Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-30
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
A Valuable Discovery Results From
an Accident-Why car. ar Running
Under Brooks Cross ing Viadue.
sam Davis Explain alton.

| hSStOOhtoi QioOOtciIcS are bOmeumtS
amor z the most potent TO mans advance
ment. This hiss been true of some of our
greatest invention. ana m ~ of the ad.
vantages we now enjoy are tracea BILE TO
the development of ideas founded on
casual observation. A striking illustra-
ton of this observation is af,
forded in the fact that cars are
now running under the Brooks crossing
viaduct. Fer weeks the Davenport &
Rock Island Street ra lway syndicate has
been suffering the pecuniary loss of
transferring it's through passengers to a
| horse car before going under the bridge
| because of the fear that there was not
| room enough under the viaduct for the
cars to clear. One or two experiments
were made and the trolley poles bowed
so that the wheel at the end of the pole
was thrown off the wire and in couse,
quence the power seized. The wire was
somewhat adjusted, but the electricians
were still in doubts as to the practical
everyday running of the cars over this
portion of the track. Many solutions of
the problem were proposed. discussed and
in turn abandoned. Supt. Willard. of the
Thomson Houston company. wrestled
with the subject until he was weary;
Managing Director Louderback, of the
Davenport & Rock Island Railway COM
pany, lay awake nights and thought it
over; General Superintendent Schnitger
had serious attack of insomnia on the
strength of il; Supt. of Motive Power
Frederick, lost his appetite, so great was
his brain trouble. while Assistant Super
intendent Hill sat out in front of the car
houses on Moline avenue ard
whitfield up a wagon tongue. in strug-
Cling with the matter. Finally the COM
psny's experts decided that one Of thre
things was necessary if the electric cars
were to run through to Moline on the Old
line-the present cars must be sent back
to st. Louis and lower ones ordered in
their p ace, or the cars in use must go up
and cross over the track or the aduct
must be raised. This latter alternative was
decided upon as affording the best way
out of the difficulty. The railroads were
applied to and the Rock Island courteous
lv agreed to raise its bridge, while the
Burlington, with equal public spirit, said
it would follow suit. This brought peace
to the distressed railway people.
but the thought of the delay occasionei
by such an operation remsined. One day
last week relief that was sweet and last.
ing came, and with it the exemplitication
of the theory that accidental discoveries
are oftimes valuable. A motorman
on red line electric car after pro.
ceeding as near to the viaduct as he c, uld
go 10 meet the horse car transfer, let his |
brake off VIII lie be went 10 the rear of the
car TO change the gates, etc when to | is
surprise the Car started AID before he
could gain the front pls,form it shot
around the curve and under the bridge.
The trolley kept the wire although the
power circuit had Lot been con
nected. But the Car made the run
all right and was under the VIA
duct before the moiorneer realized
what had happened. The conductor
too, was almost struck dumb with smaz,-
ment and for moment they looked at
each other in silent inquiry as to the best
move next. They didn't know whether
they had better 60 ahead or back up, or
whether they had not better desert the car
and flee. leaving tie company to make
the startling discovery of a car on the
upper side of the viaduct. Finally they
determined to get back on the west Size
as soon as possible if they had to push
the car by main force. The thought Of
going back by motive power donnei on
the motorneer, and reversing his trolley
pole, he applied the circuit and the car
glided through as smoothly as you please.
The circumsta noes were reported at the
car houses, and the cars have been rua.
ming since Sunday as far as the Corn
Planter works in Moline, and they will
be running to the end of the red line this
week probably. This is the story
Sam Davis tells and hence it
must be so. On the other hand, how
ever, steel trolley pole has been intro
duced on one of the red cars and is giving
much satisfaction, especially in running
under the bridge, while the poles on the
other cars on that line have been turned
upside down to do away with the bow in
the centre. which has heretofore thrown
the trolley wheel off. But the public
does not care as to authenticity. An
important discovery has been made, and
the patrons of the road are getting the