Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-30
OF THE ELECTRIC CARS AGAIN.

wire electrical system of propelling street
cars to this city still hangs fire. The
| RECORD UNION has freely expressed itself
in favor of the grant being made. In SO
doing it reflected the sentiment of the
people of the city. The subject will come
before the Trustees again On Monday. If
| at that time there is still hesitation the
city will probably lose the opportunity
that now presents of securing the new
method of propulsion.
| If there is doubt concerning the rrac-
teal working of these systems of propul-
sion-there being several patents-then
| the experience of other cities should be
received as conclusive. The Boston DAILY
Advertiser recently sent out letter of in
quiry to the Mayor of every city of con-
siderableimportance where the system has
been introduced, and in its issue of August
| 14th it publishes many of the responses,
both for and against the system, and as
fast as space permits will give them all.
The advertiser asked the Mayors con-
corning the overhead-wire system. 1t
called for information whether the system
has improved the street car service;
whether it has resulted in the death of
any one; if the people feel apprehension OF
danger from it; whether the system has
the friendship or antagonism of the people,
and finally, facts concerning the general
success or the failure of the system.
The responses are unanimous one
exception only-in Endorsement of the
electrical system of propulsion; that the
people are all friendly to it, that it results
in no unusual number of accidents, not
more than with most other motive powers,
and that it has greatly improved The car
service. The responses published from
Mayors of towns may be thus classified:
Minneapolis, Utica, Macon, Akron. Will
mington, Atlantic City, Saltwater, Lynn,
| Toledo, Knoxville, Scanton, Troy, Asbury
Park, Rochester, Richmond, Ind, Albany,
Augusta, Ca, Wichita, Kans, st. Louis,
Louisville and St. GATHERINGS, Quebec.
send responses that the overhead system is
success; that no accidents have occurred,
and no deaths by electric shock have taken
place. The people are pleased with the
system; the service is much improved, out
side property is enhanced in value, speed
is gained, and the people are demanding
extensions of the lines.
The Mayors of Albany, of St. Louis, and
of Richmond, Ind, dwell upon the greatly
increased patronage given the lines since
the substitution of electricity for horses.
The response from Nashville is that
every horse car 10 the city has changed to
electricity; that Nashville has the largest
electrical railway system in the United
States except that of Boston. and that the
roads are being extended in all directions.
Three horses have been killed by rusted
telephone wires falling across the railway
trolley wires and conveying the current to
the ground that in one instance negro
woman seized hold of such fallen tele-
phone wire and was Frustrated moment
arily, but not injured, and soon arose and
walked off.
The response from Cleveland, Ohio, is
that the system is satisfactory. Life has
been lost, but in no case has it been shown
to be due to the current, and most of the
accidents are due to carelessness in getting
off or on the cars while in motion. Some
horses have been killed, but doubt exists
whether by the current or by Gross with
electric light wires. The chief suggestion
from Cleveland is, that rails should be
provided to prevent passengers getting off
the cars on the inside of lines, as they are
apt to be crushed by passing cars; and this
is true of all double track street cars no
matter Whist the motor used.
The Richmond, Va, report is that some
people have been hurt by being run into
by the street cars. A few horses have
been killed by falling wires. The Mayor
says the people consider the system better
than any other they have had, and he in
dorses the system as success but advises
watchfulness to prevent wires falling.
The Newport, r. l., report is that acci-
dents have happened at that watering
place by reason of telephone wires falling
across the railway wires, but no one has
been killed. There is hostility to the
electric railway by the people, but it is
due to the wealthy summer residents, who
wish privacy and do not care to have
wires and cars invade their seclusion.
The St. GATHERINGS report is that they
have eight miles of electric road that in
three years time the road has carried
more than 100000 people between
Moulton, Thorold and st. GATHERINGS, but
there has not been single accident among
that large number of passengers. Horses
become scared at first on seeing car NOV
ing without horses drawing it, but soon
become accustomed to the system. A SIM
liar report is made from Syracuse, N. Y,
where the system has been in active ope-
ration two years, and is a complete sue
cess.
The Springfield, Mass, report is very
enthusiastic, and Mayor Bradford says
there is nothing but favorable comment
upon the road; that it is model line,
the best among all electric roads, and that
it has had fine effect in bringing suburban
residence into favor.
These reports make it easy to under
stand that the electric roads are successful;