Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-25

The fact that we are to have COM
plete system ofelectric railways in the
tri cities so near in the future attaches
special interest to everything that can
be learned upon the success of electricity
as motive power. which, as q conse-
quence, becomes a matter OF current in>
terest. The city of Des Moines prides
itself on the most complete electric equip
ment in Iowa, and one of the beet in the
United States. The tri-city equipment
will be second largest-excelled only by
Boston-when 1t is in complete operation,
but Des Moines' electrical plant has at
tracted attention for some time and there
has been much surmise as to how it
would come out of its first winter encoun-
tel. The Leader, of that city, has fur
nished some interesting information on
the subject. 1t says:
There was no little apprehension and
great natural curiosity to note the sue
cess of the Des Moines electric system of
street railroad during the last winter
:
italists to inaugurate the new system of
running street cars by electricity was q
bold move, requiring considerable conf>
dence. The results have been more than
satisfactory. A victory has been won for
electric traction and the public has come
TO have perfect faith and confidence in
the new propelling power. Now that
winter is over the country is discussing
Z aAr nSrah 10 al - M
Moines takes great pride in its electric
system of street railroads, and its record
for reliability during the past winter will
compare favorably with any road in the
country. On seeking for particular
| information at the Office of the COM
pany as for its storm record, the re-
porter was shown the daily record
book. The first heavy snow storm of
the week occurred on January l, and
being New Years day will be easily
| recollected as one of extreme severity.
The appliances for fighting this, snow
plows, scrapers and etc, were kept upon
the tracks, run by electricity, and were
successful in keeping the routes open to
travel throughout the day. Parties liv-
ing or visiting at houses remote from the
tracks thought surely the cars would not
be running, and telephoned for hacks
What was their surprise and chsgrin to
see the warm well-lghted cars bowling
along, while the horses attached to the
hacks were ploddng painfully through
the great drifts of snow. The record
shows other storms more or less severe,
on February s. March L, 2, 3, z, s, IS
and on the Goth, sleet storm. On every
one of these days the system was in
operation, and cars running very little
behind time. if any, and at no time DUR
ing the whole winter has there been a tie
| up of the cars, caused by the elements.
This is great victory for the believers
in electricity for street railroads, and puts
to flight all doubts regarding its reliability
in winter time. the test has been
severe one during the past storm season,
| and the Des Moines Street Railway COM
pany has gone through it successfully.
The April number of the Street Rail-
way Journal has devoted great deal of
space to the discussion of this part of
the street railway question. II saws.
The storm on Tuesday, March 3, was
the heaviest experienced in Boston for
years. The fall was not less than IS
inches, and altogether the storm was one
unusually severe and exceptional in char,
acter and uniting many trying conditions.
In spite of ell difficulties, however, the
electric service won complete victory.
and the result showed how effectively
good apparatus and good administration
can overcome furious storm. The stu
alton is best summed up in the words of
Mr.. Burchmore, o; the West Erie COM
pany, who said: so far as detentions
and DELAYS went. we should not have
known that we were contend:ng with
grCa. storm