San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-10
The Electric Fairy Tales.
From the Western Electrician. ]

papers, usually those of the rural
districts, grow enthusiastic when
they undertake to enlarge upon
the future of the electric railway.
The verdant editors seem totally
oblivious to the fact that an cleo.
trie road operated from a central
station is in reality nothing more
orless than a steam.driven system.
They seemed to forget that cleo
tricity is merely an extremely
flexible agent through which the
power of a steam engine or a
waterfall may be transmitted and
applied to the propulsion of cars
1t is this lack of knowledge ofthe
true nature of this particular app
LEGATION of the current that main
tains the ravenous appt tite for
eXtravagant electric trunk.line
stories. These fairy tales, telling
in glowing terms, of the doom of
the steam locomotive, may be
very interesting, but they do an
immense amount Of harm in that
the public through their influence
is educated too expect much.
That the electric system in certain
fields there is now no doubt; but
the romancers are a little prema-
ture when they jump at the con-
clusion that there is going to be
anything in the way of swift and
radical revolution. The electric
motar is obtaining it's foOthold in
the domain of the steam locOmo-
tive in a gradual and perfe city
natural manner. For instance,
reports from New York now lea d
us to believe that the Pennsylvania
Railroad will utilize the electric
system extensively IN the neigh
borhood of the metropolis: but
the application, if made, will be
to feeder lines and not to trunk
lines. 1t is in this way that cleo.
tricity will work to the front.
more as friend, perhaps, than as
enemy of steam.
In this connection. therefore,
the recent denial of Vice Presi-
dent futile, of New York, New
Haven Hartford Railroad, when
asked about the introduction of
electricity as a motive power on
his lines between New York and
New Haven, is most amusing, and,
what is more, is well merited re
buke for the man who started a
false story. Referring to an
article in a Worcester paper Vice
President futile said: "Bosh, it's
nothing but romance, pure and
simple romance, without the
slightest grounds for truth. We
are building four tracks it is true,
and have been at work on them
for several years, as is well known
but instead of eqiupiDg the mid.
die tracks without electric power
are cor sidering the feasibility of
utilizing flying machine has been
so perfected of late that we have
every reason to believe they
could be operated safely between
here and New York at even a
more rapid speed than the thirty
minute time accredited the cleo
trio cars. Of course, we haven't
decided yet just what system we
shall use, but when the road is
fully equipped with the latest
aerial cars contemplate extending
our air line to Liverpool and
possibly from there TO Singapore,
Ceina. but, of course, this is at
present a matter of speculation
and can only be decided upon as
our plans futher mature"
Fully 100000 men, it is believed,
will participate in the parade on
the occasion of the dedication of
the Worlds Fair buildings in
October. Such is the estimate of
Secretary Culp of the committee
having the preparation for the
ceremonies in charge. He says