Telegram-herald., 1890-11-29
THE ELECTRIC ROAD
+. J. Baker, OF Chicago, inspeeis
the Road % ths LAKE.
TROA IRELiEE 10 TIE TONER CLOCK
ns ssys Ih4t ThSrs Are so Diineaitiss IA
me nsy of fhs ks4d az tfAa
skiss - dsFAntsa ~it " iti Give
stK-Miuuts Ssrsfee.

f. j. Baker, OF the United Electro
Trscuon Company, Of New York, Nas
10 the city yesterday u look over the
plant OF the Reeds Lake Electric roAd
and make al estimate u tie additions,
that must be made M order 10 bring the
line into the center OF the city, ia case
the council should grant Il q franchise.
The TEIE6RAN-HKRALD went over the
line With him aud found the road u
excellent working order. The car
starts and stops without any disagree
able jar, and runs swiftly and smoothly
the entire length OF the road. The
turns are made with remarkable ease.
Al the power house one man Was III
charge besides the fireman, and ne
seemed 20 have an easy time
of IL, the automatic high speed
engine taking care OF itself and one
of the three, nifty horsepower general
Ors furnishing all the necessary power.
Mr.. Baker said That 20 operate the road
ana give slX-mlnute passenger service
10 and from the lake would require slN
motors and perhaps II would be well "a
have seven 20 furnish the extra power
required for big days at the lake.
Another engine OF the same power as
the one now IN use Will Oe necessary,
and IN order 20 have duplicate power
plant 10 use IN case OF accident or
emergency, 10 Will be well 10 naye.tnree
more dynamos. There Is plenty OF
boiler capacity for the required increase
of power, SD that there need be 10
further expense IN that direction.
Leaving the road at the East-St. END OF
the line, the party walked down Ful-
ton-st TO observe the grade. "Thls
grade" said Mr.. Baker, will be no
obstacle 10 overcome. doubt If II IS IS
much as seven per cent" The
profile of FultOn-st. IN the
city engineers Office shows
that between Lafayette and Prospect
sts. the grade IS 94-l0O per cent. and
between Lafayette and Ransom-sts. the
grade ranges from TO per cent.
There is an electric road IN successful
operation IN Richmond, Va, that has q
grade of 10 per cent. for a space of 1000
feet, and IN Milwaukee there is q 10
per cent. grade. Here there is less
than per cent. for a space of 400 feet.
That Is the only place along the line
where there Is any grade 10 speak OF.
''ls the electric railway system an
assured successI" inquired the TELE-
GRAN-HERALD.
at most assuredly is" replied Mr..
Baker. "There are electric roads in
operation IN l30 cities today, with 8
total mileage OF 1900 miles, and employ
ing 1900 electric motors and 5000 ears.
BY the first OF next May the present
mileage will be doubled"
GLOW about the system being danger
ousT'
"The pressure with which our current
is run is far below the dangerous point.
At about 800 10 $50 volts the current
becomes dangerous, but we do not run
il higher than 440 volts. That pressure
gives powerful shock, that is not
pleasant to take, but 1t will not XIII q
person. In coming down grade, the
electric system has an advantage over
any other, as the motors can be instant
ly reversed, and, II necessary, the car
can be backed up the nil instead of
rushing down to destruction. There is
no question but that electricity is the
coming power for street railway ser
wee"
1t is said that several of the promI-
nent citizens and property owners on
Fulton-st. have signed a petition TO the
council, asking it to grant franchise
10 the electric road.