Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-18


horses and wagons.
tramway on record, vas laid by Mr.. Beaumont
in 1902, near Newcastle. England
1t seems surprising shat the first street rail-
way in any city for the conveyance of psssen-
gers should have boon laid as late as tho year
1882 This road was built in New York city.
strangely enough the enterprise did not pros
per. and not till 1852. when street railways
were revived in New York under the supervis-
ion Of Loubat. Q French engineer did this
mode OF transit begin to pay as an investment
GEORGE FRANCIS TRAIN, CHAMPION KaorIsr
and world grdler, was the father of the street
railways of London, and in fact Of all tram
ways in England for the conveyance Of passen-
gers. Though Mr.. Train tried to get an act Of
parliament in 1889 authorizing the construc-
ton OF. tram ways in London, government au-
thority was not granted till some ten years
later. By consent of the road authorities MIR.
Train caused tramways to be laid in Birken-
head and London in 1860. These tracks and
cars were indicted the following year as nui-
sances. and not till 1S69-'71, when enabling acts
were passed by parliament, did street railroads
become permanent features Of the cities of
London. Glasgow, Dublin, Edinburgh and
other British towns.
Old residents will recall tho fact that the
first street railway in this city, part of the
Pennsylvania avenue line. was constructed in
166l-62.
As necessary now to the social organism as
the veins and arteries are - the body, perhaps
the most pressing question at present in con-
nection with this SUBJECTS that of the best
mode OF propulsion-the power to be adopted
which shall be most advantageous for all con-
cerned in propelling street cars.
There may be some advantages in the use Of
horse cars which cannot be fully met by any
other system. Thus it il probable in crowded
cities there is less danger to vehicles and pub
lie travel as well as to passengers. in getting
on and Off cars where horses are the motive
force. sInco tho intelligence OF the animal,
brute though he is, aids in this direction.
On the other hand there is something due
from humanity to the brute, and where loads
are likely to be excessive, the grades steep and
withal speed demanded, we must OBJ .iousiy
look for some other motive power. With rail-
road companies, the wear and tear to the rail-
road surfaces caused by the horses feet the
cost OF horses and horse-keep and general ex-
penses relating to tho employment of the
animal, all constitute an equally important
question.
MOTOR POWER CONSIDERATIONS.
The considerations which should doubtless
weigh in determining this matter, in the order
of their importance, are:
First. Safety to passengers and travel
Second. Adequate power to haul heavy loads
on all grades as required.
Third. Adequate rate Of speed
Fourth: Avoidance Of smoke, gas, unpleasant
noise and odors.
Fifth. Economy in expenses.
For the purposes Of general street travel
steam power cannot be said to fulfill the first
requisite, since the puff and escape Of steam
the glare OF fire, especially at night, tend to
brighten horses, aud accidents could not but be
numerous.
To obviate these difficulties DR.. Lamme of
New Orleans experimental some years ago
with n small locomotive of his own invention
which ran without fire, the steam being sup
piled at intervals from stationary boilers. Tho
experiments were tolcrably satisfactory though
not sufficiently 30 to warrant the general adop-
ton of tho plan.
The first cable road for street cars was
located on Clay street. San Francisco and was
constructed in 1873. The best example Of a
line of this character performing heavy and
constant service is found on the New York and
Brooklyn bridge, which has bosa in contiuu-
Gus operation since September 2i. 1888; the
delays to travel from breakages and accident
not amounting to one minute per day, though
more than one hundred millions Of passengers
have been carried over the route Humani-
tarians accustomed to ride up the heavy grade
at Capitol Hill will be glad when tho cable,
now adopted by the Pennsylvania avenue COM
pany, is in operation.
THE EARLIEST PRACTICAL ELECTRIC RAILWAY
was constructed at the Berlin exhibition of
1879 by Dr. Werner Siemens. A special rail be-
tween the ordinary rails conducted the current
to the moving car; it then passed through a
motor dynamo on the car and to the ordinary
rails, completing the circuit.
In 1880 MIR. Edison ran his first electric en-
CINE on a track at Menlo Park. There are now
more than ninety electric plants operating in
the United States under patents of Edison
Field, Daft, Van Depoele Sprague and others
The lexington and Soldiers Home Electric
Street Railway Company of this city and also
the Tenleytown Company both use the Thorn
son-Houston system, with Sprague motor.
That there Is much antipathy in many cities
toward overhead poles and wires goes without
SAYING hence the favor which storage battery
traction is receiving. The Wheless conduit
system, with the electrical circuit under
ground is being tested in this city. This con-
struction company is located in Washington.
Coiled springs have been experimental upon
as motors for street cars Mr.. Leveaux Of
experiments. The limitations OF power IN
springs of this kind, however, prevent their
general adoption for this purpose
ONE OF THE LATEST DLvIcEs
for trauaway motors is that Of compressed air.
road to be operated by such power is now
in process Of construction on Brightwood ave-
nue. in this city. In a recent report Of Consul
General Rathbone of Paris the advantages Of
compressed air, as demonstrated by over two
years experience on the Nogentais tramway
near Paris are set forth as follows:
l. The motor does not omit smoke or hot
gases and il almost noiseIess.
2. greater speed is attained than with
horses when necessary.
3. special TRACK or overhead appliance is
unnecessary
4. Being very light it can DO easily handled
on steep grades.
5. Simple in form, it does not frighten
horses the machinery on the front platform is
almost invisible from the outside.
6. possible explosion of air reservoirs is
less dangerous than OF steam or superheated
water.
2. Maintenance in repair is very simple.
8. Only one person is necessary for managing
the machinery. and he is not necessarily o
skilled engineer.
8. In crowded days or times of day the num-
Der of passenger places may be easily aug
mented by the addition Of one or oven two or
binary cars, thus m aking a short train.
The principal consists in COMPRISING air, by
| means Of powerful engines. to forty or forty
five atmospheres and charging the motors at
this pressure. The air is first reduced to a
| pressure OF five to ten atmospheres and at tho
| same time heated to g high temperature and
charged with moisture. From the. heater
| (vouillotte) it passes to double expansion on
| CINE, where it acts like steam in moving pis-
| ton rod. The expense Of running o motor per
| day is said to be about $40 49, % francs).
The company operating in this city under
| the Judson patents use an entirely different
process A COMPRISING engine forces con-
| densed air into series Of small stationary en-
gines at intervals along the road. which by
| means o. gear serve to rotate an underground
| shaft laid in sections between the tracks. A
| connecting yoke from the car striking this