New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-13

WHERE AMERICA Is BEHIND EUROPE.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
sir: am glad to see the New-York papers going
for the perpetrators Of the recent trolley steal. and
| thought that ] might give you somo information
that wOuh be OF use. At various times and places In
the United States there have been tried various CON
duit schemes for electric roads, but apparently none
have been successful, and they have had 10 adopt
tho overhead trolley. have been much puzzled to
know why the conduit system could not be success
f as 1t does not offer any serious obstacles. have,
among other things, given much study to the European
practice in transmission Of power by electricity. In
pursuance OF the latter visited Buda Pesth 10 SEQ a
conduit system electric street railway there. and !
found It working TO a charm II hns now been work
ing for about three years. and although the last winter
was an abnormaly severe one with deep SHOWS and
plenty OF them the road was never delayed for a
moment. | was not only told this by the manage
ment but confirmed tho fact bv inquiring OF the
United states Vice Consul. who has resided there
several years and is at all interested person.
l examined the details OF the road and found them
admirable ! also learned that representatives OF
various electric companies In the United States have
visited Buda Pcsth, and fully cognirant OF the
state OF affairs. These facts have confirmed theory
previously held, viz. that the electric manufacturer
and tho managers Of street railways do not wan 10
make a success Of the conduit system. The reason
for this Is simple. The conduit system costs more
20 construct than the overhead system, thus tadng
less work TO the electric companies OIL account Of.
fewer electric roads being built. II Is great deal
cheaper to Kill people with the overhead wire than
10 put the conductors underground. In Buda Pcsth,
notwithstanding that the conductors In oonduits
mo return through tho rails. they pressure OF
only 800 volts, while the railroads In the United
States use 500 volts In naked overhead wire There
is nothing In tho system used IN Buda Pcsth which
should prevent It's adoption In any city, except where
u cable limo has TO be crossed Even then the difficulty
IL not insurmOuutable. but the brushes would have
10 10 raised ont OF the conduit. and the current
supplied from overhead for a few feet when crossing
the cable.
II is wonderful how Ear you behind Europe In
all matters pertaining 10 good, substantial and safe
electric work IN other branches than railroads. The
People here never think OF sringiug OF lamps
In series on dcathdeallng overhead current as We
do, but put lights right their incaudcsccnt cir
cults OF not 10 volts. which Is perfectly safe
current. The only reason We nse TIE high tension
currents j. because II saves IN first cost 81 copper
conductors, and lncmcn are cheaper than copper.
In all the largo European cities every electric Hight
wire IS underground except where each branch comes
currents used they are all underground IN armorca
cnbc5 where they do no harm. and all trans
formed into low voltage currents IN special transformer
stations before being allowed to come out OF the
stance where tho electric lighting is all done by the
municipality, they alternating currents Of 40
volts but all underground. and current higher tnn
"a volts comes Out ~ the ground and with this current
thew operate lights % the finest quality. II IS an
outrage that The companies should be allowed
operate they do here but the Joke Of # all f.
that the high tension overhead circuits actually
them moro In the long RIM account Of line leakage
repairs. burning ont Of dynamos. lamps. etc. than
the Higher first cost underground low tension circuits.
Iondon Sent, % 1900