Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-23
KEEPING UP ITS MOVE
The Duquesne Traction Company's
Contracts for Machinery
TO BE LET In BOSTON TODAY.
Street Sprinklers to be Attached to Cable
and Electric Flats.
DUST AFFECTING CONDUCTORS LUNGS

Chief Engineer George s. Rice, of the
Duquesne Traction Company, left last even
ing for Boston to place contracts with the
Houston Electric Company for
the use of the latter's system on the road.
He will order 500 horse power in boilers
and eight 200 horsepower high-speed auto
matte engines to run the electric generators.
1t is expected that the machinery will be on
its way to this city within few weeks. The
work on the power house on Craig street
is being pushed as rapidly as possible, and
an extra effort will be made to have it COM
pleted be ore the contracted time.
The Pittsburg Traction Company has o
scheme to sprinkle the streets, which, al
though not original, is a novel idea. Il
will place q contract with Studebaker
Bros, the weil-known wagon manufac-
turers Of South Bend, Ind, for large tank
to hold 1000 gallons of water. The tank
will be made of wood and will be built on
a fat car. 1t will be horseshoe shape, 10
feet long by AZ feet in diameter each way,
and will be equipped with two levers to
regulate the supply of water to the sprink-
ling pipes.
HOW IT WILL WORK.
The fiat car upon which the tank will
rest will be attached to cable car, and run
through the streets at the same speed as the
grip cars. A man will be stationed on the top
of the tank to shut off or turn on the water as
the case requires.
The tank will be so constructed that a slight
spray or heavy shower can be elected at the
will of the man in charge. The car will be run
out of the sheds early each morning and will
be kept on the road all day. The object of the
company In running the sprinkler is to prevent
dust from rising and settling in the cars. East
OF the Washington street power house the cars
go so fast that heavy draft is caused under
the cars, and the dust and dirt are forced
up over the rear dashboard. Within the past
three or four days the dust has been so thick
that it affected the throars and lungs of the
conductors, who are compelled to stand on the
platform. A wellknown Oakland physician
SAYS he had treated several cases of sore throat
and hoarseness among the conductors, caused
on this account, and the flying dust was dan
gerous to the lives of the men. 1t is also inju-
rious to new uniforms, to say.nothing OF the
cars.
The Penn avenue line has been experiment.
ing with one of the cable sprinklers for the
past three or four days and IL gives perfect sue
cess. The Second avenue electric line and
other traction roads will also probably run the
cars during the summer.
sPRINKLERs FOR THE PARK,
Chief Bigelow. of the Department of Public
Works, yesterday placed q contract with
Josiah F. Day, of the Studebaker Company
for two 55Qgallon sprinklers to be used in
Schenley Park. The chief stated that they
would be one of the luxuries of the park. and
he would have everything conducive to the
health and the pleasure of the people. The
tanks will be Sbout the same as those used on
the streets by the department
The Birmingham Traction Company yester-
day commenced laying the track for its new
electric road at South Thirty-fourth street.
The road will run out that much further than
at present. The roadbed will be put down very
solidly. Trails will be used. The track Will be
first put down on Carson street to South Tenth,
the cars running on Sarah street. In this way
traffic will not be interferred with to any great
extent.
The work on the Smithfield street bridge ex-
tension is progressing rapidly. and will be
ready by the time the rest of the road is fin
ished.