Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-06-04
THE PIONEER.
A Grip-Car Sent Over the
New Cable Road.
MOST SUCCESSFUL TEST.
The Line to be Publicly Opened on
Saturday Next-A Good
Revenue Promised.

At 8 O'Clock last night the first cable
OF the great Los Angeles system of street
railroads was for the first time revolved
Only those who have paid visit to the
engine-house on the corner of Seventh
street and Grand avenue, and have seer
the massive machinery there, can under
stand what this means. The plant is
the largest and most complete in the
world. There are two enormous boilers
each of 500 horsepower, thus furnishing
Sufficient force to- operate the Seventh
street, the Grand avenue and city
lines. and also any extensions that may
be ultimately needed. In the operating
|room there is one shaft of Is inches di.
!ameter, one of Is inches, and main Of
|151s inches. Then there is the main
shaft of the winding gear, with dame
|eer measurement of Is inches; two drive
lwheels of 6 feet 7 inches diameter each
and two driven wheels of 25 feet dame
/ Ter each. There are four winding gear
lswheels of IA feet 10 inches diameter
each, and four cable drivers with di-
hmeter of 13 feet each. The cable drivers
Iare driven by seven friction plates in
each wheel, any OF which can be stopped
and the others allowed to run. The ma
ehinery proper is magnificent piece OF
work, and is known technically as the
| Com pressed Corliss non-conductor with
Eckert's patent cut off. The high press
hre cylinder lis 26x48 inches, and the
lower pressure cylinder 42x4S inches,
end these will work up to the nominal
horsepower of 700 each.
To the non mechanical, better idea
pf what all these figures mean can be
obtained by statement of the weights oi
fome of the principal parts. The f1ywheel
:Fould tip the beam at 16 tons, the two
main driver-wheels and shaft weigh 10C
ions, and each of the winders, with shaf,
knd cable drum, So tons. The main
crank pin is another feature worthy ol
Hotice, being IL inches in diameter
| Che machinery was all placed in
POSITION by Mr.. 6. @. Morton, and how
Sell he has done his work was proven
ast night when the test was made. His
| Suties are over now that the thing is
sunning, and he leaves the engines in
snarge of Mr.. A. G. Wade, an expert
Slachineman.
IL THE PIONEER CAR.
Vice President J. G. Robinson had de-
&ded to send the first grip-car over the
bad during the night if the rope revolveG
y.ts,sut any hitch, and, as by II O'Clock
| s$T q Is Wae no signs Of trouble. the pion
eer vehicle was ordered out. A large
crowd had assembled despite the late
ness of the hour to see the start, and
there was cheer as at II :35 the grip
was taken by Emmet Fry and the car
started away. 1t was occupied by Vice.
President J. G. Robinson and Engineer
A. w. Wright, of the cable car system
Mr.. Clark, of Chicago; Messrs. George
Welty and W. G. Holloway, of the Mat
tie Vickers Company; Mr.. G. E. Thomp-
son, Mr.. J. H. Dockweiler, Mr.. A.
Jones, Mr.. E. Moore, a dozen
employees of the company in case
of accident and HERALD rep.
resentative. The car went steadily
along and the first curve was rounded
with as much ease as if the road was an
old-timer. In fact there was not hitch
during the run from beginning to end,
and Mr.. Robinson was one of the happi-
est men in Los Angeles as his guests
crowded around and extended their con-
gratulations. A car was then attached
to the dummy and another round-trip
made, the result being in every way as
satisfactory as on the former occasion.
During the remainder Of the week trial
trips will be,run each night so as to break
in the gripmen, twelve of who Eare al
ready engaged. The speed of the cable will
also be increased each night, it only
being revolved at rate of four miles an
hour yesterday, in case of any unex-
pected snags cropping up. When
in full swing the cars will run
at the rate of eight miles an hour,
the limit prescribed by city ordinance.
There are already ten grip cars and ten
passenger cars waiting for the Seventh.
street and Plaza section, and five-minute
service will be run from 6 A. NJ. to II
P. M.
The formal opening of the road
will take place on Saturay next,
on which occasion the Mayor,
members of the City Council
Board of Supervisors, ETC., will be in
attendance. Flags and bunting will be
hung out along the route, and it is in
tended to make quite an event of the
affair. The celebrating cars will leave
the engine house soon after midday.
mann Nm nnuCAnuON