New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-10
TO BUTTON THE BRIDGE.
AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM WHICH WILL Dis
PENsE WITH CABLE AND ENGINES.
j. sEAvER PAGE TELLS OF WHAT PEOPLE WHO
CROSS THE BIG SPAN MAY HOPE FOR IN THE
NEAR FUTURG-A SIMPLE. CHEAP AND
EFFECTIVE PLAINTIFF HEADWAf
OF TRAINS TO BE SHORTENED.

OF TRAINS TO BE SHORTENED.
After much discussion and long period Of waiting
II is now an assured fact that in the near future
change OF motive power will be effected upon the
Brooklyn Bridge which will do much TO relieve the
congestion mt the terminals, which has been such
source of discomfort to those who have occasion 10
use the Bridge and to the Board of Trustees. who
have been taken to task for not doing something TO
afford relief The use OF eectricy as n motive
power had been freely discussed but In such
vague way that definite system was talked or
The advent of J. Seaver Page into the Board OF
Trustees did much 10 crystalline this talk into ac-
ton and detailed plan Of action has been
prepared and will be put into erect as soon az pos
slble.
A. the last meeting OF the Board Of Trustees MT
Page introduced resolution suggesting that thor
ough Investigation be conducted looking to the dis
covery OF some satisfactory motive power 70 De
adopted on the Bridge supplant the present cable.
Following the spirit OF this resolution com
mittes from the trustees left this city last Thurs
day and went to Pittsburg investigate the motors
Of the Westinghouse Company, which says 1t has
solved the problem. In the committee were Presi-
dent Howell J. Seaver Page and CHIEF Engineer
Martin. Mr. Page at the Langham hotel last
evening when asked about the result OF his trip lie
talked freely about the headway the committee had
made and what would be the outcome or the work
done so far He said:
"Of course. you understand under what provisions
we went to Pittsburg. We visited the Westing-
house works and in actual operation there
system which believe will revolutionize the method
Of TRANSFORMATION wherever the cable is used or
course cannot say that the system VIII be
success on our Bridge but | saw 1t In actual opera
,Ion there and il seemed 10 work al right. II Is
by far the best motor that have seen yet ana
have had some experience IN examining elec'rlcai
motors. II will doubtless be adopted at the next
meeting and given trial. VIII say, however
that we compelled to give everything laif
test. and we will In all probability keep on testing.
hut this system seems to be the best. The plant
they had at Pittsburg had been In operation Tor
four months and a perfect success.
THE system is an odd There they have a
regular electrical engine Here we viii simply ad-
Just a motor to each train The system Is
,udcrously cheap and promises to be effective. At
intervals along the ties over which the train runs
are little steel knobs or buttons. These buttons are
the points OF contact. They are stationed ABOUT SIN
feet apart. A steel bar drops down from the car
underneath the front platform and gides over Ihese
buttons. This makes the circuit complete. NO"
the first question that one will ask is If the buttons
do not lar when they over. They DO not
because the contact is light and the bar is on
spring and one in the car never knows that 'hey
are there. Then one may get the impression that
il gives a jerky motion. That is wrong IL runs
as smoothly If ii was hauled ny caoie' Inc
great beauty Of the system. however. Is Its safety
A
no live wires and as soon that bar has passed
oyer the button The TIE sr 9utGn tse anless in Contact
Is perfectly harmless h a
twelve tu trains Of four cars each While It is un-
necessary place more than one motor or ht sta u,
OF cars we think IL best 10 put TWO on 50 ,las ~
case Of an emergency the second can be used 10
relieve the rst This will require tweatyiour s1
the forward platform of the train and one under, Ter
meath the rear platform VII n say tas @ 70 sny mile sGo 10
pace these buttons on the track ,,,., ai,as q,
I'VE now have system OF ara Snit,ns tr6m one track
TO another The idea Is that when A tram COMES
in engine runs up and after IN a,her rack Al
this takes valuable time II this system Is aaoptha
neotilg OF the Board OF Trustees next MONDAY W.
WIN begin operations by giving tnS system 80 80
at attn h ,b cSe srops a%a '2T That IS whe" pulls
into the station at either end ne par n,;rpe VII De
dTTppe any Switched %4 10 the other track Al these ter.
minals have about hahn o uatn' .b hv,,nns
YOU can what it will cost TO pace 'ne ""''o"'
"po You think that this change Will vii be erected
bstSLe me cara,nIy The terminals will no, be fin
ished before next spring and we nope pst p Of the
Year The brooklyn terminal is completed nut evTn
vet We find some alterations IONS tna' IN he wdened and
otber changes made. When We DO get these YER
minas nqweyfF dea TO a reeve the that takes
Mace al the terminals. The people s ndse NJ W. uii
bl bn abie under the new conditions. ! think 10 run
in and unload and load two trana at one UNI sncords ~
na, ane puS9 now That will divide 1t and make train
aYsrv forty-fve seconds That is what the peop'e
can look forward TO. m ,. ,,b tho engineers
Then this system will dispense WIN tne e"S'"ee''
and firemen the Bridge engIheeSS h,, r,e may he
III am sorry to say that IT VIII; pmt we may "e
able to employ them in another ycy way ba new plan
IA "a .,vs that he mas the cooperation OF the board
He said . -, ,,..io ,ys,ar, has bean
.L. ,ha i've wire was always getting in It's deady
wnrk with this there Is no live wire ana no pos7I-
o,;S oi eli we win have to DO Will be TO button the
racks across and dispense with the Gaoe' ina.
-, 4, ,viii eventually lead 10. think slnceFey
.si,avs %ha that the remedy has been found at last