New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-15
4 PRIZE FOR INVENTORS.
LARGE REWARD FOR A sUBsIlloi"
FOR CABLE AND TROLLEY POWER
THE METROPOLITAN TRACTION COMPANY ~
FER TO THE STATE RAILROAD CoNMi"
ppopoSED LEGISLATION.

I.egi
IT, a peculiar measure. and one thd Is ou'sri' " ~
rer,I line % legislation asked for by that pou!'
Tho bill which Is now in preparation. anu VIZ" ~
exception OF a few minor details prao''''',' -
pletel Ia the outcome Of a correspondent a..
the commission and the officers OF the Me'i'p'
Traction Company of New-York CITY IL ), -
known to pretty nearly every one IN New yin
that the METROPOLITAN Traction Company IS '"e "
ISOLATION which owns the Broadway caoie i'
gether with enough other lines IN the CIT: ~
n total OF about one hundred miles OF TRACK .'o
the largest stockholders Of the ROAD are " NM"
C. whitney ex-Secretary OF the Navy 'o''' -
Crlmmns the rich Tammany Han contractor, WV
an tbe work OF putting down the cable ana VIM
10 now finishing I'D the work on the lhiiu-Nc' INV
p A. b. Wiedner OF Philadelphia, ana No'o''
Daniel s Lamont. the Secretary OF W ar
While the Broadway cable In 80 far AZ So
eeens IN work with entire satisfaction iroi" 'ne
no,n, OF view OF the officials OF the company We, 'e
aorara, ,rhIc continues 10 find considerable fault
,rub {, and the company desires TO secure IL ne"
kind of motive power which 1t can use on the Nv"
merous crosstown lines which II either OWLS VI ~
trolls To this end Charles +. Warren the se0t'''''
Of the Metropolitan Traction Company wrote IT,
Gently TO the Railroad Commission Offering re-
warl NJ go 600 10 any inventor who would present
on or before March ] next a scheme OF propu's'o"
which would be cheap 10 operate rs HH4 i''' ~
eerous than the trolley and nj the Same ''i'o w
equally effective Mr.. Warren's letter contains many
statements
comnany and It concludes by asking the S't'e
paiIroal Commission to accept the task OF Judg-
ing as between any plans which may DE presenter
TO II in response to the publclt'on OF 'hr o'''''
Regarding the cable railway system MT "'''c"
savs that Il has been found to Work SATISFACTORILY
on straight lines. which the broadway Nhe' from
the Battery to Flfty-ninths. practically H. ana on
tina. account the company intends TO extend 'he
cable service TO the lines controlled by IL OF io'
which Il has secured the franchise for Duiidhs' on
the East and West Sides in the upper part OF me
city.
CABLE NOT FEASIBLE on WAY LINES
The cable system however. for the other lines
controlled by the company Is no: looked upon as IL
feasible method OF propulsion There are so many
shor, charm turns and so many other disadvantages
N overcome that Il has been determined 20 pe
wholly useless to attempt the application OF inns
system of transit these lines The company uoes
not intend TO continue long win horsepower 'he',
for Judging from the figures which are presenter
showing the benefits 10 the company from the
adontIon Of the cable system in Broadway. 1t Is n
losing experiment for ii TO do So. On IRIS point
| the secretary Of the company says:
| During thu last year We have made a very sue
cessful test OF the cable on broadway. lh' "'t ~
suit Of this experiment IS that although the uih"S
are very duh there being falling OF from 10 10 10
nor cent on all local traffic there Is uniform gam on
this lire and before the year ends the Indications are
| that In comparison with the previous year wh"h 'he
road was operated with horses the cable fodn VIII
show a gain In traffic OF not less than . per cent
| and a saving in the expense OF operation OF more
than % per cent, This total gain to the COMPANY OF
! g. rcr cent Is a large item To consider ana there
need be no cause for wonder why the lar1" prl%e
| Of 1000 has been offered To the Inventor VINO WI"
present 10 the Railroad Commission the hes; system
Of motive power other than ne u.n'y ~, N,nII h,
little appears In the corresponding" 10 lnllCa" ud
any particular kind Of power Is desired 10y IN. COM
pany yet 1t is understood that an electric sorAgs
! battery system which can be operated ~ chcarIy
