The Washington herald., 1907-01-19
OPPOSE ELECTRICITY
Railroads Against SmOkeless
Power in Union Station.
SENATE COMMITTEE HEARING
Argument for Citizens and District
Government Made by Commissioner
6cRtiOn in New York and Else
where Cited TO substantiate Claim.

The Senate Committee on District AZ
| fairs held d hearing yesterday on the pro
posed smoke law as applied TO railroads
operating In connection with the Union
Station. There were present Commits
sioners West and Macfarland, Samuel
Rea, third vice president Of the Pennsyl-
ania road; EIgh g.. Bond, second vice
president Of the Baltimore and Ohio; Mr.
Ross p. Andrews. Of the Washington
Business Mems Association; Evan II
Tucker. OF the Northeast Washington
Citizens Association. and others.
Commissioner Macfarland presented
the case for the District government and
the citizens Of Washington. He said
Upon Inquiry I learn that at this time
the average number Of locomotives in
daily use in the District Of Columbia is at
least 205 This is the number used by the
Pennsylvania, Baltimore and Ohio, Chesa-
peake and Ohio, and Southern.
Our own citizens who have spent so
much time and money In improving their
PLANTS SO as 10 br.us about the compii-
anee with the smoke law. have a right
to complain Of the injustice done them
by permitting the railroads to go scott
free.
Ihe best way 70 end the nuisance is
40 substitute electric motors. The rail-
roads pleaded in effect that this was i'm
practicable, ana gave no intimation Of
when il would be practicable II il were
more could be said. But the railroads
themselves have fully demonstrated that
1t is entirely practicable.
Electric Motors Elsewhere.
In New York City and vicinity the New
York Central and the New York. New
Haven and Hartford have already done all
that We ask Of the railroads for the Dis
trict of Columbia. and the Pennsylvania
Railroad. which has so large a part in all
the railroad traffic here. is about 10 fol-
low their example In New York. The
pennsylvania Railroad also is AT present
operating an electric railroad across the
State Of New Jersey. from Camden to At
iantic City The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road has for ten years successfully car
ried its freight trains through Baltimore
by electic motors. What man has done
man can do.
'The electrihcation of the railroads
within the District Of Columbia (probably
beginning at Baltimore. Washington juno
ton. and Alexandria. would not only
eliminate the smoke and gases. flame and
steam, which OF themselves make acci-
dents worse, and sometimes helping 10
bring them about but would greatly help
70 prevent accidents. u. for example the
Baltimore and OIio Metropolitan Branch
had been electrified even from Rockville 20
Washington. with the necessary and in
evitable electrical block connections. the
terrible Terra Gotta disaster could not
have occurred.
THE practical success Of the railroad
electrificatiCn near New York city is the
best evidence that equal success in such
= undertaking is as~ured ir ad~ance N
and near the District Of Columbia. our
terminal presents no such difficulties as
that for example al the Grand Central
station. with its complex system OF tracks
and switches handling over eight hundred
train movements a day. Sooner OF later
the change viii be made here
Railroad Men Object.
Mr. Rea said il would be unfair. after
the railroads had spent Sl5.o00.O90 for
terminal improvements To compel them
to bring trains in and out Of Washington
by electricity. All plans had been made
for steam. Electricity would cost S5.1O9. 600
more. The approaches 90 the city, be-
sides the Sl5,00000. would cost another
S0000051. He urged that the roads would
use semi-bitumiuoUs coal. They couldn't
use anthracite. II costs too much. and
there was not enough to be had. Besides.
1t would not make steam, and coke could
not be used They might put coke on as
they neared Washington, but IL would be
expensive. Before long the Pennsylvania
-Ould have. he said 4 fOur-h0ur train 20
New York, and they could not hamper
thetr service with poor coal or delays
He said the Pennsylvania does not look
forward 70 being obliged 70 use electricity
In the District. as il was rot necessary.
Senator HanSbUGugh suggested using
the power Of the Great Falls for making
electricity. Mr.. Bond, of the Baltimore
and Ohio. and vice president Of .he
Terminal Company, said that If the rail-
roads were compelled 10 provide for cleo
tricity the company could not go ahead
as il was impossible. He claimed the
original legislation provided for the use
of steam, and that Congress could not
now require the roads 10 use electric
power
Mr. Macfarland said the District and
the general government had paid a large
amount toward the improvements under
headwHy. and would pay more for dam
ages on account Of terminal facilities. and
so had right TO ask that the smoke evil
be avoided by the railroads.