Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-13
Inspector Bradshaw's Report on
Those Being Tried.
SOME ADVANTAGES And DEFECTS
Large Number of Different Ideas
Tested and Described.
S E G U Rim G. s A F E T Y

the nVeS ana nmDS OF the cltlZenS OIL w ASH
ington.
They will issue an order compelling the
street railroads of the city to equip their
cars with a suitable fender.
For some time past this subject has been
engrossing the minds Of the Commissioners
and the settlement of the vexed problem
has been anxiously awaited. Capt. G. j.
Fiebeger, the assistant engineer commits
sioner was selected to make a report upon
the subject, ano he detailed Inspector l.. p.
Bradshaw to Investigate the several FEM
ders now in operation on the street lines Of
the city and report at once to him.
For the past week the inspector has been
studying the subject, and today made his
report. He describes in detail the different
tenders now being tried, and, among other
things, says:
Smith Fender.
1.-THE Smith fender is of the combination
wheel-guard and pickup pattern, having
automatic trip devices for throwing it down
to the surface traversed, actuated by pen
dant trip guard in front, which encounters
the object upon the tracks.
1.-The entire mechanism is secured under
the car platform and occupies the space
between the front edge of the platform and
the wheels. This fender is specially
designed for picking up an object or per-
sen lying or that may chance to be struck
and thrown upon the track in front Of the
car, and for preventing injury from contact
with the car wheels, and it Is claimed that
these objects will be accomplished without
the infliction of additional injury than has
been received from the blow otherwise
before the pickup is called into action.
Although this fender has the special adj
vantages pointed out, which apparently
render it safe and sure pickup when
called into action, yet, as whole. it does
not commend Itself q substantial me-
chanical device possessing the qualities of
strength and durability adapted to with
stand the severe strains and shocks which
such devices must necessarily encounter.
The Parmentcr Fender.
This fender is also of the combination
wheelguard and pickup pattern, designed
to accomplish substantially the same OBJ
jects as the Smith fender, occupying the
Same amount of space beneath the car
and a similar position with re-
sIect to the car Wheels and being brought
into action by an almost exactly similar
device for encountering objects upon the
tracks.
The Sterling Fender.
1T has none of the qualities of pickup
in the sense of the two just described, but
serves merely as guard or pilot for the
car wheels, and viewing it with reference
to the cars of the Washington and George
town Railroad Company, is considered an
only on the present pilot
board, while, l believe. 1T is generally I'M
adapted for use upon cars having much
oscillation, or upon roads that have not an
approximately even surface.
The Russ Fender
ut is stationary front fender of heavy
iron construction, hardly capable of being
called pickup, having an automatic wheel
brake thrown on by the fender guard en-
countering an object upon the tracks. The
fender proper is secured to the front of the
car body, its rigid lower edge, or guard,
projecting forward about IL feet, having
cover of rubber betting as {, buffer, ana
also being susceptible of a backward spring
movement for relieving the shock of i'm
pact, which Is supposed to cause the per-
sen to fall forward upon the pickup or
carrying part of the fender.
From the standpontS of safety and
practical utility the fender is open to the
following objections: The drawbar and
bumper are afforded no protection what
ever, and the slatwork dash protection be-
ing only limited, it practically fails of it's
purpose as preventive against injury from
this source, while the fact of the fender
being carried in such an elevated position
renders it inefficient as protection to per-
sons who may chance to fall or be thrown
in front of 1t. From a practical point of
view 1T Is Objectionable on account of its
weight, as interfering with the coupling of
cars, and being stationary and projecting
in front, as requiring greater storage room
than the present facilities of many of the
companies will admit of.
The Hurst Fender.
ut is of the projecting front, pickup
pattern, mounted in bearings beneath the
car platform, and held normally in posi-
toin above the surface on the counterpoise
principle, the fender mechanism occupying
all the available space beneath the car in
front of the wheels, and projecting forward
on an incline about 3 IL feet from the car
body.
From a practical point of view the fem
der is open to the following objections:
Generally, as interfering with the coupling
Of cars and the facilities for storage; spe-
Cially, the springtension rope and pickup
mechanism, being designed to be depressed
to conform to the roadway when brought
into action, is not believed to be adapted to
Withstand the resistance offered by immov-
able distractions in the line of the tracks.
The Crawford Tenders.
These tenders are styled as wheel guard
and pickup, and may be used together or
separately on car.
1T does not commend ITSELF however, as
a safe and efficient device for accomplish
ing the object of it's design, for the reason
that it is absolutely dependent upon the
action of springs for effective operation,
nor will the fender board, when called into
action, prevent hand from getting a start
beneath it, and if encountered with suf-
fcient force to overcome the resistance of
the springs holding it under tension, it is
believed will afford no protection from get
ting under the wheels. 1t is claimed, how
ever, that these springs are of sufficient
strength to resist the shock produced by
contact with man and are susceptible
only to yield upon encountering an i'm
movable obstruction in the line of the
tracks. The use of the guard alone does
not contemplate other than wheel protec-
ton, so il is open to the general objection
of affording no protection to the draw bar
and other low-hanging parts of the car.
The Blackstone Tenders.
wheel guard and stationary front pick
up The wheel guard was seen on car
No. of the Brightwood avenue line, and
the pickup at the power house, but not in
use. The wheel-guard is something on the
order of the Smith and Parmenter tenders
in manner of operation, being actuated by
a similar tripping device, occupying the
same amount of space beneath the car
platforms and similar position with re-
spect to the car wheels 1t is not equal 20
the Parmenter fender, however, in strength
and simplicity of construction, and is de-
pendent upon the action of springs of diff