The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-26
STILL AFTER THE RAILROADS.

| The Mayor to Continue the Enforce
u1ent of the Traok-Watering Ordi-
nance.
The street railroads are not out of
trouble yet regarding track-watering.
Mayor McDonough was asked yesterday
what action he proposed to take in view
of the fact that the council has RENTED
the fines. but postponed action on the or
diuance until next meeting. He said the
present ordinance on the subject would be
enforced strictly TO the letter until it is
either modified or repealed.
Il intend" said Mayor McDOnOugh,
ITO try the sixteen cases already dOcketed
against the roads, which have been held
of pending the action of the council, and
l further propose to have the marshal
docket each of the roads for every day
they fail to etfectually lay the dust The
ordinance is in the books and | will see
that il is enforced
In connection with the effort to
compel the street railway lines to
water their tracks, it is stated
by well-known street railway
official that Savannah is the only city of
any size in the south, except Nashville,
where the tracks are watered. In Nash
vile the railways water the tracks to
protect the motors. In many cities in the
United States, however, street railway
companies operating rapid transit lines
have put sprinklers at work over their
routes. In some cases city authorities
require the companies to adopt the sprink-
lers, while in other cities the sprink-
lerS are put in use by the companies to
protect the machinery of their cars from
excessive wear and tear. In some cases
the cities require the companies to pay a
nominal sum for the water used, but in
most cases, and particularly where any
considerable part of the streets outside
the tracks is kept sprinkled, water is fur
nished free.
The Baltimore city council adopted an
ordinance last week permitting the
various railway companies of that city to
sprinkle the streets along the lines of
their roads, but not compelling them to
do So The sprinkling is done under the
supervision of the superintendent of
street cleaning, and the water used is
drawn from plugs along the lines on
terms prescribed by the water board.
In some instances the advantages of a
watered track to electric railways are
very great. Without well sprinkled
track the dust raised by the rapidly NOV
ing car gets into the oil in which the car
gearing is incased and cuts out the pinions
1t also plays the mischief generally with
other parts of the machinery, which is
somewhat delicate, and, being composed
largely of copper, is very expensive. 1t is
estimated that the usefulness of motor
on wet track is twice that of one on a
dry track. Besides, a wet track makes
better contact, the electrical current flows
more easily, less of it being required, and
prevents the sparkling of the wheels
whenever sand or other slight objections
get on the track
The rails on the Savannah railways are
swept clean, however, and the obstruc-
ton by sand and other matter is obviated.
The grass which grows between the rails
on the unpaved streets renders the rails
ing of the dust to great extent impossi-
BILE. OF course. the suction of the cars
raises some dust and sand on the paved
streets and where the grass does not
grow, but not enough to cause any incon-
venience to residents along the roads.