The record-union., 1894-12-29
USES OF ELECTRICITY.
New Passenger and Freight Railways
Projected.
Opinions of Prominent Railroad Man
ayers in Regard to the Future
of Electricity.

of Electricity.
The Canadians are up to date in electri-
cal matters, excepting the running of
cars on Sunday. A company has been
organized at Hamilton as the Radial
Railway Company, for the purpose of
supplying the surrounding country for
fifty miles around with electric lines car
rying both freight and passengers. Two
lines have already been surveyed, one
running to Guelph, twenty-nine miles,
and the other to the manufacturing
towns of Gait and Berlin, twenty-three
miles.
Another company has been organized
to construct a railway between Ottawa,
the capital of the Dominion, situated on
the Ottawa River, and Brockville, at the
foot of the Thousand Islands of the ST.
Lawrence, distance of nearly fifty miles.
A seventy-two-pound rail VIII be used
on these lines, with gauge the same as
steam railways. The motors will be over
50U-horse power on the Hamilton line.
Instances of this character are of much
interest tG Calitornians, and Sacrament
tans i'll particular. as showing some of
the results of electricity generated by
water power.
The present method of lighting cars by
electricity is somewhat annoying when
the trolley runs of, leaving the car in
darkness. At HOboken, \. D., they are
experimenting with the Donaldson
Macrae storage battery of six cells The
car is supplied with two or three extra
lamps. y trolley current passes through
an electro magnet, which completes
circuit throught the incandescent lamps
connected In series in the usual manner.
The same current also passes through the
storage battery, keeping it charged, and
when the trolley slips Oft the battery
is switched on automatically.
TypeWriters are now run by electricity
IN Chicago. The machines, electrically
connected, are placed in private houses,
hotels and business offices, and are run
by typewriter at 4 central office. When
the young woman at headquarters
thumps the letter a. it is promptly
printed on every machine connected,
even IL there be thousand, and some OF
them twenty miles away. The paper for
receiving the impression is in cylindric
form, instead of sheets. By this means
a newspaper syndicate supplies its most
Important news IN advance to Su ubScrib b.
ers. The machine Is about four feet high,
and occupies a 1oOr space of one foot.
What viii electricity do for railroads
That Is one OF the questions which are
engaging the attention OF the inventors
and of the managers as well as of the
public.
1t is big question, and one that is as
yet practically unanS wered. TO be sure
inventors have done considerable in the
way. OF a partial solution, but there is
more 10 be done than has been done.
II was once proposed to build an electric
railroad line from Chicago to st. Louis,
aud the projectors told great stories of
how the trains would run at the rate of
100 miles an hour, and how greatly the
cost of transportation would Oe reduced
But the line has not been built, and that
fact is evidence enough that something
was lacking IN the plans to attract the at
tentlon OF practical men, VINO, before they
put any money INTO a scheme, must see
some way for ii To come back.
But If electricity as applied to railroads
other than street-car lines has not got be-
yond the experimental stage, il has
reached point where it gives the rail-
road managers some occasion for slight
degree OF uneaSineSS. 1t has already al
fected the steam railroads in their subur-
ban passenger traffic, and having gone
that far 1t may go farther. Everyone
agrees that electricity, as applied to mod
ern usages, is only IN its infancy. EIec-
trio lines are paralleling traffic lines in all
large cities. And wherever they have
been introduced there is no question but
that they have seriously lnteriered with
the business of the steam lines during all
but four OF the most severe months OF the
year at least. That is the admission of
railroad managers generally.
AS TO how much electric lines are to be
feared in the transmission of passengers
and freight over long stretches of terri
tory there is difference OF opinion. Vice
President j. L. Odell of the New York
and New England says that in his opin-
ion electricity may come to be used be-
tween two large cities not more than forty
or fifty miles apart. Further than that
he does not believe. electricity will ever
supersede steam.
President .. ID. Ashley of the Wabash
goes further, however. He says: II am
inclined TO believe that, eventually, cleo
trlclty as motive power will supersede
steam, but do not think 1t will become
an important factor in general rail trans
portation for long distances until the
method of its application has been greatly
changed and improved. 1t would be idle
to deny great possibilities in the future of
electricity, and / am q strong believer in
its subtle potency as an agent in practical
work, but l doubt very much whether
mans intelligence has mastered it's Sc
crets sufficiently TO count upon it's con-
slant ana economical work for long dis
tances. There are many serious objec-
tions TO overcome, think, before il can
be considered a formidable rival for gen.
eraI transportation by rail. When these
objections are overcome. I believe the
steam roads are in the best position to
avail of the power, and that they have
such an advantage in construction and
location, that they will be the first to
utilize it successfully. 1t does not appear
to me that this condition is yet in sight,
but as to this l may be mistaken. / be-
lieye electric power to be a giant, still in
infancy. Its growth has already been
abnormally rapid but it will require long
study and experience 10 develop its great
capacity, and to teach US the best method
OF controlling and utilizing it.'
General Manager Sergeant of the Grand
Trunk of Canada, says: 1T is impossible
to conjecture to what extent this wonder
full agent may be developed, but, so far as
its present adaptability is concerned, cleo
tricity would be too costly, and could not
be adapted to all requirements of the rail-
way service. found that to be so, when
considering the question, in connection
with the workings of a short piece of
line, between a. and B., not long since"
The view of &. z. Huntington. Presi-
dent of the Southern Pacific is thus ex-
pressed: My impression is that for short
passenger roads, electricity is going to be
an important factor in transportation,
though to how great an extent do not of
course know; but for long roads, carry
ing heavy tonnage, | do not believe it
fnly riakNo