The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-11
The DaY OF Electricity

The recent combination between the
Westinghouse Electric Company and the
Baldwin Locomotive Works the largest
in the world, affords q practical demon
stration of tho fact that the use of cleo
tricity az motor ia transportation Is
to he greatly increased ana extended.
1t means thot in the judgment Of the
men best informed as 20 the subject the
time has come when their business IN
tcrcsts require that IN the manufacture
Of engiaes they must make ready FOR the
aW LEGATION Of electricity instead OF con-
tinuing their construction with reference
TO the employment OF steam only. They
fOresce q revolution IN railway iocomo-
ton as Il consequence ot the successful
experiments with electric locomotives. and
they arc combining their resources 20
be prepared 10 meet the new ana great
demand il viii create.
Thus the problem OF tho use of cleo
triclty for such a purpose may now be
regarded as solved, after many years
Of experiment and Investigation. The
solution has opened up "a new field TOR
mechanical activity which the largest III
terests engaged In locomotive construc-
ton have speedily undertaken 10 Gull
tivate. The managers Of both the COM
panies combined FOR that end declare
that so far they have no expectation
that steam will be supplanted hy cleo
tricity on the great railway lines, but
they recognize that the extensive use
Of electricity as an aid and supplement
10 steam has become inevitable. and
they have united to assist in its FORTH
coming development by the more econom-
zeal and improved manufacture Of cleo
trical locomotives.
The steam railroads, also are discover
Cd arr |.f .f 9 If H
against competing electric roads. i'm sub
urban traffic. for instance, they are likely
to be compelled 10 make extensive use
OF the new agent. Electricity permits,
and its profitable employment requires.
that its motive force shall be- put 10
constant service. BY It's means trains can
be run with very brief Interruptions and
at small proportinate expense, ana hence
its superiority to steam on the short
distances OF suburban travel. so enorm-
Gus in amount, seems 20 DE unqucston-
able. II would enable a railway 20 run
its trains I'm almost continuous procession,
so that the traveller would find the
transportation ready FOR him whenever
he arrived at the station, or, at most,
he would have 10 wait for 10 for row
minutes only. lie would not have 20
consult a time table and exhaust him
himself from a cold dinner or from the
reprObatiOn Of his employer
Moreover the electric lines are gradu-
ally becoming continuous between large
centres OF population, running through
town after town. and inevitably they
will be consolidated in systems. which
will make their competition with the
steam roads sim more serious, il those
IRE not prepared 10 meet II by them
selves making use Of the electric motor.
The railroad situation has been changed
radically hy the Introduction Of the new
agent and the railroads accordingly must
adjust themselves TO the novel conditions
or suffer because Of them At present
the prospect OF the use OF electricity I'm
long hauls on the great trunk lines seems
M least far distant Those concerned
i'm this manufacturing combination say
that they are not influenced Immediately
by any such outlook. but they must fore
see that eventually the motor which DEM
onstratcs its superiority IN the more
restricted sphere is sure 10 be- adapted
and developed for the largest and broad
est use. They are making ready FOR the
coming day OF the general triumph OF
the electric motor over steam.
The two companies thus united FOR the
Improvement ard moro economical con-
struction Of the electric locomotive and
for the supply OF "a great ard Wide de-
mand for a. have "A combined capital
OF about Se000G0. and 70 is capital IN
vested and managed hy hard-headed and
experienced men. expert IN their knowi-
edge and understanding OF the subject OF
railway transportation and lccomouon.-
New York sun.