| sought after The proposition which tn" company
makes the Railroad Commission ~ sfl loilh III
the following extract from the correspohd'hce'
CONDITIONS OF TIE OTTER
.Flrst-Wc will set aside the sum Of 5000 TO be
awarded as prize TO any person who shall. before
| March T. 1896 submit to your honorable hoard nm
| actunI working system Of motive power for street
railway cars demonstrated 10 be superior or equal
| TO the overhead trolley
| "SeconG-The qualities necessary TO meet his re-
oureTnent shall be LETT 10 your decision. but with the
| present state OF art system 10 win the award
| must necessarily approximate the trolley as n
! standard Of economy In operation. but should he
without the features objectionable to the public TINT
'Third-we shall exact no rights in the invention
in return for the S9"r and shall hay nothing
further than to pay any expenses when Your honor
either i'm The employment Of Experts the giving OF
hearings the conduct Of experiments. this IN order
that effort may De spared to achieve the desired
we desire however. to suggest to your honorable
board that any invention worth considering VIII
ordinarily have inspired sufficient connlenc" In an
inventor and his friends 10 warrant thrn IN pay
are furnished therefor. II W. are asked pay the
expense Of experimental forms OF traction not
sanctioned at present by any general use W should
desire to be consulted ~ II necessary prccaution
against visionary ana unJustiablc expenditures by
The advantages which would accrue t. In
and the Adoption OF his system BY our compan.
would be great that DO not consider II nee
cssary 10 stipulatc terms for Us use on our lines
especially In view Of the fact that In the event of
exorbtant demands. II would remain In your power
necessary for the protection OF the public. As the
proposal itself plainly indicates. oui faith in III,
capacity, judgment and fairness OF your board T.
such tha, We feel warranted in practically placing
the whole matter IN your hahdS. ana leaving me de-
cison OF any questions that may arise TO your dis
Permit us 90 say in conclusion that I'm submitting
this proposition We max. no pretenCe Of disIter
ISL. are those Of business We do feel justified
however in suggesting that IN this matter at least
our interests are Iienticl with those Of the city.
ers after the proposition from the Metropolitan
Traction Company had been received. the members
Of The commission discussed the matter at con
siderable length. The question to the extent Il
which the boar, could go in the determination OF
the best method OF power FOR 'ireet surface cars
was looked into carefully. and as result ga-
gaciousy worded reply was sent TO the company
| 1t thought that various grounds the com
mission Il State board could not take the part
10 the company dId say. however. that u the Indg
ment Of the board on any invention should b. asked
!
course OF business. the board would gladly CO.
operate with the company.
TIE COMMISSION NEEDS POWER.
Since the publication q the proposition the Rail
road Commisslonc have received letters from all
parts Of the country from inventors and Others
Interested in sireet-cIr propulsion inquirlng
regarding It, Charles Il. De Froes'. ti'
secretary Of the commission. has over
200 such letters on fiIe and men VINO are
| looking after that $4,000 prize. besides the mos
sure prOspac Of sale At a high igurc Of the
accepted plan. are anxious 10 know what arrange
monts are being made for exhibition OF Tho
| various inventions. or course the correspondcnc,
which the secretary Of the commission has heo
| away Is not free from the handiwork of crank:
and men with inventions the practicabiIity OF which
exist mainly in their own minds ON the whole
though most 81 the inquiries have come from re
liable men. who have produced some sort or
motive power WITCH I.-n 49, ' ot, - '' " ~
The solution OF the problem OF s,oTase Dntte I
for street surface would be OF such vast benz"
| III 10 both the travelling public in the cites IN,
! to the street-car companies that the Members o.
L.L-. l...-. .l.tac tl MI u In