The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-07
PRACTICAL FENDER
Routh's Improved Patent
Given a Trial By the
Traction Company.
SUCCESSFUL IN EVERY WAY
Eg2 -
Electrician Benjamin Is Knocked
.ons.Down Twice by the Cars ande
~ Falls Into the Fender
Screen.

The improved trolley fender invented by
Mr.. Oswald Routh of Gr~eenville was given
another trial yesterday afternoon On cal
No. $50 of the Consolidated Traction Com
pany, and as on the first occasion. the con,
t~rivance worked admirably. The car was
in charge of Motorman J. Reynolds and
Conductor William Ryan. Among those on
board were the inventor, Oswald R. Routh,
machinist Henry L. Fitze, who built the
machine; Councilmen Medley, Russell and
Lombreyer of Bayonne, who were appointed
by the Bayonne Council to recommend the
most practical fender; Recorder Connolly,
Vanderbilt Connolly and Richard F. Routh
of Bayonne, Michael Schultz, ST., Joseph
Ross and Jacob Cook of Greenville, Harry
Fuller, the superintendent of the Bayonhe
line of the Traction Company; George and
Richard Routh, Charles A. Cox .tof the
Street Railway Journal, Hugh Mara and q
representative of THE JERSEY CIrYsiNEWs.
THE TRIALS.
The car started from the stables at Bergen
Point at half-past two o'clock. "A large bag,
flied with sawdust and iron castings and
weighing 100 pounds, was placed in the
centre of the track, a block above the stables,
and the car approached it at half speed.
When the fender struck the bag the latter
toppled into the screen as neatly as though
it bad been thrown into it. The 300 pound
weights on the rear rod of the fender, which
work automatically, dropped, and the bag
was hoisted three feet above the tracks.
When the fender struck the dummy" there
was not the slightest jar.
The car then continued on its way to Jer-
caU GitU and of nanfnrfh wanna EpanpUj1la
the bag was again placed on the track. The
motor started from Linden avenue at full
speed. A large crowd of interested spec
tators gathered on the sidewalks and ap-
plauded as the pag was lifted from its rest
ing place. At the Junction another
test was made: The junction" being the
centre point of the steep Grand street hill,
was selected for the third trial SO as to show
how the fender will work when the tendency
of the object struck is to fall forward on the
track instead of backward into the screen.
The car started dowu the hill at full speed
and to the surprise Of everyone on board the
bag was picked up as neatly as on the level
grade at Danforth avenue This showed the
value of the ratchet roller on the extreme
end Of the fender. The roller on account of
the ratchet attachment works but in one
direction, namely backwards. Thus when
an object is struck, nc matter if it be while
descending the steepest incline, the roller
throws it backward into the screen.
PRESIDENT YOUNG PLEASED.
The car continued on to the ferry, and
upon arriving there Mr.. Routh notified Mr..
E.. F. G. Young the president of the Con-
solidated Fraction Company that another ex-
hibition of his invention would De made on
Exchange place in front of the First
National Bank. President Young accepted
the invitation to witness the exhibition, and
stationed himself on the steps of the bank,
MI l.. ---. -1~@~J 49, ~ -,On, rn1B ~
Hudson street, and when the track was
clear the car started out of the shed at full
syeed. The fender struck the dummy" full
force and, as before, it toppled into the
screen and was lifted three feet in the air.
THAT works admirably" said President
Young, but MI, Routh had no. time to wait
for compliments, as the car had to be re-
turned to the Bergen Point Stables as soon as
possible. On the return trip the bag was
again picked up at the junction." Linden
avenue and the Greenville car stables. All
these tests were successful.
The member of the committee appointed
by the Bayonne Council expressed themselves
as highly pleased with the invention, and
the Greeny1lle citizens declared it to be "a
sure life saver" ~ 81.
In order to give all those interested in the
patent an opportunity to witness the fender,
Mr.. Routh has agreed to allow it to remain
on the car for one week. The car will run
on schedule time leaving Bayonne at twenty
minutes to five in, the morning and every
two hours thereafter until twenty minutes
to seven O clock in the evening, and leaving
the Jersey City ferry on return trips one
hour later. In order to demonstrate the
workings of the fender, bags, each weighing
over one hundred and fifty pounds will be
picked up from the track on each trip at
West Eighth street, Bayonne; Danforth
avenue, Greenville, the Junction" and Elk
change place.
Mr.. RoUTH's LAIN
Mr.. Routh, in an interview with a re-
porter of THE JERSEY CITY NEWS last even
ing, said:-"The fender has demonstrated
that it can do all 1 claimed for it. The most
important point that l claimed for my
fender is that it makes it absolutely impos-
sible for any person who is struck, to
be crushed by the wheels. II by any ac-
cident the person struck should fall forward
on the track so that the front screen would
pass over him, the auxiliary screen or
fender, which is three feet in the rear and
which works automatically, would drop
down and push him OFF the track. This is an
Improvement that other tenders lack. If a
man is struck by one Of the many other
tenders and falls into the screen, he Is saved.
But if he falls forward and the fender
passes over him. nothing will save him from
being crushed by the wheels"
3 TRIED ON ELECTRICIAN BENJAMIN.
n A more practical test of the fender was
made at the Bergen Point stables shortly
after Mr.. Routh and the invited guests left
for home. A number of the employees and
electricians who are employed at the stables
and who witnessed the first trials were so
well pleased with the continuance that they
resolved to try it on Electrician Benjamin
who announced his willingness to
stand on the track and allow the fender to
strike him. A motorman was secured, and
BENJAMIN stationed himself on the track a
block from the stables. He faced the car and
signalled the motorman to go ahead. The
car was started at half speed, and when the
fender struck Benjamin the front roller
passed over his toes, struck him on the ankles
and threw him on his knees in the screen.
BENJAMIN did not even receive a scratch, and
liked the experience SO well that he resolved
to try it again. He wanted to see how it
would work if he stood with his back to the
motor, and so he stationed himself in this
position as the car was again started at half
speed. This time he sat down gracefully in
the screen as the fender struck him, n as
before b. did not receive a scratch.
MEN GAVE UP THE CLUB.