The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-06
PNEUMATIC LOCOMOTION.
AN INGENIOUS IMPROVEMENT ON THE HORSE
CAN SYSTEM IN EREsTINo EXPERIMENTS

AN INGENIOUS IMPROVEMENT ON THE HoRsB
cAR SYSTEM IN EaEsTINo EXPERIMENTS
The novel spectacle of . street car propelled al
rapid speed without horse power, steam other
visible motor, attracted universal attention the
upper portion OF Second avenue yesterday afternoon.
IL appears that during the past TALL and winter expert
meuts were quietly made which have proved
ccssul and promise TO rcvoiutionize the entire
present system of traffic In this city. During last
summer a lew private gentlemen procured tho
services OF two foreign engineers, who have
made the study OF locomotion by oompressod air tho
business oil their lives, and although many others had
before attempted II and iaieo they lett confident Of
this much sought alter but here
unattaioabc result Accordingly the construction Of
a car was ommcnc ed last summer and completed In
the winter, which, 10y means Of a single charge Of
compressed air, has been able 10 perform journeys
IRON three and hall i've miles only aboas
hail the pressure intended ba applied, clearly de-
monstrating that a distance Of IRON eight TO
ten miles be accomplished with a single
charge OF air, and y necessary even longer distances
being mere question VI tbe capacity oil tho reocv-
crA rral trips uave been made durinp the past win
tor IN all kuas OF weather and in every condiuon Of
the rails on the upper part OF Second avenue, where
tue grauients heavier than any other ROAD IN
tho city, The desire OF the parties Interested being
thai ,nr experiment should be Judy tested under The
most uniavofablc circumstances. TINS becn done
aud the result IL that PRACTICAL success has pcen
tanned, the car having been run aimost every day
durgg the winter, accomplishing the distance men,
DESCRIPTION on Tnk CAR
In appearance ~ resembles orunary street car In
almost every Particular having tue usual acco M noa
lions Tor passengers the machinery wbch Is very rim-
PIE, being uAdern cath The loor vi the car. Accom-
pauyin ths rs trip ron sixty-third 10 Ninety
Nth street and back again yesterday wero number
oi scicut,nc gentlemen and Representative OF Tue
| HERALD. IL runs almost noiseiessiy ADD Is
| unu.r perfect control q single lever acting for
staring, stopping reversing aDu brakngal oil when
| are much more easily managed than the ordinary
cars, WIN tner horses and brakes, now IN use The
lever used Is transferred IRON Que platform to
otber, to SUIT any direction which the may be
moving, aud MS working ~ oil such simple character
| tnat any man of ordiDafy Intelligence can bscOme
| thoroughly ianiiiiar VITA II In hour. Tho
/ Impressed AR, when furnishes the motivc
receivers placed under the Inese IL Is ncld,
capable OF containing enough atmosphere 70 pvvpcI
oser Tue antro length OF Manhattan Island and al
speed OF thirty miles an hour " requisite. Hitherto
the great obstacle 10 iocomotion Of this character lay
IN the lack OF suitable machinery 10 eooBomixe the
| AR alter It's compression but tins aiiuculty
| appears now TO have been successi ully overcome.
/ Al present, owing TO inaaequste machinery, tho
time occupied IA charging the receivers u between
| three and tour hours. Inc company, however, have
lust gwen orders Tor the uiacturc OF epgines
| capabic vi charging Ia ono minute.