Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-30
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
A Valuable Discovery Results Frem
an AceIdent-Why ear. ar Runnias
Under Brooks Crossing viaduet.-
Sam Davfs. Explain alton

vantages We now enjoy are traces bic 10
the development of ideas founded on
casual observation. A striking illusra-
ton of this observation is sf>
forded in the fact thst cars are
now running under the Brooks crossing
viaduct. Fer weeks the Davenport &
Rock Island Street rs lwsy syndicate hiss
been suffering the pecuniary loss OF
transferring it's through passengers to q
horse car before going under the bridge
because Of the fear that there vas not
room enough under the viaduc, for tie
cars to clear. One or two experiments
were made and the trolley poles bowed
so that the wheel st the end of the poe
was thrown of the wire aud in couse.
quence the power seized. The wire was
somewhat adjusted, but the electricians
were still in doubts IS 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 Louderosck, of the
Davenport s. Rock Island Railway COM
pauy, lay swake nights snd thought il
over; General Superintendent Schuitger
had serious sttsck of insomnia on the
strength Of i; Supt Of Motive Power
Frederick. los, 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 q wagon tongue. in sirgg-
Cling with the matter. Finally the com
pany's experts decided that one % tkre
things was necessary il the electric cars
we're TO rGa through 10 Moline on the cd |
line-the present cars must be sent back |
TO ST. Louis snd lover ones ordered in |
their p see. or the cars in use must go up |
sud cross over the track or the aduct |
mus: be raised This latter alternative was
decided upon IS sfording the best way /
OFT OF the difficulty. The railroads we're |
spilled to aud the Rock Island codr;e Us
" agreed TO raise its bridge, while the |
Burlington. with equal public spirit. said
il would follow suit. This brought peace
to the distressed railway people.
but the thought of the delay occasionei
bT such al operation remsined. Oae day /
last week relief that was sweet and last.
ing came, ard with it The disqualification
Of the theory that accidental discoveries
are ofiimes valuable. 4 moto-msa
on a red line electric csr, after pro-
ceediug as near 20 the visduct as be c. u,d
go 10 meet the horse car transfer, let his
brake Of wh lie be went TO the rear of the
car 10 change the gates. etc, WHEN to Is
could gain the front platform it shot
around the curve and uncer the bridge
Tie trolley kept the wire although the
power circuit had Lot BEEN con
nected- But the Car usde The run
al right ard was under the via.
duct before the uo;orneer realized |
what had happened The Conductor
too, was almost struck dumb with smsza-
mert and for 8 moment they looked a. |
each other in silent irQ Iiry as to the best
move next They dida'I know whether
they had better 60 ahead or back up, or
whether they had not better desert the car
and fee, leaving tie company to make
the startling discovery of car on the
upper side of the visduct. Finally they
determined to get back on ite west Size
as soon as possible if they had 10 push
the car By main force. The thought IF
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.
Inc circumstances were reported st the
car houses, aud 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 sorry
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
uude- 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
beneft-so is the road
1t is to be hoped, nevertheless, that the
railroad companies will not abandon