The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-18
HARTMAN REDEEMS PLEDGE
TO PROVIDE THIS CITY WITH
MODERN STREET CAR SYSTEM

to the fort. Coming to a sidetrack, the
front trucks took the main line and the
rear trucks attempted to take the side
track up the hill. There was delay Of
about four minutes while the conductor
and mOtorman cOaxed the two trucks
to make up with each other and con-
tinue the journey together.
From the fort the trip back TO the
city was made over the tracks Of the
line now in use. and it was explained
by the officials that as soon as the new
line is put into commission the old
tracks from the fort to just east Of Mt.
Olivet viii be taken up. the govern
ment demanding the land in the old
right Of way across the reservation in
return for the land conceded for the
new right of way. The rest Of the Mt.
OIivet line, it was stated, is to be re-
laid with siXty-pOund rails in the place
of the thirty-ffve-pOund rails now in
use. III most parts Of the city sixty
pound rails have now been substituted
for the light rails. and the change is to
be made gradually all over the system.
On the trip back to the city the in
| formation was given out that work on
| the new line on Eleventh East TO
! Twelfth South would be started on
Monday. and that the line would be
ready for use by May %. Officials also
gave out tire information that within a
short time the service on every line in
| the city is 20 be improved. More cars,
they stated. would be put on, giving
more frequent service; faster time
would be arranged for, and the time for
the last cars OF each line 10 leave Main
street at night would be extended from
1 the present hour. 1885. TO 1:05 O'Clock,
I with perhaps still later cars during the
period of the Grand Army encampment.
/ These changes, which have not all been
worked out in detail, are 10 go into ef
/ feet on either May IS or NAY 60
Hunt is Gratified.
The great Improvement in the eff
cheney of the service is indexed by
statement made during the trip by AS
sistant General Manager r. z. Hunt.
1T is almost impossible TO believe" he
said. that so much has been done with
IL the last two years as our record
sheets show. Why, two years ago, it
is an actual fact that we had an aver
age Of about twenty-five cars per day
/ off the track. Now they don't average
one per day. In fact, a car off the
/ track is a very rare occurrence. We
| keep a daily record for the master me-
chanic Of the number of 'pull-ins' each
day-cars that go wrong In some re-
I Two years ago the number Of 'puil-ins'
each day averaged to about p per cent
I of the cars we had in commission. The
average now is about 1 per cent of the
/ cars we have in commission per day, al
though for the last ten days the pull
| ms have been only three-fourths Of 1
| per cent of our total rolling stock"
| And has this been principally due to
track improvements? was asked
Largely, but not principally" was
/ the reply. TT is chiefly due to improved
equipment, better cars, new motors. the
/ installation OF airbrakes on nearly ev-
| cry car in the service, to skillful and
prompt repairs when a car is damaged,
to keeping right after the equipment
| and seeing to il that everything that is
/ being worked is in proper shape and re-
pair"
The New Car Barns.
A visit to the new car barns was
made by the party. and here is where
/ the relics of the old street railway serv-
! ice in this city were viewed. The work
on the car barns is progressing very
satisfactorily. The roof Of the gigantic
/ building is now going on, and It was
stated that the building would be en-
| tirely completed as we'll as the ma
chine shops and repair buildings in con-
! nection, by Aug. l. Cars are being
/ harmed there now. When completed
! the new car barn will be able to house
/ IA fOrty-five-foot cars. The big roof
will cover sixteen tracks, each IA feet
/ in length. And the barn will be up-to-
/ date in every particular.
The trip of the newspaper men yes
/ terday was a pleasant one, and it gave
! them perception Of the greatness of
/ the salt Lake street car system that
/ they could have gained in no other way,
/ but there were many improvements
| that they could not see or realize even
/ by such a trip. Many things were ex-
planned by the men who are in the bust
ness-who have brought them about.
! Among the important Improvements
and additions that have been made to
/ the service since the system was taken
over by the Hartman interests should
/ be mentioned the installation OF the
new luminous arcs in the western sec
ton of the city, by means Of which the
/ service has been greatly improved by
more frequent service. The under
| ground system on Main street has been
/ installed. The company has put in one
/. 800 X. W. motor generator. Besides
miscellaneous lighting and power lines,
the following trolley lines have been
built or rebuilt:
Sixth avenue line. Third avenue line
to Fort Douglas, East Second South
Sugar House line. Ashton avenue line
Poplar Grove line, Jordan bridge line