Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
Rapid Transit Beginnings.

Rapid Transit Beginnings.
Thus was the first engagement with the
trolley forces won by The Star and it's fell
low campagners against this form of cleo
trical conduction, and the victory was
clinched by the adoption, in the same
appropriation act of 1889, of pro-
vision which permitted ANY company
authorized by law to run cars propelled
by horses in the District of Columbia
to substitute for horses electric power by
storage or Independent electrical batteries
or underground wire or underground cables
moved by steam power" The same section
also abated a long standing nuisance by re-
quiring the laying of grooved rails in place
of such of the old-style rails as still re-
manned in use to twist carriage wheels off
their aXles For this reform also The Star
had been working.
The Washington and Georgetown Com
pany was the first to take advantage of the
new law, and forthwith proceeded to equip
it's lines with the cable, preferring to adopt
a system of assured success to waiting for
the development of an economical storage
battery or the reduction of the cost of the
conduit electric system. 1t installed the
cable on the 9Th street division April -
1890, and on the Pennsylvania avenue and
18th street divisions August g. 1892.
The destruction by fire of the Pennsyl
vania avenue power house, in 1897, has
tened the completion of the electrical equip
ment of the entire system. This work was
quickly done. the electric cars running on
the 14th street line February 22, 1898, and
the entire avenue and 18th street divisions
were operated by electricity April 90 1898.
The 18th street line was transformed from
cable to electricity without interrupting the
cable traffic, the feat attracting attention
for its rapidity and smoothness. 1t was
completed May 26, 1898
The u Street Conduit Line.
While these changes were in progress an
important experiment was being tried on
l. street northwest between 18th and 18th
streets. The Rock Creek line. originally
chartered to run into the country region
from the corner of Connecticut avenue and
Boundary street, was extended by act of
May 2S, 1890 to run from that point to
18th street and Florida avenue $50 named
in the intervaD and thence along L to 14th
street. BY the act of April 80, 1892, it was
further extended to run down L street to
Florida avenue and thence along the lat
ter to North Capitol street. The road was
never extended east of 18th street, however.
The owners assented to the proposition of
the inventor of an underground electric
system, a modification of that in use in
Buda Pesth. and cars We're run successfully
by that method from 18th street to 18th and
L streets, and from there the overhead troll
ley was used throughout the suburban run.
This successful demonstration--first in the
United States-of the electric conduit
greatly strengthened the anti-trolley cause,
which was preparing to resist the final on
slaught of the advocates of the overhead
wire. Though not so perfect as the present
style of conduit construction. the U street
line proved practicable and economical and
shattered the claim that the conduit could
| not conduct the current safely and without
| waste.