Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-04-16

his usefulness. Chicago thus loses one
Of its best citizens and journalism one
OF its greatest ornaments. for the de-
ceased was able, fearless. generous. and
hospitablc.
strect-Cars from Cbimborazo TO the
boulevard.
To the Editor OF the Disratch
II appears from the papers that three
parties are respectively asking for IRAN
chise from the City Council 10 bulia
street railway on Broad street Two OF
these-Mr Plzzini and Mr. Catlin-ask Tor
the privilege OF putting up the overhead
trolley system. The thifd-Nr. Jenkins
desires to put down the underground OF
conduit system.
The question confronting the Council Is:
To which OF the three shall the iranchlSe
be given; which system is the hestE
AS between two Of the parties, this
QUESTION does not arise; their systems
are the same.
Now. II the conduit or underground sys-
TEN will work IL would seem mat taeIe
could be no doubt as to its superiority 10
the overhead trolley. The whole country
is now I'm a fermcnt about overhead wires
So II the conduit system presenter 10
other advantage the getting ria OF lhe
overhead wires and the unsiShtly pole1
would point II out as superior.
The city governm nj IS now agltathA
the question OF compelling all the eiec'Iic
companies TO put their wires ui.t,I
ground. In addition, however, 10 M
obvious advantage presented by the und r
ground system. there are others ~
hubble Is certainly interested IN haVlhs
n system which viii give a regular anu
efficient service. one which is LEAST hapie
10 Irregularities and delays on dccoul'
OF accidents, and above all. one "h'Sn -
INDEPENDENT Of the weather. We presume
that no line In this country mas hau' W
could well have. more intelligent or mo-
efficient superintendent than MI. mare
Selden, yet, during the winter hlViI, W
we have repeatedly sen the cars Dioch-e
mn by the snow. and traffic w-il nisH
SUSPENDED at the very times thet IN
street.cars were most essential 10 tht
necessities and convenience OF the pun ~
','his ia not peculiar to Richmond nu'
obtains I'm every plac. where a system. 4'
used that relies upon the connection
tween the car-wheels and the ua-h 'l
complete the circuit ana luIhlsh ''
power Snow is a non-conluc'o'' 'i',
IN, nnoneut IL covers the track the circuit
ie c,1r Of and the cars come to stand
stfl The trouble Is not due 10 the man
aeemcnt. but Is inherent In the systeH'.
The conduit system obviatcs this din
c,itv for II does not rely upon track
correction. 1t makes the circuit by tWO
wires. which are IN the conduit III inc
otcund and which are thoroughly pro-
tected from the weather. during the
storm last January there were Dut l"
systems in Washington when were eoi
10 ran-to wit the cable and the electric
conduit systems Every overhead trolley
line in the city was stopped. The under
ground conduit system viii run IN any
weathcr-in good, when efficient service
is a luxury, and I'm bad. when II Is
necessity.
There is another advantage connected
with not using the track 10 make the
circuit. for then the tracks can never
become charged with electricity ana
hence there can be no danger OF shocking
people or animals who happen TO step
on IL.
The objections which have been urged
against the underground system by those
who want the overhead trolley are 60
far as we can hear two
l. 1t costs nearly or quite double as
much to put down; and
2, That it is an experiment and may
fail.
As 10 the first objection-that it costs
more-we are at a loss 10 know what
the City Council has 10 do with that,
inasmuch as ii is not called upon or eX-
pected to put UP dollar Oh the ne
cessary funds: all the Council wants Is
the best system. and If money be
standard of value ii Is fair TO presume
that a thing which costs g Is more yalua-
BILE than a thing which costs one. The
pcCDle in Richmond, and especially the
working people. may. indeed, be interested
in the cost since 1t Is a question q
whether 10000 or 10000 be expended
among them for labor and material. Ins
parties who purpose to furnish the money
are satisfied and we see no reason why
the CITY Council or the people Of Rich
rnond should object.
Now we come TO the second objection
viz, that II IS a new thing; that it Is in
the nature of an experiment, and that IL
may fail. This particular systematic
Jenkins Electric Conduit System-is, IN
deed. new. The numerous details and
infinite improvements which. in the opn-
ION OF many Of the leading electricians
and engineers in this country. have rem
dered the system superior TO all other
conduit systems, are new. thanks to the
genius and energy Of a Richmond man
W. f. Jenkins, the inventor. But the
underground electric system itself Is far
from being either new or experimental.
The Budapest underground electric sys-
TEN has for many years been running In
Budapest. Hungary, and is now being
put down in this country. Another sys-
TEN is now running in the city of Wash
ington, and was running when all over
head trolley roads in the city were stop
ped by the snow in January last, and Will
probably continue TO run when all the
cities in this country shall have abolished
the use of overhead wires. The under
ground conduit system is not, therefore,
an experiment Its utility is obvious, its
practicabilty has been demonstrated. Mr..
Jenklns's system is the improved system.
Are improvements which have been pro-
nounced improvements by accomplished
engineers and electricians TO bar the use
Of the system?
An electric company OF New York, one
OF the largest corporations in this coun-
try, has by its agents and experts, after
a careful examination Of the Jenkins
system. expressed its willingness to enter
into a contract to put down the system
on Broad street and TO guarantee that Il
will work. II thus appears that the parties
who are willing to supply the money are
satisfied. II further appears that a great
corporation. about whose financial re-
sponsibilty there cannot be the least
question, is willing TO enter into a con-
tract TO put down the system. But, r.,
in spite of this, the City Council is still
unsatlsfied, would il not be well for il
to have some expert of its own--some
electric-railway engineer-to meet the en-
gineers who will appear on bshalf OF
Mr.. Jenkinss system? II this expert can.
after an examination Of the system. give
any scientific or practical reason why
the system will not work. then let the
Council refuse Mr.. jenkins and his asso-
ciates the franchise otherwise let them
require the system 10 be put down which
promises the best service and the least
nuisance.
Two systems are offered 10 the City
Council-one with wires overhead, the
other with wires underground.
Which will it adopt? u.