The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-10

of placing the electric system of street
cars in Roanoke, about the objections
raised to the plans of the Street Rail-
way Company.
Speaking of Salem avenue, Mr. Lynch
said: ''Itwill seriously interfere with
the plans ~ prohibit the construction of
the line there. We propose to give Roa-
noke something in the way of rapid
transit that she has not seen. There
will be four separate systems on the
south side of the Norfolk and Western-
one running out Jefferson and returning
on Commerce, with two cars: one out
Campbell with two cars, and one out Sa-
lem with two cars.
The dummy will be taken off the
Ninton extension, and Cwo electric cars
put on, one leaving jefferson street
evcry twenty minutes. One car will be
run on the. extension in the northeast
section. Yhe fine cars on the systems
Ill the southwest section will pass over
the tracks on Campbell and Salem. and
passengers from all parts of the city
will be constantly conveyed to the husi-
ness center. If we are kept off OF
Salem 1T will be necessary to double
track Campbell from jefferson to Com
melce.
The business men on Salem don't
seem to'realizc the benefits to be afforded
by this thorough system of transporta-
ton that will take customers to their
doors from al over the city. There is
now Il considerable amount of wagon
travel on salem. avenue that is unneccs-
sary. With an electric street railway
it would be less crowded. and with
properly constructed drays it would not
Interfere with merchants in the hand
ling of their goods. If the railway does
not go on Salem avenue it will lose its
Importance as the business center. The
drift is already to Campbell and street
railway is oil that will save it.
what about the Il rail?"
THAT is the most satisfactory. The
last lines laid in New York used tho II
rails. They arc no obstruction if the
streets are paved, and it is impossible
to get any kind of track that will be
satisfactory in every respect with the
present condition of the streets. With
Tho a .raiasS.the pavement can be laid
along the outside of the tracks and level
with the rails. The cobble-stonc be-
tween the rails can be replaced with
pavement with q crevice wide enough
for the flanges of the car wheels. The Il
rails are laid on iron chairs, fastended
to the ties, and are the most substan-
tial.''
What is the advantage of running
the tracks along the sides of resident
strectS?"
Ito run in the center Of the streets a
line of posts will have to DO planted on
each side and supporting wires suspend
cd across the streets from the posts
and wires conveying the current for
propciling the cars extended over them.
This is unsatisfactory, as the support
ing wires are constantly charged with
electricity and easily broken. as there
is IL heavy strain upon them. Two rows
of posts with the cross wires are un-
slightly. With the tracks along the
sides of the streets. only one row of
posts Will be necessary, and the wires
Will be suspended by brackets extend
ing from the posts. The two lines of
posts are cheaper than the single row
with the brackets, but the latter is much
more durable and satisfactory.
The Street Railway Company
realizes the fact that Roanoke is to be Il
city OF Importance and wants to put in
the most substantial system of rapid
transit. The Westinghouse system has
been adopted. and it is conceded to be
the best. The cars. when running at
full speed. can be stopped and reversed
within half their own length. The
gearing is enclosed by an iron box,
which is filed with grease, eliminating
the noise of the motor
Juniper poles, which are the smooth
est, and most lasting. have been ordered
from the swamps of North Carolina. All
the material for the road has been
ordered. AS soon as the privileges of
the company are settled work will be
commenced. Mr.. Lynch said that large
force of hands would be put to work,
and the new system put in operation by
the middle of December.
SEIZED THE CONSTITUTION.