New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-21
HOW DANGER MAY BE lFSSENhD'
SUGGESTIONS FOR AN AUXILIARY SIGNAL "iSi"N'
r,op THE BROADWAY CABLE ROAD.

NOW DANGER MAY BE I.ESSENED
SUGGESTIONS FOR AN AUXILIARY SIGNAL sfSlEM
FOR THE BROADWAY CABLE ROAD.
To tho Editor Of The Tribune.
Cir. Tho Introduction OF the cable car 'hrons"
tho nrincIDal thOroughiare Of this great CIV mas
certainly been a vast Improvement over inc .o''''
,bode ~ randi transit and should be welcomed
bv all as another step Of progress IN INNS E''.''
c,v whose facilities for rapid transit are extremely
urritod Like all other Improvements ana innoVa-
rons thore are certain defects which maze '"'m
sel,os manifest soon after the Introduction o' the
evs,on. but which, with proper remedies. can DE
entirely obviatel or brought to a minimum
Tho great defect and danger In the operation VI
.he rroodwav cable route is the liability OF car
., ho.,,,. nnnnonageab,e when its grip Is caught in
, s,,,ndal or torn cable and In such CONDITION
da si,ng along the crowded street. causing havoc
and destruction to he and property uh'i' !" SOM
wsv the power machinery can be stopped Al
though previous accidents OF this KIND nave ooe"
numerous and dangerous the latest one, occurring
on February 20 was PARTICULARS so. ana a. 'hey
are liable to occur again. some positive means
should at once be adopted 70 prevent them
II is true that the Metropolitan Traction Com
panv has taken steps to partly "bvlate Such "c''-
dents and IS now installing a system "t sisINl"s
from different points along the line to the different
power stations This system consists 0i 'iSnal BOXES
similar In construction 10 the ordiu p police signa
hoxes which are located IN the street ABOUT every
I'VE hundred feet or nor" along the route adjacent
- the track and are lnclosed in iron boxes. having
covers flush with the surface OF the street. lhese
sirpol boxes are connected by electric wires with
tho receiving instrument at the power station where
~ soon as any box is operated after taking OH the
cover and opening the signal box. the signal Is re-
cel,el on a large dial and by gong and is also
recorded In order to send signal to the power
housa for ..Stop" start" Go Slow" or any other
signal the gripman or conductor goes to one or
these boxes and by proper operation can send any
signal desired. This system would be good II the
car would wait In is course of destruction while
the rriplnan or conductor ran TO the signal box
and started IT in operation, and certainly II Is OF
value in signalling for any ordinary purpose. When
however tn. car has once gone beyond control. by
The grip being caught in a stranded cable, or when
the prlp Will not release the cable 1t becomes nee
essarv to stop 1t once and the only way OF doing
SO IL to stop the power engine 10y Immediately max
ing that fact known at the power-housc.
with the signal system. which is being installed
from three TO ten minutes more would elapse
before the signal would reach the power-iouse for
NOT only is II necessary TO run 10 the box but the
covers mus; be raised before the signal can be OPP
Grated II is reasonable 10 believe that in many
cases rs the boxes placed the surface of the
street they may become obstructed by wagons. etc.
mr. mat the covers may stick. The person who sends
the signal Is generally excited, and after he has
nnened the box is apt TO send the wrong signal.
an, II certainly Is absolutely necessary that both
cr,,,nnn and conductor should give all their ener-