The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-14
ELECTRIC CANAL BOATS.
Introduction of the New Motive Power
Would Ruin the Industry.

Would Ruin the Industry.
There has appeared in a mechanical
publication the following statement:
An electric engineer, of Buffalo, sug-
gests plan 10 reduce very largely the
cost of transportation on the Erie canal
His plan is TO adopt the trolley system,
now generally in use on street railways,
to the canal. If the overhead trolley
system can be applied TO street railways
at q cost of about half that of horse
power, ne argues, why can it not take
the place of canal mules with like re-
duction of cost? The poles and other
appliances for the overhead wires, and
in fact the whole plant, covering the
whole length of the canal. could be
readily arranged without hindrance to
navigation. The span would not be too
wide at any point.
A reporter asked the opinion Of Mr..
William c. Miller, the electrical engi-
neer of the Watervliet Railroad com
pany. Mr. Miller said: "Why, certain
ly it can be done. do not see why the
same motive power of turning wheel
by the electric current cannot be util
lied on a canal boat as well as on a car.
The only question is the cost. II they
want to put through such scheme it
will cost money. AS TO there being
reduction of expense from that required
for horse or mule power / cannot say, as
am not well enough acquainted with
the canal to know"
A very extended and interesting opin-
ion on the feasibility Of the canal cleo
trical scheme was given by Mr. John d.
Roman, of the Roman Towing line. Mr..
Roman said: 1.-The plan which you ex-
plain to me IS not new one by any
means. The first man who broached the
Erie canal trolley system 10 me was an
Albanian, who is demented on the sub
ject of electricity. l think of course
merely from practical, not a scientific,
point of view that the scheme Is i'm
practicable.
"There are a thousand and one objec-
tions TO it which present themselves to
any mind. Take, for instance, the
trolley scheme. Itmust be remembered
that il is canal boats and not horse cars
that are TO be run now. The horse car
is forced to go in a certain line by the
solid tracks. But would not q canal
boat waver so from side 10 side that il
would be impossible 10 keep q trolley
wheel on that set wIrel Then there
would be the continual probability Of
the wires blowing down and IN other
ways being damaged. How are ths
trolleys % be managed going through
locks, Boats, you know. do not travel
up and down grade IN sn inclined posi-
ton as a car does-they are always on a
level. What would they do az tho SIX.
teen locks with the trolley system.
Il think the trolley system on the
canal is utterly out Of question. Il en-
braces SO many points where complies
tiOus might srlse. and 80 much cost Of
construction, that think u j. entirely
imprscticable. supposing It were adopt !
ed. Supposing that ali the : 900 OF more |
boats on the canal were On that one. CT 1
the two. wires. ~ any time boat Il I
liable TO leak or 70 have sn accident oc- |
cur 70 It's motor What then Is 70 be |
donef Il would block the whole canal. |
and that could not - hAorde1- One oi
the main points-I vii cay the main |
point--in the Introduction q this system |
would be ia reduction q expense. That 1
Is what we are looking for. Az canal /
boats are now constructed the iutroduc- !
ton Of ;bs trolley system would Eevol1- |
tionize the whole hne.
There would have 20 Be special boatS /
built for the introduction Of motors and |
propelling wheels That would throw /.
the great army of canal boats that are
now beng Used OF the canal, fer DC /
boats that did not run by electricity 1
could navigate IN those waters. Can We
afford 70 DO this, Thsn the Introduction /
of = motor into a canal beat wS1Jd In /
crease "a t5unAgs greatly and, / w0uld .
say, reduce IL carrying capacity almost 1
% peE ceu. --AIbsrT ATEuz