The San Francisco call., 1906-10-23
BRITISH CRITICISE
ELECTRIC LINES.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO THE CALL.
LONDON, Oct. american meth
DDS Of running electric railways are
coming in for very severe criticism
in England Just now. The raising
OF the fares on the District Rail
way-the old London Underground
which Yerkes converted from steam
10 electricity-has brought down on
the heads OF the directors
storm Of protest and vituperation
Many people imagine that the entire
American electric railway system is
a rank failure. and the whole trouble
with the entire road is boldly attrib-
uted TO "Americanization.1
AS there are immense American
electrical Industries involved in the
accusation, the writer, in order to OBJ
tain the exact facts concerning the
matter, has inter viewed several prom
inent American experts in London.
One ef these. who would not however.
consent TO have his name used, has
made a statement which absolutely
clears up the charges against Ameri-
can electrical systems. This expert is
an official in direct touch with the
much-criticised District Railway
Many people, both in the English
newspapers and al several mass meet
ings held in London recently" said
the Official in question .have stated
openly that the Yerkes electriication
Of the London railways has been a
complete failure; and TO this cause
they attribute the allegation that \he
road is steadily losing money.
You may take IL from me that
there is nothing whatever the matter
with the Yerkes methods. Of course,
when we first began TO operate the
road there were many conditions to
- I
but these were difficulties that the
engineers soon. overcsme, and within
a quite reasonable time we had COM
pIetely eliminated the initial break
downs which always occur in the
early stages Of such work.
ssOf course there were lot OF old
fashioned people in London who were
most dubious about the efficiency Of
electrical methods; and as many OF
these were on the boards of directors
Of some of the companies Yerkes was
working with il made his task very
dfffcult to perform There was a large
class who supported the interests of
the old engine-drivers who had been
for q quarter OF. a century on the foot
plates Of their locomotives. and nat
urallv these people did not wish to
see such faithful sold servants dis
placed.
people can criticise the eIectrifcation
Of the London Underground as much
as they like but they have got one
condition to face which they cannot
get away from-and that is that cleo
trfhcation was the sole salvation of
the road can prove this very readily,
and very simply. Running under the
steam system il was found that with
the fullest and quickest timetable pos
sibIe only eighteen trains per hour
could be run on the lines. The tunnels
would not permit Of more trains than
this. II more trains were run there
would have been such a volume of
smoke and steam that no one could
have breathed This is admitted
fact And yet II was absolutely essen
fial-if the road was to remain in ex-
istence-that more trains-twice as
many-should be run. How was it
going 10 be done2
The only answer was electrihcation.
BY this method we have been able
to increase the number of trains, TO run
them closer together. to do away with
the gas smoke and steam-in fact, to
make the meeting of the increased
volume Of traffic possible. With the
old steam methods the road was stead
lily losing money and passengers every
year. This is proved by the statement
that three years ago-before electri
fcation-the rumber Of passengers had
decreased as compared TO the previous
year. Whereas, since electri1cation,
the volume has increased from year to
year. each year showing that several
hundred thousand more passengers
have been carried than in the previous
year. SO it is futile TO decry the cleo
trffcation. Without it the road would
have had TO so out Of business.
About the American method Of cleo
trifcation itself II is proved to be
the best possible for the road. Our
Tnfshaps, breal1doWns and errors have
been no more, on the average than
under the steam system. So that dis
poses Of the so-called argument that
American electrical methods are the
cause Of the loss Of money and the
raising OF fares on the District.
The facts with reference to these
two points are follows: Under the
new electrical methods, we are giving
a far higher class of accommodation
than was supplied under the steam
system The cars are better in every
way, more comfortable, more costly,
more luxurious. Then again, we give
a schedule OF every two to five min
utes-doubiing the number OF trains.
With steam, there was long wait be-
tween trains from fifteen to twenty
minutes very often. and sometimes
longer. Now, ten minutes between
trains is the longest wait II people
get quicker service, better trains. and
superior accommodation, they should
pay for IL. I have no doubt IL the pub
lie was canvassed as to whether they