New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-30
ELECTRIC POWER FOR CANAL BOATS.

TRIAL OF MOTORS TO be MADE ON THE ERIE
CANAL IN JUNE.
rRox THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE IRIBUNE.i
Albany May o9.-The canalboat men Of the state
have had TO endure such severe competition from the
railways in the last few years that despite the
abolition OF the canal tolls they have been able 10
remain In the business OF canal transportation WIN
great difficulty. 1t Is natural that und'r these CIT
cumstances they should be looking eagerly Tor some
means Of Iessening their expenses ana thereby IN
creasing their profits
sucb STATE officials AS the Governor Edward Han
man, the superintendent OF Public Works. and State
Epe1neer schenck also look with apprehension upon
tho competition OF the railways with the state Canals
and have been trying to find some me'iou vi in''
proving tao canals. The subject WIS '>p'""'
brought home TO the State officials by The appo
priaiion by the United states Government OF T"o'ooo
for deepening the Hudson River from Troy TO COX
soch,e The aim Of course will be to make the
flyer more pavigabc for canal boats ahu HNsr
steamers
The improvement, Of the canal system that suggested
itself TO Governor Flower superintendent hah"""
and state Engineer Schenck was TO put ei.c'rc moo''
In the canal boats and run them at less eApen'e tah
as now, by horsepower and Empower. "o'
ernor Flower In his last annual message. called 'he
attention of the LEGISLATURE TO the subject, ana TWO
laws hive been passed in reltion to the Use VI
electricity a. "A motive power on the canals Ill oiic
Of bills the superintendent OF Public works WIS
authorized to permit any person 10 make an eN
detrimental trial Of an electric motor on cah"
boat In n second bill $4,000 was appropriated
to enable him to keep strict watch ot the inter-
es,ing experiment by some -'atr oh''ial.
SUPERINTENDENT Hannah has already received hVc
or six applications for permission TO use some pDr'io
Of the E,ic Canal 10 make trial OF the lea''o''ns
OF driving n canal boat irom Bul'alo 10 AD"ns w
use NJ electrlcv and he has stated that h. VIII re-
ceive such applications up TO June u. his p"rpo'e
Is 10 have all these applications before him at one
time. In order that he may decide at wnat pace D"
the Erie Canal II will be- best to have the experiment
made There are g. 800 canal boats and the electric
motors to prOpel them would probably cost 800 ea H.
II looks II the prospect OF having chh"ce 10
sell $500 electric motors at that price iad ieu the
great manufacturers Of electrical machinery W eh'
int the compciin announced by superintendent Han
man, for he stated to-day that John Alden. OF Roches-
ter, OF the applicants. will use The power oi
the Westinghouse Electric Light Company at ko'he''
| ter and also that another inventor desires TO nave
nm experimental trial Of his Invention at schenectady
1t 50 fmppcns that Schenectady is the headquarters
OF the Edison General Electric Company, which manu-
features quantities OF electrical machinery.
There Is good to- suspect. therefore, that the
Westinghouse and Edison companies, which manufac'
iure electrical machinery Of all kinds, VIII be COM
petitors at the trial In Jnne.
Il do not know thu" nature yet OF the electrical
machinery which these inventors propose to put IN
the canal boats" said superintendent Hannah to-day
N, none OF them describes the invention. pre-
SHINE the fundamental nature Of most OF them Is the
electrical trolley. They will have electrical motol
| in each canal beat. and II VIII take power from a
trolley WIRE the a strectcar with an electro
motor takes lis electrical power from trolley wire
| / snail employ my $1,000 appropriation partly III
paving the salary of some competent electrical eng
| nr.r. Thi. gentleman Will make IA report to me a;
TO The success of the various systems of electrical
| propulsion proposed
| "Will The state put up trolley wLe ana supp!
| electricity 10 the canal boats ."
Il think that wond D. an extension OF the state
| work not Permitted by IN" Constitution. No. !
should rather think il better Tor some private electric
power company to supply the electricity to the canal
Don't and put up l.- trolley wires ana poles ~
drst thought II would be hard work for the boats +
| pass one another when going In IN" same way. on
| lightly loaded and the other heavily loaded woul'
| travel at a different speed. But By having trolley
| movable | various directions think this difficulty
| can be- overcome. II 1t be shown that the cana
boats he propelled cheaper By electricity thar
| by horse power. the canalboat men In my jud smen
| will ADOPT IT,