The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-16
THE ELErRIclL RAILWAY.



Track.
The running Of street cans in this city
by electricity is no longer a matter Of
doubt or experiment; it is sure and
successful thing Yesterday afternoon
the Wheeling Railway Company put one
OF its cars on the tracks, the power was
applied and the car moved up and down
Main street, the center OF attraction for
hundreds OF citizens who gathered along
the route to watch the car make its trial
trip. Everything worked remarkably
smooth and satisfactorily for first
trip, and the c0mPaRy's officials were
more than pleased with the manner in
which things went of.
THE EQUIPMENT.
The car was started from the corner of
Main and Twenty-seventh streets. A
numbered gentlemen had been invited
to make this first trip and the car was
well filed.
Among those on board were: Colonel
]. A. Miller, John G.. Hoffman,, ST.,
John G. Hoffman,, IT,, Chris Hess, Hon.
Jacob W. Grubb, Ed. W. Wells, B. A.
Galligan, Rev. Father Schilp, Chris Vie
wig, James X. Hall, John Garden,
an INTELLIGIScER representative and
number OF others. The car was the
Geraldine" The company will not
have its ears numbered but will give
them names OF women, the initials being
in alphabetical order, the first letters
thus serving as numbers. The two cars
the company has already received are
the "FidOlian. and Geraldine" Five
more are expected to arrive in short
time. The cars arc handsome affairs,
fitted up in most elegant manner.
In the cab of the car were MIR. w. n.
Sheaff, Superintendent OF the Wheeling
Electrical company, and Hon. A. j.
Sweeney. Mr.. Sheaff was formerly in
the employ OF the vanderpoel company
and understands thoroughly this system.
He started the electrical road recently
put in operation at Montgomery. Yes
terlay he had charge of the running OF
the car and he will instruct the men who
are to run them in the future.
THE START.
AT 2:20 o'clock Mr.. John NJ. Sweeney
came from telephone where he had
been in communication with the electric
station, and announced that all was in
readiness. Mr.. Sheaf pulled the big
alarm gong two or three times, the large
crowd that had gathered about retreated
and those in the car held their breath.
Mr.. Sheatf, after sounding the alarm,
took hold OF the brake with one hand and
with the other slowly turned the crank
OF the motor. There was slight whir-
ring sound, aud the car feeling the
power OF the invisible agent, moved for
ward, slowly at first, then faster rs Mr..
Shrof let the power on. The small boys
yelled and then started on run after
the novelty. They were followed by
children Of a larger growth.
As the car moved along the crowd
grew larger till it numbered two or three
hundred. Men came out Of mills and
stores, women came out OF their houses
and windows flew up on every side.
TIE FIRST FARE,
As the car moved along those in
ic breathed freer. Suddenly Chris
Veiwig jumped up and jammcd u nickel
down into the fare.box, and proudly
proclaimed himself the first man to pay
fare on the new road. Ed Wells, Father
Schilp, Mr.. Hess and ex-Mayor
Grub were the next in order,
and then there was wild scram-
BILE to pay fares on the new road,
At Twenty-second street u stop was
made to take on Mayor Seabright and
President Myles, OF the Board Of Public
Works. They refused to "dead-head" it
and insisted on having fare,
By this time the crowd following was
something enormous, and seemed to
brighten horses worse than the new car.
A number Of horses were met, but be-
You'd shying little they did not
behave at all badly, The heavy
car made much less noise than
was expected. The only really
unusually sound was made by the
wheels travelling on the wires overhead,
through which the power was transmit
ted. In crossing Main street bridge the
front wheels jumped the track, but
hundred hands soon had the car on
again. Up through the business part OF
Main street the sidewalks were iammed,
Arriving at Twelfth street the car was
stopped; Mr., Sheof did not care to risk
running up the hill till he had loosened
the running gear on level ground. Ashort
stop was made to enable citizens to In
spect the car and then it was run back.
FURTHER TRIPS.
Late last night more trips were made
and Main street hill run up and down
repeatedly. The electric lights in the
cars were also fitted in and lighted. Cars
will be running from Tenth street to
Twenty-seventh in a few days, as soon as
turn table is put in at Twenty.seventh
street, and as soon as tho weather will
permit the building OF the balance ofthe
track, cars will be run over the entire
line. Thetwodynamos at the station with
joint power equal to 100 horse power
have been running orseveral days and
arc in complete order. The motors on
the cars are each OF Is horse power, but
it is seldom that more than 10 horse
power, il even that, will be necessary to
run car. Everyone is pleased with yes
torday's exhibition and Wheeling's i'd
VanCement is again marked.
NRw Sill Warn and All.WnOl Hnnri.