Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-08
OVERHEAD WIRES AND ELECTRICAL
MOTORS.

had feared would be the case. When the
question came up Of granting the company
owing the road the right to use horses,
instead of storage batteries, the RECORD
UNION warmly advised that the grant of
privilege be made. The ordinance was
passed, giving the company that right,
and We hold new, as then, that it was wise
action. At the time of the discussion of
the matter it was stated that the only
really successful electric railways were
those that received the electrical current
upon their cars to actuate the motors
through direct connection with the gener-
ating machinery. 1t was added that as
that system involved overhead wires IN the
streets, it would not be granted privileges
in this city. A couple of weeks ago, in
commenting upon a submitted paper on
electricity as a motive force, and the prom
Use that the Folsom Water Power Com
pany holds out in that direction for Sacra-
mento, and which involves the use of over
head wires, the RECORD UNION said:
We take this opportunity to say we have not
seen any Sufhcient reason, when all the benefits
are considered why successful electric street
system by other power generator than the s5or-
age battery may not be used in Sacramento. 1t
appears, however to have been accented by
gentlemen who have been active in the prem
ises, that no overhead wire for the transmission
OF power would be permitted in Sacramento
ms is an assumption. We contend, as yet un-
warranted, and question upon which the Re-
coRD,CSIoN has not before expressed ITSELF and
on which the people have given no testimony
as 70 their wishes. If, as is shown below, a
sacramento have permitted the overhead wire
and found the system economic and greatly
preferable TO horses, we cannot understand, in
deemed insurmountable in Sacramento
Inquiry, reading and thought upon the
subject have since convinced us that there
are reasons that make the overhead wire
preferable to no wire at all, and that street
railways may be operated by such system
without ofiense to well-ordered CITY, or
without augmenting the difficulties that
wires interpose in the case of confiagra-
tions. A citizen who has had much oppor-
tunity to observe abroad, and whose
interests in this city are very
large, suggests plan that to our
view deserves the consideration of
our people. His suggestion is that when
the street railway companies are ready to
employ electricity as motor power, and
as is alleged to be true, that they can do SO
by the overhead wire cheaper than by the
use of horses as motors, that thew be
granted the privilege and urged to avail
of it upon this plan. AT every street
crossing or at such longer distances as may
be found proper and to answer the pur-
pose, spring from the second stories of the
business houses on eithersid of all business
streets very light and graceful arch rising
to the hight of the third story perhaps, at
its crown. These arches should be very
light, rather ornamental, and constructed
with view to creditable appearance as
well as to utility. They would be of such
open construction, involving no more than
two pieces, or three at the best, that their
cost would be comparatively small. .From
these arches let the overhead wires for
electrical railways be suspended. From
them let the street lights also depend
Along the centers of these arches let all
wires for telegraphs, telephones, fire
alarms and other purposes be strung, and
thus be removed wholly from house-tops,
over which they now pass and to which
they are now attached, and from the poles
along the street, three distinct kinds of
which are now planted upon one or the
other sides of all principal highways We
would thus get rid of the poles, render it
easy to transmit power to the cars, and
clear the roofs of wires that are now an
impeachment to firemen in their work. We
would be rid of the supports now employed
on the sides of the streets, and the thick
mass of wires also that run with the streets
but few feet from the second story fronts.
Certainly the suggestion has much merit,
and besides getting the wires on the streets
into better positions than along the lines
of walkways, We would, by this system en-
courage the massing of wires in cables.
conserve the distribution of power for
small manufacturing, and remove what is
here felt to be threat by all capital en-
gagged in the utilization of electricity, the
fear that an agitation will come on for the
running of wires under ground, system
that capital declares is impossible here
consistently with fair returns, and that is
feasible only in very large citieswhere there
is an immense patronage of the companies
and even there the underground system is
say the promoters OF. electrical schemes,
of doubtful economy as yet There is in
this matter so much food for thought and
suggestion, that We trust it will be SER
iously considered by the people of Sacra
mento. To us it appears meritorious, and
far preferable to the abandonment of cleo
trical power, the multiplication of wires
upon the side ways, the planting of poles
and the Encouragement of the introduce
tion of power for small manufacturing.