New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-05

cASupuucaIlou Oh the lew uosOI III
vented by DR.. Lamm, and which bids
fair to supersede the present modes Of
| moving the street railroad cars.
Some years ago gentleman of large
scientific attainments, DR.. Emile Lamm,
conceived the idea of ammonia as mo-
tive power. This idea he fully developed
by repeated and careful experiments; and
the result is that street cars can be pro-
PEELED by force which, there is good rea-
son to believe, will be equal in efficiency
to horse or mule power, and altogether
superior to it in economy.
The new motive power thus applied by
DR.. Lamm is the substance known as AQUA
ammonia. 1t is not necessary for the pur-
poses of this article to enter into a
disquisition concerning the chemical
properties of ammonia, which is
popularity known as hartshorn, and is a
strongly volatile alkai; its properties for
common use being known to almost every
housewife. 1t is sufficient to say that the
combination of this substance with water
and its subsequent evaporation by heat
at ninety degrees, produces gas which,
with the proper mechanical appliances,
becomes a motor equal in efficiency to
steam, but without the danger of explo-
sion which is inseparable from this me-
chanical agent. Persons with turn for
scientific inquiry can easily learn from
the inventor or the intelligent gentlemen
with whom he is associated the scientific
or chemical and mechanical principles
upon which this newly discovered motor
is founded. The popular mind, however,
will judge of the matter alone by the re-
suits.
On Tuesday afternoon, party of gen.
tlemen, among whom the New Orleans
press was fully represented, made a visit
to the station of the City Railroad Com
pany, on Canal street, to witness the
practical results of Dr. Lamm' invention,
byits actual application. A Car had been
placed by the City Railroad Company at
the disposal of the Doctor and his asso-
ciates. This car had been fitted up for
the purpose of the experiment The
ammonia apparatus takes up surprisingly
little room, occupying not half of
the platform ordinarily in front of
the usual city car. To the unin-
formed observer, this apparatus is
little if any different from the ap-
aratus of any ordinary steam engine.
1t is, however, essentially different, in
asmuch that no fire whatever is required
in working it. The ammonia with which
it is charged is prepared at station
fitted up for the purpose, and it is cal
culated that at the end of each trip the
container in each car will be properly
charged, and this operation will take up
about as much time as it takes to change
a mule at each trip of car.
At about half-past three o'clock P. NJ.
the ammonia locomotive was in readiness,
and the car to which it was attached, con-
tanning number of gentlemen, pro-
ceeded down Canal street. Making proper
allowance for the circumstance that the
car used was old and passe, nothing could
be smoother than the travel down Canal
street and back to the station.
The time of the passage was slightly
faster than the time of mule car, but it
was evident to every one that the engineer
DIR. Lamm) did not put on the full force
Of the apparatus, and it was equally
evident that the ammonia engine
attached to this car could have
made a train of half a dozen
1t least. The arparatuswas SO arranged
IS to be astonishingly under command,
much more so than any vehicle to which
IN animal is attached. The trip to the
Jlay statue (where the car attracted the
4ttention of large and excited crowd,
md the return to the station, was emf
lently smooth and pleasant, and satisfied |
III who witnessed the experiment that it
vas decidedly and unequivocally success
ul.
The practicability Of the new motor,
If which Dr. Lamm is the inventor, is, we
hink, established beyond cavil. We will |
n conclusion make a remark in relation |
o its cheapness compared with the pres
81 ctr
ars In making these remarks we rely, |
# course, not on personal observation, |
tut in the statements made by gentlemen
connected with the enterprise.
To take the City railroad, which runs
rom the Clay statue to the cemeteries, for
we are informed that to run
ar during the prescribed hours, per diem,
equires the services of six mules, at a cost |
# 5000 each, making an original cost of |
1920 for motive power to each car. The |
gentlemen connected with the ammonia
Enterprise claim that an engine to do all |
he work of these six mules can be con-
tructed for $500, making a saving in the
original cost of $780, The feed of the
tx mules now necessary for every
ar amounts to thirty-fve cents each, or
wo dollars and ten cents per day. The
.ost of charging the ammonia engine per
lay will be about eighteen, making
aving of one dollar and ninety-two cents
Ger day for each car.
Besides, it must be evident that the |