Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-23
CARS WITHOUT SEES.
An Electric M.tOr to be Used Oh The
East Cleveland Railroad,
Two Loaded Cars to be Run Mt the
Rate of Ten Miles an
Hour.
Cleveland Leader.

Some four months age a street car that
had been worn out in service on the
Woodland Avenue Railroad wal taken
from the barns at the corner of Wood
land and Wilson n to the Brush
Electric Works in McHenry street. A
short line of railway was laid in the
yards and a young mar possessing con-
siderable inventive genius began a series
OF experiments which have at last culmi.
mated in the construction of what is
termed a perfect electric motor for the
propulsion of street cars. A reporter
learning yesterday that the East Cleve-
Street Railway Company were soon to
dispense with horses, and run their cars
by electricity, started on a tour of inves
tigation. He learned that the rumor
was only partially correct; that electricity
was to be tried only on one line, as an
experiment, which, if successful, might
LEAD TO ITS GENERAL ADOPTION
in the near future. Mr.. Walter Knight,
the gentleman who had conducted the
experiments at the Brush Works., was
invited to attend a meeting of the direc-
tors of the East Cleveland road, which
was held Friday at the office of Everett
e. Weddell. He explained his invention
to the street railroad men and they offer.
ed to give him an opportunity to try it on
the Quincy street branch of the Garden
line, with the understanding if it proved
a success it would be used by the road.
MIR. I'll. A. Everett, treasurer of the East
Cleveland road, said, "No final arrange
ments have yet been made, but they will
doubtless be completed within a few days.
Ii this motor proves a success we shall do
away with horses on the Quincy street
line at least" Mr.. Everett conveyed
the impression that the directors looked
with much favor On that system of ope.
rating cars, and seemed to think there
was no doubt about the success of this
device.
Mr.. Knight, the inventor, was seen
last evening at his residence, No. 505
Davenport street. He was
D%Is1NCLINED TO SAY MUCH,
for the reason that no final agreement
had been entered into between himself
and the railroad company. "Matters
are in a very chaotic state at present."
he said, "and l hardly know what to say
to you about it. l have as yet made no
proposition to the railroad company but
think there is no doubt about the motor
being tried on their road. But it is about
a mile and a half of track will be laid in
| Quincy street."
what is your systeml' was asked.
Ut consists of a conductor laid in a
slot between tne rails like a street rail
way cable. This will be charged with
electricity by stationary dynamo engines
at either end. The car will be operated
by means of an electric motor attached
to the axles under the car, the electric
force being obtained from the conductor
by means of a brush connection"
What will be the weight of the mo-
tori"
ELEVEN hundred pounds. That seems
very heavy, but 1t will weigh only about
one tenth as much as a locomotive"
ABLE TO DO THE SAME WORK.
The motor will take up no room, how
ever, being attached to the bottom of
the car in such a manner as not to inter
fere with the occupation of the car"
"Wll it be easy to handler"
"Very. 1t will work with a lever,
which anybody that once under stands il
can work with easy"
What speed can you attain with the
aid of this motor?"
"Ten miles an hour. 1t will operate
two loaded cars at that rate of speed.
That is something which has been &C.
complished by none of the other electric
railways now in operation. None of the
motors now in use will move more than
one car"
will there be any danger attached
to this system2"
"None whatever. The conductor will
be put into the street car in such a man.
ner that it cannot be got at. 1t will be
impossible for a person to receive a shock
from it, even if he deliberately attempted
to get shocked"
1t is probable that the electric motor
will be put in operation inside of
month if satisfactory arrangements car
be made.