Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-07-26
THE PENNOCk POWER.
The Coming Trial Of the New system
OF Electric Railway Propulsion at
Peoria.

OF Electric Railway Propulsion at
Peoria.
The Peoria Transcript of yesterday
contained the following further facts
with reference to the Pennock electric
railway system, which is soon to be given
a trial in that city. as heretofore described
in the ARGUS, and which the public
everywhere is watching with deep inter-
est
For several months the new system of
electrical propulsion has been the topic
of conversation among people in this city
and Chicago. Ever since the Central
Railway company put in the trolley sys-
TEN, Capt. Hall, of the Fort Clark line.
has been looking about for a more im>
proved system. He desired to put in the
overhead system about two years ago. but
the city council did not favor improve
ments unless they were in it, and he was
forced TO abandon the plan, although he
had already purchased poles and placed
considerable of his track in condition to
receive heavy cars.
More recently the Pennock system has
been attracting great deal of attention,
and trial is to be made IN this city. Ii
promises to revoluiionize power for pro-
polling street cars. In the Pennock sys-
TEN each car carries its own battery for
generating electricity, and every car is.
consequently. an independent motor, and
the breakage of wire or break down at
the power house does not affect the en-
tire line. II the system works as it is ex>
pected to, Capt. Hall will adopt it at
once.
Geo. B. Pennock, the president of the
Pennock Electric Railway system. ac>
companied by hr. Ed. L. Smith, the gem
eral manager of the same corporation. ar
rived in the city last night and are stop
ping at the National. These gentlemen,
together with Capt. Hall, OF the Fort
Clark road, were seen at the hotel last
evening. and all were in accord with the
statement that the Pennock electric sys-
TEN would finally supercede all other
electric railways.
Mr.. Pennock will today inspect the en-
tire line of the Fort Clark road and de-
termine the number of motor cars neces
sary to thoroughly equip the outfit.
The Peoria Journal says on the SUBJ
ject:
Dynamo manufacturers have for q
long time pooh.hoOed the idea that there
could be any success with galvanit
battery But Mr.. PenDock brings tC
their notice some things that a primary
battery has already accomplished as 6
motor power. After experimenting foi
five years Prof. jacob in 1889 propelled
boat thirty feet long. carrying load o.
about 5000 pounds, down the river New
at the rate of three miles per hour. Hi
motor was of the crudest kind. and tn
electric power came from sixty cells o
the Daniel type, giving him at the ter
minals about so volts and one smpere
In the same year Robt. Davidson, o
London, experimental with an electri
railway car, 16 feet long. and carried
weight of 1900 pounds, at a rate of
miles an hour. He also use
the cells. Again in 1851, the pri
mary battery made a most notabl
showing, propelling an electric motor ca
of great weight at the rate of 90 miles q
hour between Washington, d. c.. an
Bladenburg. Maryland. This trial wa
made by Prof. Page. of the Smithsonia
institute. he securing his electric powe
for his 10 h. p. motor from the Grove bal
terry, and when we stop to consider tn
crude magnetic motor. the unscientifi