The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-17
THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY
rs 1T OR Is 1T NOT A FALLURE( rs
THE QUESTION.
ur. Engineer Gillian Saws 1t il, and that
Gable Roads are the Only Successes
superintendent Burt Shows that Mr..
Gillian IL Badly Mistaken.

Gillian Is Badly Mistaken.
An article appeared in Yesterday IS
Washington Post giving the opinion of
one Engineer Robert Gillian that electric
railways are not success nor worthy TO
be compared with cable roads This
Engineer Gillian may or may not be spe-
cially interested in cable lines, but in allu-
sion to the electric railway of this city be
says
MIR. Sprague, one of the inventors of
the Richmond road, another electric rail
way especially noted on account OF its
success, says Of the cable, as compared
with electricity, that 75 per cent of the
motive power is lost on the cable road
This is an assumption not based on facts.
We assume that 800 horse power is used
in moving the cable and the machinery.
AH Of tie p0loer last is IN oJerc0ming the
tnertid, and when once overcome
it makes no difference how heavy
loads are hauled or how many cars
are set in motion, one car acts
against another-thai is, while one is 20
ing up another is coming down the hill,
and no more power is needed to trans
port 100 cars than to move ten"
Mr. George a. Burt, Superintendent Of
The Electric Railway, on being asked
what he thought Of the above opinion of
Mr. Gillian, said, Mr. Gillian is quite
correct, and in the latter statement sub
stanliales Mr.. Sprague's argument and
cOntradicts his own. He admits that all
Of the power lost is in ocerc0ming the
inertia and anyone who is IT,
the slightest degree familiar with
the subject will affirm that % pc.
cent. OF the power is necessary 10
overcome the inertia. But il is only
necessary 10 refer 30 the following ex-
tract from the same article, attributed to
Mr.. William j Smith, President of the
Kansas CITY Gable Co, 10 show either
how ignorant, or wilfully malicious are
some people in their attacks and cril-
ci,ms on not only The most successful
electric railway in the world, but. as | am
in a position To affirm, the most success
ful street railway in the world, irrespec |
tive of the motive power:
"The Richmond electric railway is Ger
tainly accomplishing wonders and doing |
things never before executed by electric |
roads, but the circumstances are pecu-
liarly favorable In the first place the
streets are nearly level, thus giving a
little power its best effect notice in |
all of their statements no mention is |
made of the earnings Of the company: |
that is because so much power is lost in |
transmission from the stationary engine |
10 the dynamo, that the expenses of the |
road nearly double that of other roads"
"If Mr.. Smith calls ten and one-tenth |
per cent grade nearly level, will he
lindly enliphten us as TO his idea of an
ncliney Why, sir the greatest Difficult |
les ever encountered in the building of |
street railway in the world in the mat
er of grades, curves, etc, have been sue
,essfully met and overcome here, and as
o his assertion, aad that "the expenses
If the road are nearly double that of
'ther roads" etc. etc, listen to the fol
owing extract from my official report
'The entire operating expenses charge.
ble at the central station for forty cars,
With the present mileage, on the heaviest
ection Of the treck, is only one and a
ALI per cent. per car mile This includes
lectrician, engineers, fremen, dynamo
len, all coal, oil, waste, water, lighting
nd depreciation, the working force
eing, with the exception of one man,
efficient to handle fifty cars.
The total operating expenses, including
during the month OF May was
My fOrtvseven percent. Of the receipts"
This should forever set at rest the {
oubting Thomases' and others who
ilfullv OF otherwise insist ia perverting
le facts have been a railroad man all !
~ life My experience in all branches
as possibly been as extensive as that of Z
ny one. Since their inception, | have r
ept abreast and fully informed myself I
: to the movements and improvements |
the different electrical systems now in |
)gue, and as a result, it is my firm con-
ction, and unhesiiatingly commend +
&c Sprague system as used by us, as be @
g head and shoulders above ANYTHING 9
II evolved in every particular, and as y
e best and most economical motive n
,wer for street railways" b
An Old Virginia Picnic.