The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-07
ANNIHILATING SPACE
Five HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR IS
THE spEEp OF ONE TRAIN.

the Distance Between tho East and the /
West. ut Least ~ Far as Mail and Ex- I
press Matter Are Concerned.
Speaking seriously, one who should pro- |
pose TO transfer parcel or O letter from \
New York to San Francisco In six hours, |
causing It to traverse the Intervening 5000 |
miles at speed Of 500 miles an hour, would |
be considered by most persons to be highly |
imaginative or grossly unveracious Yet
this seemingly impossible task is precisely
what Albert Leslie Widdis Of Detroit pro
feases to be able to accomplish with his
aerial electric railway. Railway men mar
vel much at the fast train, the Flyer, that
covers the 900 or so miles of track be-
tween New York and Chicago in 20 hours,
but Mr.. Widdis AYERS that by means Of his
system Of transportation letter can be
delivered In New York within two hours
after being mailed in Chicago. This would
be practical humiliation OF space, and
Mr.. Widdis Is satisfied that it is entirely
feasible.
Reduced to its simplest terms, Mr.. Wild
dis rapid transit device is an elevated rail
way with electricity as its propulsive force
In detail of construction and mechanism
and nice adjustment Of parts with view
U
speed the inventor has brought out some
valuable original ideas In both electricity
and mechanics and has recast older discov-
cries into new and more useful forms. The
result of these ombipations Is, Mr.. Widdis
contends, q car that can be driven forward
at 800 miles. an hour and yet be perfectly
under control, as to speed and disposition of
cargo, of an operator stationed at any point
on the line. The primary purpose Of this
new scheme OF transportation Is to carry
mail and express matter, and in the extern
sion Of the system fruits and perishable
freight. By ingenious devices the cars can
be made to stop, set their brakes and deliv-
er their loads or any portion automatically
at any desired point
In appearance the car designed by Mr..
Widdis resembles long, square box, ter
minating at one end in pyramidal projec.
tion running TO n sharp point. This is the
forward end Of the car and Is intended to
pierce the air at tremendous speed, with
a minimum of resistance. This car is sus-
pended by iron hangers from four wheels z
feet inches in diameter, which in turn
rest on a sirgle bar Of ordinary railway I
rail stretched oil arms projecting from a
line of poles arranged exactly like telegraph
poles. The patent cash carriers in use in
|
method of suspension from single rail
employed by Mr.. Widdis. Below the I rail
is another of the pattern, which serves al
once as guide and support, and which
prevents the wheels from leaving the main
track.
In the center Of the car is specially de
signed electric motor of exceeding light
ness and power that drives by means ol
sprocket wheels and link belts the driving
wheels above. The current to operate this
motor is taken from a wire strung above
the track by II trolley wheel much after
the manner of the ordinary electric street
car. The electric power Is to be supplied
from dynamo stations at points along the
route. Very little electrical force is re
quired. 1t is estimated that l1-horsepowel
will propel q l,ooopound car with its load
at the rate OF 300 miles an hour.
Where the car is to be used for the car
riage OF mail matter no stoppagc Is needed
for the delivery of the mailbags at thei
t proper stations In the mail car which Il
bottomless, each mailbag rests on a shell
] or platform, which can be moved up o
down by lever that projects from i
through the side of the car As the ca
whizzes by a station this lever strike
against an arm extending from post Sc
up by the track, the shelf is depressed, tn
mailbag falls to the ground or on the plat
: form of the station or into net, while tn
~ car flies on, and the shelf released from tn
action Of the lever, returns automatically T.
Its former position, ready for another load
: When 1t is desired to shunt cars from tn
: main line to lateral branch, the sam
4 principle is used to open and close tn
Q switches. These devices render the system
!. almost automatic in its operation.
u The advantages claimed for this ne,
a method OF transportation are: First, speed
t which can easily be forced up TO 500 mile
a an hour; second, safety, because, the trac
5 being elevated, accidents are impossibl,
% third, economy, the first cost of the elevate
Q track being small and the repairs nearl
). nothing, while the cars can be built for &c
=, apiece. The inventor is confident that b
application of electricity to the transport;
ton of mail and light freight is sncce,
and will be generally adopted.
Mr.. Widdis asserts that there arc no il
ol herent difficulties IN his system. The grei
~ speed will not result, he says, In the gencr
az ton of heat in either car or the bearings
es the wheels
d. Metal for Journal bearings is tempered
IN that it will stand speed of 1900 revolt
II. tons a minute, whereas the speed of s.
30 miles an hour by the aerial electric C
" would require less than 5000 revolution
ss per minute of it's 2 foot inch drivIr
n wheels The point Of contact between Il
es wheels and rails being changed with a r
lie pidity almost uncomfortable, there would
ls no danger from heat by friction. A cannt
&c ball travels with an initial velocity of Ia
to 1000 feet per second, or about 200 mil
an hour and does not heat, and so the
can be no possibility of the electric car
Dr.. coming heated at a speed of only 500 mil
is an hour.
N. In fact, Mr.. Widdis thinks he has ov,
come the obstacles and impediments
Ter transportation Of loads Of 10000 pounds
rs less at a speed of 500 miles an hour. Shou
the freight carrying project succeed, as
er, feels certain it will, Mr. Widdis will pl
err coed at once 10 devise n car 10 which pr
n .h sengers may be carried safely at the sar
17 tremendous speed. Then man can Ii
49, in Chicago and go to business daily in N,
~, or York, or vice versa.-New York Recorde