New-York tribune., 1903-04-17
ELECTRICITY IN GERNANY-

A renort which Consul General Mason sends
from Berlin to Washington bears testimony 10
the remarkable popularity of electric traction
in Germany. For the last two years many
branches of industry In that empire have sur
fered from apathy and depression. During the
same period many electric railways have been
built part of them, Of course, in pursuance OF
contracts made in more prosperous times. but
part of them resulting from recent initiative
Local and suburban transportation in and ABOUT
Berlin has been almost completely revolution
lied Not a horsecar is left on any surface
road there The electric elevated road which
went into operation q year ago last February
has earned so per cent more than its projectors
anticipated. and other lines of the same char
acter are already in contemplation. AS yet no
speeds have been developed exceeding those on
the elevated roads Of New-York City, but there
is talk of making twenty and thirty miles an
hour on the new ones. It would not be sur
prising. therefore, if Germany was In position
ere long to teach the rest Of the world some
thing about making good time in urban trans
portation.
In another respect indeed Berlin has already
outdone the American metropolis. Owing to
the complaints made by residents along the
route Of the elevated road at the German capt.
tai. the company which operates 1t has under
taken elaborate experiments with q view to
diminishing the noise of It's trains. Felt has
been tried under the rails. lead cushions have
been substituted for the felt solid wooden ties
have been replaced with hollow ones filed with
sand and some use is being made of wood in
the construction of carwheels. At last ac-
counts no perfectly satisfactory remedy had
been discovered: but the fact remains that the
hunt for one was made compulsory by the
aII fn in " a
monarchicai form of government exists is not
without It's compensations.
For the introduction of electricity on German
trunk lines the outlook is obscure. Tests of
much significance were made nearly two years
ago on a short railroad reaching sOuthward
from Berlin. These were fruitful in many
ways, but there are no indications that they
are to be followed up Immediately Indeed a
distinct effort is now being made by the Prus-
sian authorities TO attain higher speeds with
steam than have been realized hitherto. On a
few lines the time has been cut down several
hours Another proposed reform is to run
hourly expresses of only three cars on roads
where the service Is now performed by long
trains three OF four times day. Germany can
not show any such fast trains as are operated
on several of the railways of the United States,
but she is doing her best to rival or surpass
her great engineering societies for a locomo-
tive capable of making seventy-ive miles
hour. Engines Of the required capacity could
probably be found in this country at the present
time. No such speed is practicable. however.
either in Europe America, unless the road
on which It is developed is built with special
reference TO safety. When curves and grade
crossings are eliminated, a great increase on
to-day's performance will be easv
While Germany is apparently hestating about
electric traction for State railways. she con-
tinues to encourage its application to the canals.
Trials were made last year. under government
auspices, with no less than twenty different
motors: and at the present time new section
of canal is being constructed which one
of those systems will undoubtedly be per-
manently installed. This waterway is twenty
three miles in length. and connects the Hayel
with the Spree near Berlin. When it is COM
pleted. some time next year. the world will
doubtless witness an instructive demonstration