The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-06-09
Tho Electric Railway.

AhC HSloCtTiC
Messrs. Evans and Clark, mentioned last
week in connection with an electric railway
in Ottawa, have reduced their proposition
to writing, as requested. They offer Sc
ries of lines reaching practically all parts OF
the city, and agree to have the La Sale st.
and Main st. lines in operation before snow
flies, also that
7. The several divisions of said railway
to be operated as soon after completion as is
practicable to do so, and passenger cars to
run over them at intervals Of five (5) min.
utes between the hours of 6 80 and q. M,
and IL NJ, and 2 p. m, and from s to p.
m. and between the hours of 9 a. m. and II
NJ, and 2 p. m. and p m. at intervals of
10 minutes, and between the hours Of 7
and l / p m, at intervals Of 20 minutes.
8. The cars upon such railway to be run
at the average speed usually attained in the
running of cable and electrical cars on rail-
ways in cities generally throughout the
country. Such railway, when completed,
to be supplied with new, FIRST class, modern
cars and supplid with modern conveniences.
On our I'd page will be found clipping
Of electric motors from the N. Y. Star, Of
May Goth, which is worth reading.
In July last, Montgomery, Ala, abolished
horsepower and substituted electric power,
Of the Van Depoel system, the probable sys-
tenn to be used here. The Montgomery
Adpertver said of the event:
Yesterday all the mule cars were taken
off the ffteen miles Of street railway in
Montgomery and every line was operated
exclusively with the electric oars. As if
conscious that they had supplanted the fes-
tive mule for good and for oil, the cars ran
about twice as fast Is before and made
schedule time. The speed now as rule is
equal to that Of dummy, and the cars 60
up hill and down hill with delightful un.
Consciousness Of change in grades.
The electric cars are success. One mo-
tor can pull several cars, which Is q vast
| advantage over q mule. Yesterday car
with 10 horsepower motor had two sum-
mer cars attached, and pulled them full Of
people out to Highland Park without dimin
ishing the ordinary speed.
1t isa grand and glorious success. Therea
is no hating at switches, but the cars 60
down on one track and back on the other.
The whole system represents an actual
expenditure Of $4,000 cash."
Pullman is to have an electric railway,
three miles In length, to run between Pull.
man and Kensington. 1t will b built on
the Van Depoel system. The plans and
specifications have been completed and the
contract let, and when finished it will cost
in the nsighborhood Of $4,000 The road
will, it il expected, be in running order
September /.
There is no question Of the success Of the
electric systems. The adoption Of horses
would be going back a generation in time,
and several in the quality Of the service Of
fered. There is, too, no doubt as to which
system-horse or electric-the people Of
Ottawa prefer. A vote Of the people would
undoubtedly give an overwhelming majority
for the electric.
What further Messrs. Evans and Clark
have done Ia the matter this week the FREI
TRApER cannot say; but 1t can say this, the
sooner they 60 to work the better satisfied
will the people Of Ottawa be.