Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-29
LINK OF THE ELECTRIC CHAIN
Harvesting Mountain Lakes to Electric Ma
ohinery in Salt Lake City,
SPEED TRIAL IN BALTlMoRE'S TUNNEL
Increasing Popularity of I~ncandcs-
cent Lnnip-EIectric Power for
suburban observation-disclosures
in Electrical Industry.

Salt Lake City did not wait for a demon
s~tration Of the value of water as a producer
Of electric power. Long before Niagara on
the east and American river on the west
we're made subservient to modern necessi-
ties, the enterprising men of Zion were in
the field, and will presently join Sacra-
mento and Buffalo as a link in the chain OF
electric cities.
Details Of Salt Lakes power are described
by Mr.. George II. Suy in the Electrical
Engineer. The main source OF water sup
ply is the sublime Wahsateh range, over
shadowing Salt Lake City. The range is
studded thickly with water streams, caves
and pockets, fed by the springs and drainage
of the mountain, the overflow from when
has always been utilized by the Mormons ior
the fertilization of their valley farms. The
grandeur and beauty of its peaks and lakes
are unequaled even in the Bernese Alps, and
Lake Blanche, with its setting OF snowman
tied cliff, will suggest to the traveller in cen
trail Europe the rugged and awful protle OF
the Matterhorn. This and seven other OF the
Wahsatch lakes, lying, still, dark and solemn,
at attitudes of IL 900 to 10 900 feet, are now
to be the means of filling the valley below
with light and gladness. In the picturesque
Big Cottonwood canon, where the granite
blocks for the ponderous and imposing Nor
mon temple were quarried, these waters are
being damned and converted into a power
that will develop the resources OF Utah IN
mines products and manufactures TO an
extent almost unparalleled in the history OF
the west. The Big Cottonwood Power COM
pany has practically completed its plans Tor
the generation and transmission OF electric
power from the various water supplies IN tne
Big Cottonwood canon, thirteen miles south.
east of Salt Lake City, for the supply OF
light and power within the limits Of the
city, and to the factories and small towns
in the vicinity.
The power station is located in the canon,
at THE Stairs" fourteen miles by pole line
from the distributing station of the Salt Lake
and Ogden Gas and Electric Light company,
in Salt Lake City. The available supply OF
water will produce 5S, 500 horse power per
day of twenty-four hours. The final cost OF
the complete development is estimated at
5000, 900. The company's affairs have been so
we'll administered that much more than half
the power to be developed has already been
disposed of absolutely, and the guaranteed
total revenue from completed contracts Is
over 800, 900 annually. Although the COM
pany is confirming its operations for the pres
ent to 1.-The Stairs supply, 1T has other val
liable water rights partly developed, by means
of which it could at any time largely sup
plement its output.
BALTIMORE'S ELECTRIC FLYER.
/ Whirling under the heart of Baltimore at
the rate Of sixty-one miles an hour was the
novel experience of a party of men on electric
locomotive No. 1 of the Baltimore & OHIO
Railroad company, relates the Baltimore sun.
This record was made in the locomotives
first test Of high speed through the tunnel.
F.. w. Murray, an old and trusted engineer
Of the Baltimore G. Ohio, stood at the con-
troller.
Approaching the south portal Of the tunnel
a speed OF only twenty miles an hour was
developed, owing to the curves and switches
at that place. The start was made with an
easy forward glide of the locomotive. Enter
ing the tunnel the engineman twirled the
- .. G-,-- Il trn on Cnnndinr
notches. Under the impetus thus given the
locomotive dashed forward. As steady as a
palace car, owing to the absence of vibrating
parts, II flew past the double row OF electric
lights which illuminated the tunnel at a
speed that seemed to blend their glimmer into
trails of light stretching to the north opening
of the tunnel. So smooth and steady was the
motion that the rapid rate did not appear I'M
usual. All on board kept firm grips on their
hats as the cool air of the tunnel whistled
through the cab.
Engineer Shepard stood at the speed-record
ing apparatus watching the movements of the
instrument. Nearing the northern portion OF
the tunnel the power was shut of and the
r speed was reduced. The announcement was
then made that an actual speed of sixty-one
miles an hour had been attained. A smile. OF
intense satisfaction overspread the counte-
nances of the electrical experts at this re-
suit, and DR.. Duncan expressed himself as
greatly pleased with that test.
? Much interest was manifested in the per-
Torrance of the flexible trolley during the
trial. This feature Of the electric locomotive
has attracted general attention, and many
queries have been made as to its adapability
for even ordinary service, not to speak OF fast
speed trials. The trolley mechanism was
closely watched during the trip, and at the
? speed maintained 1t took the irregularities
Of the overhead structure with apparent per-
lection, there being not the slightest hitch or
lar in its operation. The trolley shoe glided
with remarkable precision through the cleo
trio conduit, at one moment bringing out the
full extension of the flexible shaft, then dip
ping down to within a few feet of the loco
} motive, running on one side and then on the
other, and not a single spark or sputter was
; to be observed.
: When the locomotive was first used with
: heavy service trouble was encountered, owing
5 to the heating of the trolley shoe. This wa!
r due to the fact that the overhead conductor
had been in position for some time, and not
5 having been used an accumulation or scale
D had developed, impairing the contact OF the
A trolley shoe. No further trouble has beer
found since this scale was removed, and
8 recurrence of the difficulty is not expected.
The burst of speed resulting in the develop,
ment Of a rate of sixty-one miles an hour was
made on the heavy grade of the tunnel, anC
the engineers said 1t was equivalent to sew
~enty-fve miles an hour on a level track. Tht
performance of the locomotive was such tina
they would not hesitate to run 1t at that o.
even a greater speed II they had a ~suficien
l stretch Of track for the purpose. Locomotive
I, No. l was not designed for fast time, and thu
I result of its latest test Is looked upon as al
e Indication Of what may be expected from ar
electric locomotive specially designed for suci
S a purpose.
SUPERIOR TO STEAM.
Much has been said of late about the Nan
{ tasket and Mount Holly electric railways
9 which have superseded steam lines, but il
: seems from a letter in Engineering News
| written by Superintendent George Macleod o.
=, the Kentucky and Indiana Bridge company
\ that the electric line belonging to that or
K ganization is not only the oldest electric
line in operation on steam railway tracks
n but possibly the only one on which a large
( number Of electric and steam trains are rur
+, over the same roadbed. Prior to August
!, 1898, the company operated its suburban line
3 between Louisville, KY, and New Albany
a Ind. by steam, running trains every thirty
g minutes. 1t was decided to change the mo,
tive power to electricity, however, because 6
more frequent service, every fifteen minutes
= with a correspondingly increased travel, coult
1 be had at a lower cost per passenger mile
The line comprises 2.11 miles of double track
h road and two miles of single track. The
= latter is on a viaduct in Louisville and OF
- the company's long cantilever bridge oveI
the Ohio river, which also carries two road.
4 ways. The electric trains use tn,
hridpa and tracks In comn,op = MFR