The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-28


cially the eastern lines have decided that
~ is a fact and not "A theory That con-
fronts them, and that if they WISH TO noin
their patronage and pay dividends tncy
must night the electrical octopus win
electricity.
There is no doubt but that electricity
is cheaper than any other known motive
power. and that with new developments
its cost will boz stll greatly reduced lou
are no louht, perfectly familiar win the
two railroads between here ard Baltimore
and therefore i need not dwell upon the
almost perfect roadbels Of the two cor
porations ln that they are ahead OF the
trolley roads. who will be handicapped
with now foundations and close proXimi-
/ ~ 20 general thoroughfares- To equip
our road with the trolley system VIII be
AN easy matter the buying OF new cars
being the chief cost; but as they can be
purchased or built for about 500 each
/ this item is comparatively small
USING THE TFLEGsAPH POLLS.
ION each side Of our road from here 10
Baltimore there arc two separate lines OF
telegraph poles. one belonging 10 me
Western Union and the other 10 us.
Brackets on top or underneath the wires
thereon will suffice 20 carry service troll
Low wire. ON seven-eighths Of the road
! they are set high enough to clear locomo-
/ ti1fs and cars. With the cars ready and
} the plant I'm working order at -he Potomac
! Falls. III guarantee TO string the wires
and make an the necessary connections
/ in three weeks. Should the Potomac
Falls project fail 20 materialize we Will
have TO build power houses but this is
] only the last resource.
"Our idea then is 10 put on hourly serv-
Z Zee between Washington and Baltimore
and let the locomotives continue with the
! through trains with a guaranteed speed
| OF fifty miles an hour this can easily be
done. and l look for still greater speed.
| The perfect roadbed AMI block system will
/ insure safety and the regular sidings per-
NIT the through trains TO make their
usual fast time
"The public VIII undoubtedly be bene-
/ fitted. as about e cent mile viii be the
rate. or seventy-hve cents for the round
trip from Washington 10 Baltimore. An
I experienced electric motor constructor
assured me, after looking over our road.
/ that the distance could DE covered i'm an
hour az the extreme outside.
! II know positively that the opposition
railroad has taken the same steps we
! have in this matter, and that both roads
will Ice equipped with electricity for local
travel before this year is cut provided
our common enemy opens mp for bust
! ness inside Of that time. Some OF the
officers Of our company have had an inn
preston. changed 20 conviction recently,
/ so that they now firmly believe that with
/ I'm the next five years we shall see many
of the railroads OF this country either
/ adopting electricity or preparing TO do so.
TROLLEY CONSULTATIONS.
"In the opinion of those who are watch
| ing the development Of the Niagara plant
/ 1t will In the course of few years furn-
! ism electricity enough 10 carry on all the
/ traffic on the New York Central road. If
| Niagara Falls can do that 1 do not see
] Why the Potomac Falls cannot be made
! TO DO the same.
"Why. over IN New Jersey during the
| past month there has been one great
| transaction resulting in the consolidation
| OF trolley systems and IL threatens dan
| gerous competition for the local traffic
on al the railroads in that State. II COM
! bincs into one system all of the electric
roads stretching through that populous
/ country which extends for thirty miles
| north of Jersey city. Another consolida-
ton Is imminent which will bring into one
/ system all of the roads extending from
Jersey city westerly through the large
/ towns of Newark Elizabeth, the Oranges,
and IL is likely that this will by AMI by
! become part OF the system which Is 10
I
caiiv paralleling the Pennsylvania road
| through 90 Baltimore and this city.
! This summer we snail see the begin
| ming OF the work for a through trolley
| line from New York TO Albany. which
| will run for the whole distance only
! milo or TWO east OF the New York Cen
| trail tracks. and from Albany westward
they are already contemplating the build
ing and uniting Of links which will furn-
ish "a trolley system from New York 10
| Buffalo. DO you wonder the railroads
are waking up
1T is I'm self-protection, rs we'll az from
| motives Of economy. that the managers
| OF tho steam railway lines which have
terminals In the large eastern cities are
! now determined that during the coming
| summer thorough experiments shall be
made TO test the capacity OF electricity
10 do the work which steam is now do
ing. and we have already started in work
ing with all our might
ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRICITY.
zone thing I would like TO call your
! attention TO Is the fact that IN the last
| two or three years the development ana
! improvement of electric motors and mo-
| ton plants have had very perceptible
| effect upon the comparison of cost and
| convenience as made by those who have
/ studied the practical possibilities of cleo
tric traction on steam roads Two years
/ ago the coal bin was considered 10 the
! exclusion OF certain advanti ees on the
} side of electricity which have since been
| mere clearly disclosed Aave classed
| these advantages about as follows:
First. The cost OF repairs is less with
electric motors than with steam locomo-
| tiv,s. because the mechanism is far more
! simple. There are not so many moving
| parts. AMI these are not so much exposed
10 the action OF mud. sand ard water
! Three or four years ago, however, the
cost of repairs In electric service was a
| formidable item. More miles are run per
| day or more hours OF service are obtain
! ed per day, with electric motors than with
steam locomotives, so that the cost OF
labor per mile is less with the former. and
the amount OF work done with q given
sum invested is larger
Second. When electric motors Of iarg-
or size and for higher speed than those