Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-29


overhead system-is great success. and
adds:
1.-The commercial side Of the subject is
most flatteriny Every company that has
tried what may be considered satisfac-
tory system is grathed by the results
already attained. In tho frat place. the
rapid-transit problem, so far as IT can be
met by surface roads. is solved by the
electric road. In the Cambridge division
in Boston the electric-cars in trains of two
are run at the rate of twelve miles an hour
This is better time than Is made on the ele-
waited roads of New York. The difficulty
in the way of making this speed, however.
lies in the fact that as rule CITY ordinances
forbid street-cars from travelling at more
rapid rate than eight miles an hour, Much
of the way in cities lies outside OF narrow
and crowded streets, and 1t Is probable
that these ordinances will be so modified
that citizens who ride in street-cars VIII be
given adyantantagc Of all the possibilities
of the electric motor.
Another point must be borne IN mind.
II is not necessary to attach motors to
every car on a line. In large cities the cars
will be run in trains Of two and three, one
car acting as the locomotive and towing
the others. This is the practice IN several
cities at the present time.
1T is asserted for the electric cars that
they not only give more rapid transit and
accommodate more passengers IN the
space occupied. but that they. travel
through the streets more quietly than cars
run by horses. locomotives, or cables.
They are brilliantly lighted. some OF the
cars in Boston carrying lamps aggregating
lG0-candle mower the energy coming from
the same source that supplies motive
power. The taking off of the horses saves
the pavement between tho tracks, when
on somo Of the earlier roads has become
"Tio saving in expense ID something
enormous. An electric car requires as
many hands rs q horse-car; but the stables
and the hostlers and the cost OF feeding
and renewing the horses are saved.
Mr.. Van Depoele. in 1885, made an
estimate of the comparative cost OF run
ming fifty cars by electricity and by horses.
The cost of providing and maintaining
motiye-pOwer alone Is considered. The 25O-
horse power steam-engine and three 100
horse power boilers are estimated 10 cost
81 300 Other expenses connected with
them were placed at $4,000. The cost OF
the dynamOs or generators was counted at
S14 400: the motors for the cars at S2O.OOO,
the station-house at $1,000, and the cleo
the conductors at $4,000. The original
cost of the motive-powcr for the horse
cars was estimated as follows; -Four hun
dred and twenty-five horses at Sl2j each.
S53. 125: 100 sets of harness, $500; stable
for horses, $4,000. The total original cost
of the mOtivc-pOwcr for the electric cars
would therefore be $50 100, and that Of the
horse equipment would be $1,000.
"The cost of running per day OF sixteen
hours, about the average strcet-car day,
was reckoncd to be as follows:
Electric Road. Horse Road.
Coal.............sso On Feed for horses .sl9l %
Fngipcer. 6 90 p stablemen..... 81 90
Fremen.... Gee. 4 90 y other stable 81 -,
Machiuo-mon. .. 90 employee9...... IL on
Oil. waste etc. 2 80 lIorseshoelng 49,. q 90
Interest per Veterinary sur
cent. and de- CeOn and medi-
probation 10 cine. -. ........ ~ W
per cent?. 81 % Interest o per
cent, and de-
Total........S6s ~ probation IS
per cent....... "a %
1893 -
at has been the universal experience Of
railroad companies that have adopted the
electric motor that their travel has greatly
increased. and that consequently the price
of real estate adjoining the lines has adj
vanced. In the SIX months endlng last
June the receipts of the BrOOkllne branch
of the West End road amounted 70
-. 1880: in the corresponding six months
Of the previous year the receipts were
- 1868. On the line to Arlington, the
Cambridge division the receipts Tor the
six months Of this year were S6,273.24, as
against S2,72l.OS the previous year.
There is no railroad riding which be-
gins to he so pleasant az that on the cleo
tric cars. The service is certain ana not
dangerous. The advocates Of the over
head system have convinced both houses
Of Congress. the Legislature of Massachu
setts. and the aldermen of Boston OF the
truth of this last proposition, while cleo
trio roads have been operated under dlih-
culties occasiOned by winter storms That
have prevented the movement of horse
cars The electric road in Cambridge be-
gan to run February 1G, 1885,, Up 70 Au-
gust 1st its cars have travelled 165;7ol
miles, making 5,j0j round trips, with a
loss Of 325 miles, or one ninth OF per cent"
TOO MANY PASSENGERS CARRIED.
The following was sent to this Office yes
terday for publication:
To the Editor the Disp0tch;
VIII you allow me the space to express
nv opinion as a regular patron OF the line
respecting the reported failure of this sys-
TEN in working the road?
Is it not a generally accepted truth that
machinery viii not allow OF more than
certain strain on IL, according to the power
il is made for? Then, why expect the ma
chinery Of the Union Passenger railway to
carry from 30 TO 100 persons on Their cars
when only built for half that number? 1t
is useless TO talk of failure while those IN
terested do not insist on only carrying
numbers consistent with the power. Had
they not better go TO the expense, of more
ears than have TO eternaly patch up the
machinery of the present ones? 1t IS the
last feather that Will break the camePs
back" SO it will be with the electric mo-
tors. The last 200-pOund human being that
stands on the floor of the car may be the
one who retards the machinery in the per-
Torrance of its work; and my idea is that
therein lies the whole trouble, and not
from the incapacity of the machinery.
Perhaps these suggestions may be taken
for what they are worth.
JOHN j. GAM, 410 Hancock street.
HE DID NOT COME.
Lieutenant S. Dana Green, one ofthe most
accomplished electricians connected with
tho Sprague Company, telegraphed from
New York Friday evening that he would
be here yesterday and engaged a room ut
the Commercial House. 1t must have been
subsequently, decided to defer the trip for
Il e.~ fxr..f 4