The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-25
ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.
Progress OF EAlson's 1nvestIgats0ns-N'
Longer An Experiment.

Progress OF EAlson's lnvestIgaks0ns-Ns
Longsr An Experiment.
New York, Oct. M.-Ths general princi-
ple OF Thomas A. Edison's electric street
car invention in that the electric current
passes down through one line Of rails. ID
picked up by the car, passes through the
motor beneath 1t, and goes ont on the other
side and returns through the other limo of
rails 10 the central power station. At tho
Arat Thought the bare idea of this ID para
doYic.i- The question will naturally ocour
vhv Inc electric current does not dissipate
itself in the ground. Io this NO positive
reason can be ASSIGNED except the bare
statement that it doea not. In general
terms the effect is accomplished BY having
the current one of low voltage, or pressure.
II ia a weil-settled principle OF electrical
research that the higher the voltage the
greater must be the insulation. and that the
lower the voltage can 6e nroagnt me .esa
ments have all been in this d~irection--thas
ia to say, in the endeavor to construct .
motor sufficiently powerful to do the work
in which the voltage was reduced TO SO low
a point that tina natural tendency OF the
electric current to fy off to the ground and
be d~issipated would DO overcome. and the
passage through the motor to the opposite
rail would be easier for the current than to
pass through the ground to the centra! sta
ton. The plan Of having q central ran for
the return current vas s.a on ho 70,
perfected 90 that it would work eftioientiy
Mr.. Edison found that he could dispense
with the central rail and return the current
directly through the station to the Opposite
rail. "" @s !
great laboratory in West Orange. Here an
Experimental track nearly a quarter OF q
mile long was constructed through the tao-
ratory yard down to the yard OF the hoson
Photograph works. In it's length Is pre-
scented all the various kinds OF olmcuIs1es
that ACTUAL use would encounter: A part q
il was laid ON a heavy grade OF nearly 5o
feet to the mile; there are severa! sharp
curves in the road and q portion OF ~ Tuhs
through a sunken spot where the track coola
be flooded with water or covered with mud:
In this way all the varying conditions OF
actual use were provided.
The experiments have been fully com
pletsd and the invention passes out OF the
experimental stage into the second
its adaptation to practical! work.
experiments have been made by Mr.
company, and until Mr.. Edison has turned
the invention over to that company for ac- =
tual work the minute details OF the lnven- I
zion are of necessity withheld from the i
Enough. however. has been said to
show the character Of the invention. s
The voltage of the current employed will
As has been said, very low. less than lO0. 9
xhile the average voltage OF the overhead
rolley system is in excess of 500. From I
it will be seen what a great revolution r
he new invention will effect in the whole
of electric traction. Several prom
nent horse railroad systems have offered
heir Iines to the Ediaon General Electric ),
company for the introduction of the inven- Z
ion, and it is probable that a seleotion will b
% made in the near future and arrange q
nents made to put the first practical e1- a
,erimental line in operation. The most r,
feature of the invention is in a
,ne line of rails. A novel and ingenious r
mechanism has been SO arranged that 1t
will work with perfect certainty and ef-
cot through six inches of mud or. slush or
vater.