Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-17
THE SpRAGUE. SYSTEM.
THE WICHITA & SUBURBAN CON-
TEMPLATE IMPORTANT
CHANGES,
In the Interest Of Their Patrons-Some-
thing Of the System it is Pro-
posed to Adopt.


thing Of the System it Is Pro-
posed to Adopt
| Mr. W. L. r. EN- met, agent of the
| Sprague Electric Railway and Motor Line
| company, of New York City, is in the city
! ready to commence work on the constrc-
| ton of line accordingto that system for
| the Wichita and Suburban Motor Line
| company. As is known the city council
have the franchise granting the use of the
streets occupied by that company for that
purpose now under consideration and have
Set apart tomorrow evening to consider
the franchise together with some other I'm
portant measures. The Suburban COM
pany decided many months ago to put in
some sort of an electric system and COM
menced to figure on what system to use.
due time they had decided to adopt the
Sprague and arrangements to that effect
were made providi ng the city council
should grant the franchise. To put the
system in using the present track will cost
about four thousand per mile and the COM
pany contemplates putting In seven and
one-half miles Of it, starting on Topeka
and on Williams street to Paramount and
the Burton Car works 1t is also expected
to complete the circuit in due time by re-
turning oyer the line of the Central av-
enue company This will call for two or
three more miles, which will give double
service to Paramount and the Car works
from the heart of the city. North and
east of Thirteenth street the company
will have stopping places every two
and three blocks which will be an adj
vantage in making time. South OF Thir-
teenth street car will be stopped at any
point desired. 1t is thought the company
can lessen the time to make the trip to the
car works or Paramount about one-half,
which would be to the former about
twenty-five minutes and to the latter
twenty minutes.
The company expects to give early
service in order to enable the working
classes in the suburbs to reach the city for
work and also to enable working men to
depend on the service to reach the
suburbs The company SO far claims the
honor or credit of having persued a liberal
policy in its service also has introduced
some welcome accommodations to its
patrons.
THE SPRAGUE SYSTEM.
The Sprague system is being successfully
operated in Boston, Cleveland, Richmond,
Reading, Pa; Harrisburg, Hartford,
Bloomington, Del; Davenport, Ia. Ia
coma w. T. 1t is being put in at Cincin-
natl and Atlantic City
The wire work consists of wire over
head, with y..underEeath contact. con-
nected with thirty-horse power motor,
which is attached to the axle and car body.
h ,.b al
rent from q feed WIRE which is supported
by one row of poles the two being con-
nected at intervals. In many places only
one row of poles are used, but the Witicha
& Suburban, if it is allowed the privilege,
will put up double row of poles on Water
and Fourth with a single row on the other
streets. The current leaves the stations
and the feed-wire is conducted to the
trolly wire, does its work in the motor and
returns to the station through the rails
completing the circuit.
The motors are managed by switches at
the end of the car, which are under COM
plete control. The speed will be fifteen
miles an hour. but of course this can be
controlled and in actual service that speed
would not be allowed. The electric pres
sure is five hundred volts, which accord
ing to the electricians is not sufficient to
any if the current should get lost and go
around the car and accidentally
come across a passenger. Neither is there
any danger of negotiating any watches. |
Each car as well as the station is provided |
with lightning arrester. which insures |
safety to passengers in case of storm.
Should the council pass the fran
chise tomorrow night the leading |
of the council state they would |
commence work Tuesday morning. 1t |
would take some months to complete the
line, ready for the new service, but the
work would go bravely on until it is COM
pleted.
The electric motors will be attached to
the cars now in use by the company. Four
new cars will also be added to the service.
SOLDIERS OKLAHOMA COLONY.