The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-24
THREE MILES A MINUTE.
A Great Railway Invention--Time and
Space Annihilated.

From the baltimore Sun.
The Weems railway system, incorpo-
rated under the name OF the Electro Auto
matte Transit Company Of Baltimore, after
about year OF carefully conducted and
conclusive experiments has patented Its
multiplicity of electrical and mechanical
appliances in the United States and all
over the world as preliminary 70 putting
the system regularly to work wherever
required. BY this eectro-automatic ar
rangement the morning papers may be
delivered for the breakfast table and the
evening papers before supper time at
distant points. 1t will deliver letters
almost with tho promptitude OF the tele-
graph sending message. The mails be-
tween New York and Omaha will be car
ried in night 1t will handle perishable
light freight from long distances, will
deliver with celebrity the mails and parcels
in cities and SUBURBAN towns, and will
multiply many times the business OF the
postofiices and express companies. Its
advantages are not alone in its speed. but
in the economy and frequency with which
trains can be dispatched. In addition to
all these things 1t will save interest on
remttances at long distances, will bring
the people closer together, and will create
new enterprises. Doubtless, rs in the
case Of the telegraph, its important uses
cannot DO anticipated in advance OF its
going into active operation. It's develop
ment will create new fields OF usefulness
not now thought OF. Such, in brief, are
what the persons interested in this inyen-
ton claim for il.
| THE MOTOR CAR.
The motor car Is Is feet long and "a feet
square at each end. tits pointed in front,
the wedge or point being below the longi-
tudinal center, adjusting IL 10 the air
pressure, thus keeping the car down to
the track. To reduce atmospheric friction
TO minimum all wheels and electrical
appliances are placed within the walls OF
the cars. The road is TO be built on the
surface of the ground, with track oftwenty-
four inches gauge, and will cost about
S5,000per mile. In thickly settled districts
the road can be elevated, the varied length
OF the uprights beinga cheap mode OF COW
ering irregularities in the surface OF the
ground over which the road passes. The
mail and express cars are telescoped in
forming train, the former into the end OF
the motor car, and the latter into that OF
the one preceding IL, forming n flexible
train OF cars, offering an unbroken surface
TO the air. The rear end OF the rear car is
pointed in similar manner 10 the front
Of the motor car, thus preventing any sue
ton M the train rushes on Its way. The
motor may pull one car or a train OF cars.
now TRAINS WILL BR CONTROLLED.
All trains will be controlled from gem
Grating station, where will DO placed an
electrical generating plant. Electrical
brakes are to be used. and trains are
started, stopped, speed lcssened and
backed ut will from the station. Special
appliances will inform the operator in
charge Of the generating station OF the ex-
act location of the train from the time IL
leaves OF passes any given point until It
reaches its destination. IL has not yet
been determined how far apart the gcner-
ating stations shall be placed. Possibly
100 miles may not be out OF range, rs the
current can be run for fifty miles each way
from the station rs center without much
loss OF electricity.
THE ELECTRICAL FORCE.
The electrical force may be generated by
either steam or water power. The main
object, that OF carrying heavy currents
over long distances, Is attained by special
methods. by these, in given time, a
large number OF trains may be dispatched
with extraordinary rapidiiy and at com
paratively little expense. The frequency
OF the trains consumes only small
amount OF power, and the fact that no at
tendants ON the train are necessary consti-
tutes no small item In economy.
TuE CoNPASY's PATIENTS.
The patents OF the company number llS
In the United States aud the principal
countries OF the world, covering the vital
details ~ this novel system. The princi
pies patented involve special form OF rail
making IL impossible for trains TO Jump
the track at any rate OF speed; form OF
electrical safety rail, carrying the outgoing
current and returning the same on the
same rail- this nail can be crossed by pc.
destrinns or vehicles with perfect safety J;
form Of conductors and rails combined,
with insulations OF the same for carrying
currents over long distances; means oI
starting. stopping, backing and controlling
trains from the generating stations; method
Of regulating the electrical current auto.
matically on trains while in motion, in.
creasing the power In ascending and de,
, creasing tho same In descending grades;
means whereby trains automatically ngis.
ter themselves at every station m they
pass every mile Of track; form Of journal,
aud boxes for fast speed 10 avoid heating,
reducing the air pressure at high speed &
a minimum by pointed cans splitting the
air In front and preventing suction in the
rcar whilst In transit; reducing the cross.
, section Of cars 10 n minimum and inclos.
ing the wheels aud electrical equipment
> within the walls OF the same To offer ~
little resistance TO the air ~ possible tele
scoping the cans OF n train 10 present 10 the
air an unbrokcn surface; special switch foi
rails; keeping the center OF gravity of the
whole train below the axis patenls have
; also been secured for a passenger system
which applies TO the conversion OF existing
which cover the only safe mode Of rapid
Transit Tor passengers.
TnE EXPERIMENTS At LAUREL
A series OF experiments have been made
at Laurel, Md. 20 show what tho Wccms
, railway syslcm will do. This expert.
mental line u circuit OF exactly two
miles Over this route there are twenty
nine changes OF grade, some OF them very
heavy, even b the extent Of los feet "a
the mile. Tho generating plant there con.
tains all tho electrical appliances ncccs-
sary to the attainment Of high speed by q
railroad train. There u also special ma.
chincry for experimentation, and the per.
icciing Of all mechanical aud electrical In.
MENTIONS tending % advance and improve
, the system. All the tests Of speed have
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