The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-01
RAIL AND cROssrIg.

After to-day 1000 mile books issued by
the Richmond and Danville railroad will be
good over the controlled lines of that svs-
TEN as we'll as over its own main line. This
includes the Central.
The trestle at Hatchett Creek on the
Columbus and Western railroad, which was
burned week yesterday, and on account
OF which most disastrous wreck occurred,
has been rebuilt. The new structure is
seventy feet long and sixty-hve feet high.
In the development OF the electric railway
America leads the world. Three years ago
there were ouly thirteen electrical roads in
the United States; now there are over 400.
and the advices from every part OF the
country indicate that before the close Of the
present year the number wall be increased
TO 800. The capital now invested in Ameri-
can electric railways exceeds $75, 900.
The East Tennessee has put its foot down
on the proposed consolidation of the Queen
and Crescent and the Central traffic office
at Chattanooga. By the proposed union
several men could have been dispensed with
but, more than that. the Queen and Cres-
cent could have turned business over TO the
Central, to the loss Of the East Tennessee. This
This the East Tennessee could not agree TO,
and things will remain as they have BEEN
The postoffice department has for several
months been advertising for an improved
system of catching mail pouches by moving
trains, The present crane, which hooks the
bag from post at the side OF the track, is
not satisfactory. la response to the appeal
OF the department a great many devices
have been submitted. but the one which is
received with most favor is the invention
OF an Indianapolis genius. A oblonR win
dow is cut in the side Of the postal car down
near the sill OF the car. At the side of the
track stands a device which exposes
an arm In such position that the pass
ing car strikes it. This arm works on
pivot at the center, and when the
car strikes one end and throws it away
from the track the opposite end of the arm
is thrown forward with a quick, sudden
jerk. The arm here described Isl supplied
with rest for a mail pouch and when the
car, in passing, strikes the exposed end of
the lever, the opposite end is brought for
ward with the sudden motion above de-
scribed with the effect OF throwing the
mail pouch into the opening cut in the
| mail car. and thus landing it safely on
board. By device quite as simple, pouch
is thrown from the car automatically ant
| deposited in box on the side OF the road
The idea is new departure in mai
catchers.
The following statistics have been COM
| piled from returns made by street railway
| companies TO the United States aud Canada
to the middle of September: Total mum.
Der OF miles, IL, 0SO; number of miles oper
ated by animal power, ), 443; by electricity
5000; by steam motors, 1918; by cable
$50; total number of cars employed in
street railway traffic, 36,517; number Of
cars operated by animal power, 81, 424; by
electricity. 6, 1872; by cable, 3,3l7; by steam
motors, 1,044; number of horses en-
ployed, 8S,1l4; Of mules employed
12,0O2; of steam motors, 200: num-
Der OF companies operating street railway
lines, l,OO3; by animal power, 537; by cleo
tricitY, 4l2; by cable. 81 engaged in build
ing new lines. about Is. Since November
1890, the number of horses employed or
street railway lines has fallen from 1l6, 795
to 50. ia; that is, 2S,6Sl in one year. Al
this rate, it will not take long to emancipate
the horse from street railway business
According to the official figures taken from
one Of the street railway journals for the
month Of October, 1891, Philadelphia leads
with $40 miles of single track and after the
Quaker city comes Chicago, with 452 miles
New York with $50 miles; Brooklyn
with 285; Boston with 1888; St Louis
215 Baltimore, 207 San Francisco, POS
Cleveland. 1872; Cincinnati. IS0; Pittsburg,
1853; Kansas City, 141; New Orleans, 1879
| Louisville. 1872; Buffalo, no; Minneapolis,
| 10l; Los Angeles, 80; Detroit. "a; Birming-
ham, Ala, 80; st. Paul, 30; Washington, S.
The official figures of the census just com.
pleted show that In December, 1889, 47f
cities and towns possessed rapid transit facil-
| ties; and it is now difficult to find any towr
| of 5 900 inhabiranti without one or more
street railways.