Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-08
Railway and Electric Company
Generator Breaks Down,
TROUBLE IN RUSH HOUR
Thousands of Men and Women Walk
to Their Work.
DELAY OF FORTY MINUTES
Repairs Cannot Be Entirely Com
pleted Until Tomorrow-Second
Mishap in Few Days.

Practically the entire system OF the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany was tied UP between IDS and sos
o'clock this morning. The sudden stop
page Of the street railway traffic in the
morning rush period was due to the
breakdown Of one OF the biggest ma
chimes in the Benning power house
AS the accident occurred just before the
time for Uncle Sans army of govern
ment clerks to start from their homes for
their desks, another sort of a "tie-up'
was threatened. But the emergency men
OF the railroad corporation set to work
with a will. and in short time had the
great currents of electricity in operation
and the cars running. Therefore the gov
ernment employees who left their homes
in the suburbs or the outlying districts
OF the city managed to get to their offices
on time.
crowded in the seats anA aisles of the
cars when the tie-up began. They
wafted-then waited some more-and
finally all hands became impatient. and.
joining the other folks who were
aweary of waiting street corners
for the cars that never came. they pro-
known varieties of pedestrianism.
Cause of the Trouble.
Inquiry at the offices Of the railway
company brought forth the information
that the machine which broke down was
O0-kiiowat generator, and it was lIs-
abled when (as one of the machinery
sharps described it, "the oil pressure of
the step valve blew out" In common
or garden English, the base of the main
shaft in the generator makes its count
less revolutions in bearing completely
filled with oil under pressure.
Something like 1000 pounds to the
square inch represents the pressure on
the lubricant, and when the valve this
morning proved unequal to the strain the
metal faces of shaft and bearing came
together and the huge machine stopped
instantly. Nor will 1t be possible to have
repairs entirely completed until tomor-
row at the earliest.
Second Accident in a Few Days.
Coming almost on top OF the accident
of about week ago. when one or the
5000 -kilowat generators was burned out
so that it will be out of commission for
another two weeks. this accident plunged
the power house into all sorts or DIM
culties Four machines all told are IN
cluded in its equipment, the big one OF
0, 0,OOO-kilowat capacity. two Of o.OOO-kiio-
wat power each and one of 2,OOO-kilowat
capacity.
With two of the large machines Of
total capacity of $4,000 kilowats. out
of commission, and only 1000 kilowats
of power available, it was lnevitaDle
that the trolley cars should stop this
morning, because the load carried oy
the power house during the rush hours
is represented by at least 1900 klio,
watts. This same load will be imposed
this evening. but the officials OF the
company are doing their best to pre-
pare for it, and before noon today or
ders were issued that the plant at l4th
and B streets northwest. which mas not
been in operation since February,
should be placed in readiness and nres
kindled again under the boilers