, from
1881 to 1851 From 1880 to 1852 he worked
with the street railway company Of St.
Paul Mimi, ana on the conversion of
tie Montreal line to electricity. in the
latter year, he resumed his correction
here and was shortly promoted from
roadmaster to superintendent
Mr. Mcdonald received an offer from
the Paris company some time ago. but
before deciding he wished to look over
The field. Having seen it, he declares
that its possibilities are larger than those
OF anything over here. For ten years,
while America has been going ahead VITA
hcr lines. the whole OF Europe has been
waiting something that would supplant
the trolley. That something, III practical
operation has not been developed and
Europe has about decided that she might
AZ we'll SO ahead with the trolley in the
meantime.
During Mr.. McDonaId's absence his
duties were ably discharged by Mr.. IL.
Kennedy, chief roadmaster Of the COM
panN.