Rock Island Argus., 1894-05-07
OUT OF SIGHT.
That's What They Say of the
New Electric Line.
FULLY INAUGuRATED YESTERDAY.
TRIAL Trip Saturday Proves u Success. and
Rock Island and Davenport Are Again
Brought Closer Togcther-The Bridge
Brancii and Its Equipment.

The bridge line of the Dayenport e.
Rock Island Railway company had
inc heaithiest, steady-going, all
day-ionS business in its history
yesterday. While the gross re-
ceiPts may have exceeded those
OF yesterday on other davs. vet the
travel has not before been as steadily
and evenly distrihsted. Every trim
n car made it did business. The cyr
planation Of this was the inaurura-
tion of the new mode of transit on
thus branch OF the Davenport & Rock
Island halfway company's possessions
the completion of 4 system of electric
ears that stand second to none in the
country, and the new couipm.nt
gives the bridge railway the distinc-
tion of being the banner line of the
three cities. and it attains the STAN
dard OF the finest road in the conn
try. There is no better rolling stock
to he found. and the company NAV
well share in the pride the public Of
thc three cities feel in it.
This Trial Trip.
.'' VI Il nN cicclIlciIy on the
bridge line was made at 4:4O Satur-
day afternoon, when motor car 81
rolled out OF the Davenport car house
OF the Davenport & Rock Island Rail
way company on Second street. and
started for Rock Island. Electrician
John Holland was at the controllinr
lever. and aboard the cur were: See
retary j. f. Lardner. Gen. SUPP.
Henry Schnitgcr, Assistant Supts.
j. u. Uuntoon and Robert Hill.
Cashier Gus Gilmer and other at
taches OF the Davenport & Rock
Island Hallway company, together
with number of citizens of Rock
Island and Davenport who had been
invited by Mr.. Lardner 20 make the
first trip, and included among whom
were: Mayor 7. J. Medil. Jr.. Sup,.
of Bridges +. Z. Robbins. Conrad
Schneider, j. X. Branden berg. of the
Union. W. p. Quayle, OF the Rock
Islander, and an Argus representa-
tive, all of Rocl, Island; Aids. ID. Il.
Horne, p. +. Peterson and William
Klein. Supt. of Public Works T.. w.
Boynton, Charles Z. Sheriff, A. J.
speed. DIR. W. l.. Allen. j. II. Camp.
j. l.. Hebert, j. Z. Calkins, of the
Democrat. +. L. Brady. of the Times,
W. IL. Forrest. of the Tribune, and
+. l.. Sabin, of the Leader, Davep-
port.
The car made the trip successfully.
coming across the bridge and island,
passing over the route OF the bridge
line on this side-down Third to Fiji
tecnth. over to Second and east to
Twentieth and south again to Third,
and reaching Davenport again, ran
down Second to Scott and up to the
terminous on that side. Particular
attention was paid to the wav horses
met on the bridge received the inno-
vation. A number We're passed. and
the team that seemed to mani
fest the most marked surprise and
restleSsncsS was one attached to one
OF the company's horse ears. The
same careful observation was contin-
ucd yesterday, and in the evening the
conductors reported that about one
out of 10 horses displayed nervousness
70 any great extent, and experienced
car men. who have been in the SER
vice for years. said that there was no
more fright on the part of horses than
there was when the electric cars were
first put on in the three cities or
when horse cars first crossed the
bridge. OF course. occasionally q
fractious beast will make trouble;
that will occur everywhere, but
horses of this description should not
be driven in dangerous places any
way, especially on the bridge, where
trains passing overhead are as likely
to cause mischief as street cars on the
lower deck.
In Full Operation.
On the trial trip everything worked
so like 4 charm that Secretary Lard
ner decided to inaugurate the SER
vice fully Sunday. a few details
that were necessary. such as putting
the life guards on, etc were attend
ed to Saturday night, and yesterday
the horse cars were banished and the
electric cars started on regular trips
IN charge OF the best men, both as
to motormen and conductors, in the
compamy's employ. General Elec-
trician Frcdcricks came down from
Chicago TO oversee the starting of the
ears.
The company's special guests on
the trial trip all smoked from box
oi choice Havannas passed around by
Mr.. Gilmer, of Secretary Lardncr's
davenport Office force.
1t would be superiluous to enter
into further description of the new
ears. Suffice is it to say that the
of the bridge line alone
represents an outlay of $25, 900.
The bridge line is fed by wires of
It's own and is separate and distinct
from the other branches of the sys-
TEN, so that the cars may be run as
late as the company may desire with
out affecting the other lines.
j. l.. Hebert, who drove the first
horse car across the government do
main, and rendered baritone solo
over on the 'causeway on that bleak