The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-06-02


ating city lines that they have been
hoping and waiting for has at last at.
rived Useful as tide trolley has been
as a temporary improvement on horse
traction, it is open to- many objections,
and it's radical defects have prevented
its general acceptance as permanent
and desirable method of affording rapid
transit in city streets. The cable serv-
ice is equally out Of court. Its uncer-
tainty of operation is well known. It
the least thing gees wrong at any point
on the line, the whole service is paraI-
yzed, and the public has become ac-
customed to the sight OF runaway ca
BILE car spreading disaster along a
crowded street, and absolutely beyond
control until the power house can be
notified to shut down. In these days
makeshifts will not satisfy the public,
who, during the last few years, have
made great strides in the appreciation
Of the possibilities Of safety. comfort,
and rapidity Of travelling, and both the
trolley and the cable have been bare
ly tolerated pending the advent Of
still better system. Such a system is
apparently now presented to the pub
lie after having been severely tested
through the winter in New York. IN
devising this system, the inventors,
Messrs. Johnson g. Lundell, sought to:
embody the following salient featurese
O To dispense with all overhead wires.
(2) To replace the trolley by system
Of wiring which should essentially du
plicate or initiate that Of the former
trolley lDes but should be out Of the
way and out Of sight under the street
paving. (3 To give the car all the ad
vantages Of a self-movi:lg vehicle, in
case current from the distant power
house should be shut off temporarily
from any cause, or dislocated at :ny
point. az To enable the car to be al!
ways under the highest possible de-
gree Of control. These cxacting con-
ditions appear to have been met. In
effect, the new system is very in
genious combination of the great ad
vantages Of both the closed CONDUIT
method and the storage battery car,
end it aDOliShes at one stroke 3ll the
evils Of the overhead wire. The cur
rent is taken from the cond lit by a
pickup rubbing brush," which full
fills the function Of a trolley wheel.
In fact as q prominent electrical jour-
nal expressively put it, If a man were
to stand on his head, and if paving
stones were made of glass, he would
see underneath a literal counterpart
or reproduction Of the trolley system,
so far as the track itself goes" Where
as the trolley system is alive through
out, the new system is not alive any
where except at the point over which
the car is passing, hence there is no
danger to horse or pasSer-by. But
the car is not dependent merely upon
the supply of live current. Under the
seats are storage batteries which, while
practically requiring no attention, are
ready at moments notice to carry
the car through any emergencies. They
will, if necessary, keep it going for sew
eral miles, or even enable it to be
worked on line that is without cleo
trio current. The controlling devices
are the most efficient that have vet ap-
peared; there is none Of the usual jerk
ing or jolting, and the car is operated
with the utmost precision and smooth
ness.