Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-12-30
TROLLEYS FOR FARMS.
:
INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES
OF ELECTRICITY.
Every Farmer win Have n New Force
to DO Ills Work-Suburban De-
velopments VIII lie Hast
ened-No Horses.

""J NOhPbhioo III tuO COuubTy us
tricts surrounding Philadelphia
which was so prevalent tew months
ago appears tc have largely died out
without having accom- pl ished much.
There are u few electric railways III.
the suburban territory around the
city. as in Camden Chester West
Chester and some other places. but
little advantage has been taken OF
the opportunities for paying traffic
afforded by the well-populated towns
lying close together in all directions.
The West is far ahead OF the East
in this matter and having made a
liberal use OF the electric current for
affording rapid transit in many grow
ing cities and towns is now prepar-
ing to extend its application to the
more distiuctiyely rural regions.
From Illinois it is announced that
plans have been perfected for an OK
perimental trolley plant in the rich
prairie farming country. where cleo
tricity Will be used not only for sup
plying cheap passenger transporta-
tion. but for performing farm work
as well. This opens endless posi-
bilities for the trolley system and
the success OF the experiment will be
watched with much interest
The improvement OF the country
roads around Philadelphia in the past
few years and the cheapness OF coal
here would seem to make it p ossible
to use electricity in ways that
were not dreamed of few years ago.
The advocates OF the Iew plan say
that in a good farming country where
there is creditable amount TO be
hauled to the city. it is entirely
plausible to establish central power
house, and from this To generate
electricity for a number OF uses.
The wires could be run along the
main road. il the powerhouse is
situated on one and from this
branches extend in as many directions
as the business would warrant
Aside from the carrying OF passen-
gera which would be conducted in
the same way as now the electric
railway connecting with some steam
railroad, the electric current could
be used in n variety OF other ways
With traction wagons such as are
commoner in the West than here all
the hauling OF the neighborhood
could be done. 1t would require no
change in the construction OF tho
farm wagons for they could be loaded
as now and picked up along the road
by the traction wagon. The only
limit TO the number OF wagons that
might be taken in one train would be
the power and strength OF tho haul
ing machinery. All the farmer would
have to do would be to have his load
made up in the morning and then
stay at home aud attend TO his work
while his wagon was taken to town in
the electrical train and the contents
disposed of there by an agent There
would be no limit to the load which
he could ship at one time except the
capacity of his wagon. Most OF his
horses could be dispensed with. and
shipments could be made more quick
ly and in greater quantities than now
The use OF the power from the troll
ley wire need not be limited 10 trac-
tion on the road however The wire
could be tapped for every arm an
bhO PONCi uS0N lOI DhT-
poses The moving machine could
be drawn by electricity instead 81
horses The threshing could be don .
without the use OF travelling steam
engine with no expense for fris! and
attendants. Even butter could DO
churned by electricity aud the drudg-
cry OF farm work generally reduced.
Carrying the idea still further it IS
even suggested that the country
roads could be lighted with electricity
and electric lights introduced into
the fam house illuminating il
brightly and making it more cheerful.
From the standpo mt OF the subur-
ban resident every railroad station OF
any Importance would be connected
by trolley railways with the country
ly ng about it and in this way the
area OF territory available Cor subur.
ban residences would be greatly en-
larged Small manufacturing estab-
lishments "a Well rs the tanners
could have tho freight cIrrled to
and from the stations saving the
teaming which now often eats mnch
OF the profits.
Electricians look forward TO these
developments as the natural growth
of few years. Philadelphia with
its great suburban populat on and
rich farming country all about il
would seem to be peculiarly local ty
where such ideas could be put INTO
profitable practice. Unfortunately.
however II cannot be sad that al
present there is any perceptible pro-