Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-09
HELD OUT FOR A YEAR
The PittsbHrg Traction Cable Beats
all Previous Records.
1T COVERED ABOUT 115,OOO MILES.
The Great Coils of the New Cable Put in
Position in 4S Minutes.
A CLEVER JOB DONE WITHOUT DELAY

The last car for East Liberty had ratified
away from Oakland at 33 minutes past mid
night yesterday morning. The big engine
that operates the cable running from Oak
land power house to the Washington street
power house slowed down gradually and
finally ceased its mighty pulsations. But
Superintendent Davis did not allow the en-
gineer and fremen to leave their posts of
duty. There was some vigorous work to be
done before the morning run began.
Down below the engines, where the cables
thread their devious way to the center of
the street, group of men were waiting the
signal to go ahead. In the uncertain light
at the rear was the huge wheel which makes
the cable endless, and attached to the wheel
could be seen the weight of many tons,
which allows the cable an elastic play and
yet keeps it so steadily under control as to
prevent undue looseness of motion. A huge
spool, ten feet through, wound with many
thickneSses of new cable, was poised upon a
spindle awaiting the commencement of the
nights work. At last Superintendent Davis
said Cut it, boys" and two brawny men,
armed with tremendous pair of shears,
commenced cutting the cable at place be-
cable to prevent the weight from running
away.
THE CABLES UNITED.
The strands of wire finally parted, and an
expert splicer deftly united one end of the
old cable with the end projecting from the
spool containing the new cable. Then a
lever was arranged upon the spindle of the
spool In such way as to prevent the new
cable being played out too speedily. A
gang Of workmen passed the other severed
end of the old cable around a windlass
All was ready, and the word was given to
start the engine. Tt commenced to revolve
very slowly; the spool also moved, and the
spliced joint of the old and the new cable
glided out into the darkness on its journey
of 90, 900 feet before it would reappear in
the power house. The usual journey of the
cable is performed in IL minutes, but there
was plenty of time, and il was deemed best
to move with deliberation on account of the
innumerable curves between Oakland and
Washington street, as well as the extra
ordinary gradient Of the Fifth avenue hill
down to Soho.
AROUND IN 48 MINUTES.
Meanwhile man was watching closely
the cable that came in from the street. In
4S minutes from the time the joint left the
power-house the lookout shouted to the
engineer that it had got around. The
engine was stopped. and the long coils of
old cable lying on the floor indicated that
the old cable had been superseded. The
new cable was laid. The ends were again
put into clamps and within two hours the
splice was so neatly made that even an ex-
pert would have been puzzled to tell
where the joint had been made. Then
huge pan of coal tar mixed
with raw linseed oil was placed
near the grip vault, and several journeys
were performed by the cable in order to
allow of a thorough bath in the murky
liquid. At each round trip the speed was
increased, thus giving the cable thorough
test. By this time it was about time to start
the morning run, and the engines were oiled
and everything prepared for the first dav Of
work for the new cable. Before the cars
started each gripman was told of the new
cable, and informed that it would not be
necessary to set up the thumbscrew on the
grip when coming from the new cables
of the road on to the old cable, this having
been necessary on account of the difference
in size between the new cables and the old.
The cable just dispensed with has broken
all previous records by its tenure of Office.
1t was of very good materials, and was &C.
tually operated year and several days
and that, too, upon a very exacting run.
The averrge life of cable in such service
is six months. The average distance
traversed by cable is 60, 900 miles, and the
cable in question ran nearly 115,000 miles,
1t was operated during the last month at
some risk, the strands shredding nearly
every day and requiring very expert work
in splicing. By reason of the peculiar sys-
tenn of weights required to keep the cable
taut, break in the cable would toss the
cars backward or forward like eggshells in
cyclone before the engine could be stopped.
In order to provide against accidents the
company maintains perfect electric alarm
service with boxes every 600 feet, from
which the engines can be stopped by the
pressure of a button. The company never
states what new cables cost So information
upon that point is not attainable.