The evening times., 1900-04-04

| Consul General Stowe. at Cape Town.
makes a report to The State Department
! on the subject of street railways in that
| region. He says:
The street railways Of Cape Town have
a track mileage of twenty five miles; the
| employees number 3e0 men. and fifteen
| single-deck motor cars. thirty-two dou-
! ble-deck, and eight trailer cars are i'll
use The lines run to the suburbs aud
! are to be extended to the docks. The ears
I are all made in America; the singie-deck-
/ ers have large platforms in front and
rear. with roomy seats for the accGmmo-
dation OF smokers. 'Trailers' topen carsD.
with seats running crosswise. are attach
ed to the double-deckeTs morning and
evening to accommodate the increased trst-
fic. All the cars. except the trailers. have
a middle aisle. with seats on each side
holding two persons. The uphoIstering
CT the seats is in cane and is always neat
and the color CT the ear CyellowD is kept
bright and fresh. As the English people
are kind TO the blacks. 70 distinction is
made on the cars. New cars have oesa
lately ordered from the United States TO
serve the increasing population caused by
the exodus of the refugees from the Trans
vaal and the large number OF soldiers i'll
the city. who. az half price. are good pat
rons when of duty or riding TO and from
the various camps. As most of the mer-
chants. clerks, and Government officials
live out of the city proper, the tram lines
are well patronized. No passes or free
tickets are furnished"
Outside of the Philippines, the consul
saws. he cannot hear of city that has a
larger proportion Of Malays than in Cape
Town. They take great pleasure in riding
on the tram lines particularly on Saturdays
aud SUNDAYS DAYS that this class of the
population devote to pleasure; principally
TO picnics and fishing.
The lines in Cape Town and Port Eliza
beth are owned by an English company.
They were built by American mechanics,
are now managed by Americans. and are
source of revenue 10 American manufact-
urers as supplies come from the United
States. There are no better built lines in
the world. but" says the Consul General.
Il regret to say that the very superior
posts tironD for the conveyance of the
wires come from England. The Port Eliza
beth system consists OF eleven miles Of
track the employees number 100 and there
are in use twelve single-deck six double
deck. and two trailer cars. Permission has
been granted by the Cape Government to a
company tMiil's SyndicsteD TO construct
/ line of electric road from Cape Town to
Ramps Bay. IL viii pass along the sea
( road a fine drive. Orders for material
etc. Will begin TO be placed about March.
! In Kimberley. one horse cars still run. and
the distance covered by the lire is about
eight miles. After the war. the power viii
undoubtedly be changed to electricity
AT johannesburg the same style of
cars is used as at Kimberley. the Govern
ment having refused to grant concessions
for the building Of the electric line, for the
reason that the farmers would lose the
sale Of forage (oat straw. Even the bicy-
Gle is objected to for the same reason, and
a heavy tax is placed on it.
In East London, there have recently
been constructed about FIVE miles of cleo
trio tram lines. Only three cars are in
use at present; but the number will be in
creased. The line was constructed by 10
hsnnesburg parties, the motor cars and
plant by English and American builders.
The line will be opened to the public about
February Il and would have been in opera
tion some time ago. had not delay occur
red in delivery Of cars by American max
ers. The substitution Of electric cars for
the horse cars in Durham, is soon expected.
Bids for construction and material are
published