The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-10-25
The buge wheel. At the A., eno;ne-house.

already alluded TO, are eight Feet In Oh
ameter, and there are about thirty of
them in all, rolling, rumbling, with a
grinding din, suggesting the grim pris-
on-house of some mighty spirit, bound,
and faithfully serving little man. As
the cable comes running swiftly in, it
twists, turns, and circles around eight of
these wheels, and, before going out,
takes as many more turns about another
set of wheels. This is to prevent the
cable from slipping; for the strain on it
of many cars with their loads coming up
the hill is immense.
All this complicated machinery is To-
Gated in a dark, gloomy-looking pit,
twenty-five feet deep, under the street,
arched over beneath the pavement with
brick. Here is located an arrangement
for keeping the cable taut at all times.
1t is n car loaded with five tons of iron,
and placed upon steep. sloping track !;
and around this wheel the cable runs
thus acting as heavy pulley, taking up
the slack rope.
At each end of the road there is one
of these pits with just such a steadying
car in it, as well as two in the central
pit; for the engine-house is not far
from midway of the road.
The length of the entire line is over a
mile and half, running east and west
on California street, called, by the
street boys, mob HILL" because it has
so many elegant residences and gar
dens.
Every two days the cable must be
freshly coated with tar, to prevent its
being too much worn by the grasping
and biting of the iron Jaws, as the car
driver takes hold or lets go.
Wire cables are very generally used,
nowadays, in many ways. Elevators are
run by them, vessels are partly rugged
with them; they are used for machinery
in place of betting, for towines and by
tug-boats, and for many purposes they
are both cheaper and better than hemp
rope.
Money was lavishly spent in laying
the road-bed. The projectors, being
wealthy men, members of the Central
Pacific Railroad Company, took pride
in building something that would prove
a model road, and they succeeded. First,
a trench was dug, three feet and half
deep and the same in width, then large
pieces of railroad iron, bent the shape of
a V were inserted in it, about ten feet
apart, upon the top of which were
riveted and bolted the rails-the small
L rail, such as is in common use by all
the steam roads. These, bear in mind,
were all riveted together, arranged, and
leveled, and supported by temporary
timbers, in exactly the places that they
afterward were to occupy. Then the
whole trench was filed to the
top excepting the space left for
the cable to run i'm with con-
crete and cement. This, hardening,
the entire mile and half of road be-
came one long-continued block of stone,
over three feet in diameter, lying in its
earthly bed as solid as the eternal
hills" holding in it's stony grasp the
ties, braces and rails. Such road,
they claim, can never spread, never sag
nor sink, and scarcely ever will need
repairs, save as the rails wear out, and
are replaced. So much for doing
thing thoroughly and well at once,
though the first cost be great-in this in
stance nearly 100000.
The cars are models OF beauty and
comfort. A blue cadet cap is worn by
the employees, and, though no talking is
allowed with the driver, smiling con-
ductor makes up for this loss by stand
ing ready to answer questions at the
rate, should say from brief observa-
tion,.of about 10000 day, more or less.
One feature of the sitting accommo-
dations is that of low rail, about an
inch high, dividing each seat from the
next, just high enough to make it I'M
comfortable to sit upon; gently limiting
to those inclined to crowd their fellows
that seat was intended for one only.
The cars are built so low that the feet
of passengers are but twelve inches
above the street they are travelling,
thus giving that charm one experiences
when sailing in low skiff, close to the
water, but which is lost on the high
deck of steamboat. The dummy is a
light, picturesque, open car, arranged
with outside seats, and is generally pre-
ferred by passengers to the close car.
As we ride along, daintily-gloved
finger halls the driver from the side
walk, and our car comes instantly and
quietly to stand-still, while the gentle
maiden mounts the low step and COM
fortably seats herself; then, at the bell
signal from the conductor, the sturdy
driver grasps his lever, clamps down his
iron brace graphing the cable, and
again we are off, with far less jar and
jerk than we receive in horse-car.
This style of railroad is becoming very
popular in San Francisco, where there
are already three such lines in success
full operation, and others are projected
81. Nicholas for November.
D..anooIs....,