Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-10
STREET CAR PROPULSION.
The Trolley System Must Give Way 90 One
Lc<s Dangerous.


The Trolley System Must Give Way % One
Le<s Dangerous.
Special Correspondents Of The Evening star.
NEW YoRk, August 10, 1894.
A good deal Of interest ID felt here and else
where in the experiments that have been made
In Washington In the use Of storage batteries
for propellng street cars. II IL an undoubted
fact that while the use OF electricity from over
head wires for propelliag street cars is q great
advance step over horse power, in the matter
Of economy, speed and convenience, IL is not
without lite dangers. Col Hannum Of Cam
bridge. Mass, who has had an opportunity 10
study the system in Cambridge and Boston, and
New England in general, said TO THE STAR cor
respondent in talking Of the use Of electricity
for propelling street cars: 1T has been advan-
tageous, to be sure. yet human life Is too sacred
TO sacrifice for q matter OF this kind"
do you mean BY this that the trolley system
life?"
Eyes: undoubtedly. We have had numerous
cases in which IL has proved fatal: some OF
them only horse, to be sure, but in other
Does the study of this system seem to re-
duce the fatalitiesY"
mo; I think the number Of fatalities in.
crease. OF course the number of trolley lines
have greatly increased, and il may be that the
number Of fatalities do not increase in a greater
proportion than do the street car lines. Blu,
either way il is bad enough; too bad, in fact
am inclined to think, however, that the wea,
upon the trolley system lines, cars, connections.
&C., results in an increased number Of acct
dents OF this kind 1t seems TO me that our
experiments in this home Of the trolley sys
tem-for New England has more trolley system,
4hor x,fk>> 4ofSA h. -
indicates that the older the lines are the greater
the danger. There are plenty Of people in
Cambridge and Boston now who would not ride
on trolley car during thunder storm"
why not?'
because in q recent thunder storm Their,
seems to have connected with the wires and run
down through the machinery OF the car. Al
least II burnt up through the bottom OF the cal
and played havoc, creating great alarm among
the people. There are plenty Of people cog
infant OF that incident, and who would not nov
remain on trolley car during q thunder
storm"
What are your experiences with reference Il
q substitution OF any other electric system foi
the overhead wires?'
THAT 10 q matter Of experiment vet, though
some Of the experiments that have been triec
have proved quite successful. There is lin,
OF road now in operation at Q point near Bos
ton which is operated by storage batteries yer,
successfully. II is claimed that the weight o.
the batteries has been reduced about one-half
SO that the cars when loaded with the storag,
batteries weigh little il anything more thar
those now used for the trolley system. The,
are able to get good rates Of speed with tn,
storage batteries, run up the steep grades. and
in fact do anything that the trolley system
does"
And how about the matter Of expense? Thi
has been the difficulty in Washington, that the
expense OF the storage battery system was alto
gether too great in proportion to othel
systems?'
"The expense Of the storage battery system
now in operation in New England is said to b,
about the eame as that Of the ordinary trolle,
system. There have been a series Of expert
ments and q good deal of well-advised anC
intelligent work done in this line. and tn.
results have been very satisfactory. l thinl
the trolley will ultimately have TO go. 1t vii
give place to some kind Of a storage batter,
system, and il is probable that the system nov
in use with us will meet the demands Of tn,
situation"
SIS the use Of the storage battery system
extending in your section?"
"Yes. company is now being formed II
introduce it upon one line in Cambridge, and
have no doubt that il it proves as successful az
there is reason to believe it will il vii
gradually come into use. The electric system
for street railway propulsion has developed
with us very rapidly and very satisfactorily
Cars seating about forty people and capable Of
CARRYING at least twice that number on a pinch
are now propelled through the streets Of Boston
at comparatively high rate of speed by the
overhead wire system. Horses for street cal
use are almost unknown. If we make o. salts
factory progress with the storage battery As w
have with the overhead system il will com
pLetely revolutionize the street railway system,
of the country"