Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-01-31
GETTING 1T READY.
The Bridge Line Electric Equip
ment.
THERE Il Nu0a work 10 BE DONE

rse Origisal rlsas may Necessarily Have
% ~ Altered sSaewhas-rae Dssadi-
vsssAse al Not Having GsaAucsor. ON
Some Cars
Electrical Engineer &. II. Frc,lcr-
icks, Of the Davenport Il Rock Island
Railway company, arrived from Chi
cago this morning for the purpose of
completing the plans for the electric
equipment Of the bridge line branch
Of the tri-ciiy system. There has
been an unavoidable delay in COM
plotting the arrangements. and while
all the necessary formalities are
practically finished now. there vet
remains much TODD. 1t was the first
intention Of the company To have the
motors now in use all over the sys-
TEN. that is. IL feet in all. but Mr..
Frcdericks stated this morning that
he feared it would bc impossible to
do this owing to the length of the
switching trucks in the car houses.
While the cars could be made that
length. il would necessitate max
ing the platforms very narrow. and
this would mar the general appear
ance of the car, SO that the cars will
probably not he Is feet long. al
though they will be somewhat longer
than the present cars. and they will
necessarily he narrower AMI lower OF
account O. the bridges. The other
specifications have all been agreed
upon. and the order will he given e
the 81. Louis Car company in a few
days for the equipment, which will
be Of the most elaborate design
known tn the art Of ear building
and will he provided with the mos
improved devices in mechanism.
Track and Overhead EqalUas~nt.
There is considerable work To b,
done in the electrical equipment q
the tracks across the island bet wccr
the bridges. 1t will bc remembers,
that the company was put to ire
mendou> outlay in putting down tn
track across the island, the cost o
the granite pavement alone bcin:
So. 200. and now the track must b
torn up and more ties put in. Will
the underground wire is also to b
laid. and the rails connected. The
the trolley wire must be strung. $,
that with all that is to he done, i
will he along in May before the roa,
is fully in readiness for the substitu
ton Of electric motors for horse cars
ssr-st Railway service.
The need of conductors oil
all the street cars. as wei
as on the more importan
lines. is fully illustrated almOs
every day. II in fact has become
matter Of frequent occurrence fo
bridge cars when stopping at eros:
ing for passengers. To move off. lea'
ing people who were within hailin
distance. simply because there Wa
no conductor on the rear end to hol
the car. This is likewise true of tn
Elm street line. people being LEI
every day because they are not see
by the motormcn. The hOrse-ca
drivers, and the motormen on til
Elm street line, should be required
keep n lookout for passengers pent
ing such time rs the company fee
that il can provide conductors o
these branches Of its system.
As matter of fact there are or
or two motormen. and one Of the,
is on the Elm street line. who seel
tn lie impressed with the idea tn;
special authority is delegated
them TO run the road, and these fe
would put on less airs if less laxil
and more discipline were exercise
| NTH rafarance In Thorn