Evening journal., 1893-05-19
DUST OR NO DUST.
Many Think That Sprinkling
Should Be Compulsory.
SUPERINTENDENT HBGER TALKS

SUPERINTENDENT HEGER TALKS
The Superintendent Of the City Railway
Company SAYS Sprinkler is Needed
in This City, But If Full Rates are
Charged for Water, 1t is Not Likely the
City Railway VIII Make Purchase.
cities Of the United States operating
rapid transit lines have put sprinklers
at work over their routes. Some city
authorities require the companies to
adopt the sprinklers on account of the
dust raised by the swiftly moving cars
ia even moderately dry weather, while
in other cities the sprinlSlers have been
put in use by the companies to protect
the machinery Of their cars from ex
cessive wear and tear. Further, some
cities require the companies to pay
normal sum for the water used but in
most cases, and particularly where any
considerable part of the street outside
the tracks is kept sprinkled, water is
furnished free.
Concerning the matter, William s.
Heger, superintendent of the Whining.
ton City Railway Company was seen yes
terday afternoon He says that a
sprinkler is needed in this city, especially
on the smooth streets like Delaware
avenue. Dust will gather more easily
and be raised more quickly on the fire
brick streets than on others.
Mr. Heger mas been corresponding
with several sprinkler builders through
out the country, but as yet no particular
machine has been settled. The matter
has been under consideration since early
in the spring, as it was noticed with the
little dry weather of last fall that the
dust would rise easily from the fire
brick. One matter that concerns the
company with regard to the purchase of
this machine is whether or not the city
authorities will furnish water free or at
nominal. If full rates are charged it is
not likely that the railway company will
make purchase.
A great many people of this city, es-
pecially those living along the electric
lines and paved streets, like West
Seventh, are of the opinion that the
| sprinkling should be compulsory, for in
warm weather it is impossible to leave
the windows of houses open without
having everything in the rooms covered
with dust.
A successful sprinkler is made in
! Louisville, Ky. 1t is a tank car. not
unlike an ordinary car so far as appear
ance goes, having blind windows in the
sides which may be utilized for adver-
tising purposes. The car is equipped
with a cross pipe beneath the floor
which sprinkles the track and a short
distance on either side and a swinging or
derrick perforated pipe, which is at
tached to the car by swivel Joint to the
tank, and controlled by a lever on the
! front platform. When in operation this
pipe is thrown out at right angles to the
track and is of sufficient length to
| sprinkle the street to the curb line.
When not in use or when it is neces-
sary to pass vehicles or other obstruc-
tions it is swung back TO any angle or he
meath the projecting sides of the car
body alongside the truck. Valves are
provided which control the supply of
wster to the pipe, and there is a meoban-
ism which regulates the discharge ori-
fees.
The tank. which holds about 1000
gallons, is charged by means of a hose
which is carried on the car, one end being
attached to the bottom of the tank by an
inlet valve and the other end provided
with a coupling which admits of its being
attached quickly to a flush hydrant.
With proper arrangements the car can
be stopped, the tank filled and the car
started in less than two minutes
so that it can be operated be-
tween passenger cars running or
schedule time, provided it has two OF
three minutes to start and the passenger
car is required to stop to take on and lei
of passengers One of these cars, it i:
claimed, will distribute between 800 anc
200 tons of water daily.
These cars are used in Albany. n. Y.
Louisville, Ky, Cleveland, O., Roch
Island H. Indianapolis, Ind, Troy, N
Y, Akron, O., and Davenport, Iowa
There is another sprinkler which is
built in Philadelphia 1t has a capacity
of 1900 gallons and will soak thoroughly
between FIVE and six miles of track al
one filing 1t is simple in design anC
solidly constructed. The Louisville
machine has an advantage over the
Philadelphia sprinkler from the fact
that the former sprinkles the whole
street, while the latter sprinkles merely
the railway tracks.
The advantage of, these sprinklers tC
electric railways is great. Without {
well sprinkled track the dust raised by
the rapidly moving car gets into the OF
in which the car gearing is encased anC
cuts out the pinions. 1t also plays the
mischief generally with other parts o.
the machinery, which is somewhat deli
cate, and being composed largely o