Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-08-16
THE UNSEEN POWER
THAT WILL ACETATE THE CARS ON THE
NEW STREET RAILWAY.
A Chat With Mr. Henry Newton, the Electrician
Who is now On the GrOund-HOw the Wires
Will be Constructed, and Where the
Power will Come From.

of q reconstructed railroad for the pur-
pose of introducing electricity than
starting an original road" said Mr..
Henry st. Clair Newton, of Cincinnati,
the willy and accomplished electrician
who is here to infuse the elixir Of life
into our present innocuous desuetudln-
Gus street railway, "but the ultimate
effect will be the same, and let me say
right here" said Mr.. Newton, as he fond
ly stroked the back Of his Elgin watch,
and leaned on an un-upholstered Stamm
House chair, "the system when COM
pleted will place the Wheeling road
among the finest equipped in the land:
1t will be a perfect means OF rapid
transit in any kind Of weather"
How is it TO be constructed" asked
the reporter.
"As you probably know, it is to be the
single trolley wire system. The troIieY
wire will be of copper three-tenths OF
an inch in thickness, suspended over
the track from supporting poles on
either side of the street. These poles
are to be OF round iron pipe, ABOUT
twenty-eight feet in length and seven
inches in diameter at the base, tapering
gradually to four inches at the top
They will be planted just inside the
curb. 125 feet apart, the base set In hYe
inches of concrete. From the top OF
the poles will be strung the two span
wires placed twelve inches apart
From the lower span wire the troll
lev wire will be suspended by insulated
hangers. The span wires are also IN
suated at either end, and possibilities
of charged poles are thus ooVlateu'
The upper span supports the
two guard wires which are sim
ilarly insulated, running paraiIel
with the trolley wire, a foot on eltner
side, and is inches above it. THESE
pravent any broken telegraph or tele-
Dbone wires from coming in contact
with the trolley wire. At the power
house there will be three 25O-horse-
power engines Of the most improved
pattern. From the power house the
electric current will be supplied direct
to the trolley by three 120-horse power
Thompson-Houston dynamos, operated
by two engines directly connected.
There is one 15O-horse power Westing-
house dynamo already at the power
house, this having been purchased Win
the rest of the property"
"What speed will the cars likely at
tain?" asked the reporter.
The cars of the new line, SAID Mr..
Newton, "as they will be equipped,
can readily attain a speed Of from Is to
20 miles an hour, carrying besides
full load of passengers. They
will be run as fast as the con-
dltlOns allow without violat-
ing the law In the matter. The motors
which supply the actual running power
will all be built by the Thompson
Houston Company. and they embrace
many marked changes from those in
use a few years ago, in construction,
durability and safety. Each car Will
be furnished with two l5-horse power
motors Of the single reduction type, one
mounted on the aXel OF each truck.
They have but two gears in place OF the
four formerly used, and these are boxed
in creased compartments, making them
practically noiseless. The amount Of
power thus furnished is ample for any
demands that can be made, and even
with a heavy fall Of snow on the
tracks, would be sufficient to force a
heavily loaded car and trailer along at
the average speed. The cars will be
handsomely furnished and lighted by
five incandesceut lamps. One Of the
features Of the reconstruction will be
the new truck designed especially for
the new road by the Mcclure Manufac-
ing Company, of Chicago. They will
be OF extra heavy material, and COM
binatiou Of strong springs are so ar
ranged that 1t will be almost impossible
for the car to sway or rock while In
motion. The entire system as planned
will be one of the most complete ever
constructed.