Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-22

MR.. vERKEs' PROPHECIES ABOUT
ELECTRICITY.
Power which Can BE Generated IL Linn
itiess-- -fiecoming Daily More Economical.
Street Railways Expected to Use IL Alto
Retber.

itIess-- becoming Daily More Economical.
Street Railways Expected to Use IL Alto
gether.
With tho purchase Of tho Grant Looomo-
tive works by tho Ycrkcs, ,Siemens- IIolsEe
Electric company tho competition between
two great rival systems began. The issue
has been drawn between the Yerkos com.
pany and the Westinghouse Baldwin com
bination, and tho rivalry between these Pi-
gantic concerns, backed as each Is by many
millions Of dollars, has narrowed down 10
a test Of comparative economy and ciiicien-
cy. The members Of the rival companies
are I'm the aggregate worth not far from
$50, 600, 900, and In point OF individual
wealth neither OF tho companies has the
advantage.
The Westinghouse wheelless under
ground system of electrical propulsion has
been fully described In the columns OF The
Journal Cars operated by this system arc
circuited by contact between tho rails,
which run tho length Of and underneath
the Cur, and metal caps placed few feet
apart between tho tracks and set In the
pavement. The caps do not offer any OBJ
struction TO traffic. A street railway In
Washington has been operated successfully
by use OF this system for over year, and
the hauling and switching In the Westing-
house works yard arc done by tho wheel
less plan.
Mr. Charles Il. Ycrkes the head of the
American Siemens company, who Is reput-
ed to be worth not far from $25 000, 900,
which represents, In large part, the profits
OF his system OF street railways In Chicago,
was interviewed In regard to the plans of
the new combination.
"The newspapers" said Mr.. Yerkes,
"were far from being correct In their sur
misses as to the purpose Of the combina-
ton. The Siemens patents are the inven-
tion Of DIR. Siemens of Germany, who IL to
Europe what Edison is to America. The
company formed to do business In Amcri-
ca will manufacture In Chicago motors
and all kinds Of electrical appliances and
will also build and prepare for operation
motor engines for both heavy and Light
railway traffic.
"There are no railways In America"
continued Mr.. Yerkes, "now equipped and
operated by the Siemens- Holske system.
But In Germany and Austria, where the
system has stood the test Of practical use,
they are operated and give the highest sat
isfaction.
1.-THE system Is practicable for either
light or heavy traffic. There is practical
ly no limit to the power which can be gen.
Grated or the speed at which the trains may
be propelled. One of the drawbacks to all
other systems which have been patented,
and which were to revolutionize railway
traffic, has been the lack of economy in op-
Grafton. There is no doubt that electricity
Will supersede steam when 1t becomes
more economical to propel cars by use Of
the former force. We believe that in oul
system we have found the solution to this
| problem, which has vexed railway COM
| panies for SO many years. 1t can be used
as well for heavy as for light traffic and
with greater economy than steam.
GAS said, there Is practically no limit
| TO the power which can be generated. Cars
may be drawn long distances at a high
rate Of speed at less expense than they can
be drawn by steam locomotives. Several
railway companies have now under consid-
Grafton the adoption Of the Siemens system
in place of steam. No, shall not say
what companies they are.
"We have purchased the Grant Locomo-
tive works for the purpose Of manufac-
turing electric motors capable Of doing
work such as Is done by the motors in the
Baltimore tunnel. We can make them at
perhaps a less cost than steam locomotives
and they will do the work more cheaply.
"The capital Of the Siemens- Holske COM
pany has been increased from 81 900, 600 to
e2, 900, 900. We intend to make extensive
improvements in the works In Chicago
and also greatly to enlarge the plant. We
shall be able to make motors, machinery
and electrical appliances Of all kinds. We
shall turn our attention in particular to
the manufacture of motors to take the
place Of steam power.
"WhO Is interested in tho company.
That Is question you must not expect me
to answer.
"As to the more immediate future OF
electricity, believe that it will take the
place Of steam. 1t Is now superseding
steam as power for running machinery
of all kinds.
ultimately. the railroads will equip
their cars with electrical appliances. The
more practical way to use electricity for
heavy traffic is to build power house for
severy block on the system. BY this means
there would be uninterrupted power. Each
power house would furnish power for its
block, and there would also be an income
from the operation Of such plan by the
furnishing of power to factories or for
lighting or heating purposes. Electricity
will be used In heavy railway traffic as
we'll as in street railway traffic. 1t will
heat houses and cook food. We have been
using It most successfully and economical
ly to heat 800 cars In one Of our Chicago
street railway systems, and II 1t will heat
cars 1t oan be used to cook food"
"Is IL your intention to enter the eastern
market in competition with eastern COM
panicsf"
"Yes we shall open an Office in the
American Surety building and will there
have on exhibition models Of our railway
system motors ETC. Our main plant will