The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-10
THE BELT ELECTRIC LINE.
Nearly 100000 to Be Spent on Its
Present Line.


Eupt. Clement Saussy Of the Belt Line
was seen yesterday afternoon at the COM
pany's Office by MORNING NEWS reporter
and asked how the work OF the change of
the line from horse to electric power is pro-
crossing.
In reply Mr.. Saussy said that while some
OF the work has been done the greater por-
ton still remains to be done Seventy-two
poles have been put up, but it will take 800
for the present line. This number was oon-
tracted for to be delivered two weeks ago,
but only seventy-two have been
received. Those which have been erected
begin at the company's Office and run
north on Habersham to Gwinuett and -ea st
10 East Broad. Poles are up for over three
quarters of a mile. The balance of the
poles are expected in few days, when the
work of erecting them will begin as soon as
they are received
The heaviest part Of the work will be the
tearing up of the track to lay the ground
wire aud connect the rails with the wire.
This work must be done throughout the
whole of the 90 miles of line, and will re-
quire great deal of labor.
Eight new switches will have to be put in
to accommodate the electric cars which
will be run regularly, aud after these
swi ches are put In the old switches will be
abandoned The iron has arrived for two
new switches, and this work will begin at
once
The power house has been completed and
now awaits the engines which under the
contract should have been delivered and
put up by Aug. 81 last. There are 20 be two
engines Of $50 horsepower each.
Two Edison dynamos of eighty horse
power each have been contracted for and
are expected to be here In about two
weeks. Twelve motors have been con-
tracted for, eight Of the Thompson Hous-
ton system, and four of the Westing-
house system. A motor or electric truck is
required for each car, and this will give
the company twelve cars equipped with
electric motors, eight of which will be kept
In constant use.
The company is now running twelve cars
| regularly, which are scheduled to make the
round "trip of the line in seventy-two min
| utes. These cars make twelve trips each a
day, which makes total of 144 round trips.
With the electric system the cars are ex-
pected to make the trip in forty minutes, a
| reduction In time Of nearly one-half This
| will enable the electric car to make twenty
trips per day and with the eight cars which
the company expect TO run regularly, they
wall be enabled to make 100 trips every day,
| a gain Of ten trips per day, with reduction
of four cars and shortening of the sched-
ule time thirty-two minutes The contract
for the motors calls for their delivery by
Oct. 10, but they are hardly expected 50
soon.
Mr.. Saussy says that he has large force
of hands, and the work will 60 steadily for
ward until the change is completed. How
ever, he has no expectation of seeing the
the Belt Line moving by electricity before
| Christmas, and, in view of the immense
amount of work to be DONE he says he will
be well satisfied to have the line in oper-
alton by electric power by that time.
Mr.. Saussy was asked IL after the change
the Belt Line cars will have regular stopping
points or If they will stop wherever they
are signaled, as they now do In reply ht
said that the electric cars will stop only
at street crossings, and then only one
side of the street, the cars going soutt
stopping only on the south side of street
and the cars going north only on the north
| side.
Mr.. Saussy says the company will spend
between $50, 900 and 800, 900 in making the
change to electric power and In other wist
improving the plant. As soon as council
passes an ordinance authorizing the building
Of the line through the streets recently
granted the company, material for laying
the track and otherwise equipping the roac
will be ordered. and work will begin at once
The new line will be 3 " miles long. AS it will
Christmas before the work upon the presen
line is completed it will be some month
later before cars will be running over tn
new route.