The San Francisco call., 1895-11-03


tablishment OF New York has lost no time
in testing the practical usefulness of the
latest French fad-the horseless carriage.
The wagon is an automatic petroleum
vehicle, using rectifed petroleum OF 700
degrees. The motor works horizontally.
The wagon, fitted with series of sprocket-
wheels and chains, is guided by crank
and checked by three brakes. 1t can be
stopped or started instantly. On q good
road it runs about fifteen miles an hour,
at a cost of less than 1 cent mile. 1t
climbs easily 10 to II per cent grades and
has gone up a short grade of 80 per cent.
The object of the drygoods firm which
tested the wagon was to see how far it
could be utilized for delivery purposes, for
which 2000 similar vehicles are used in
Paris. The wagon, which IS capable of
carrying 1920 pounds, rolled away easily
with its full load at the touch of the driv-
ing lever, which was handled by the in
ventor, on the box. There was scarcely any
noise save a regular pumping sound that
could not be heard ten feet away. The wagon
ran well on cobble stones. and took the in
clines with great ease. The reservoir holds
enough petroleum for a run of seventy-five
miles. As the exploding of the petroleum
Is done by means of an electric spark there
is no danger OF fire. No special knowledge
is needed for the operation of the vehicle,
and one man can work both the brake and
OIlNluS lGscI. he LGSI was SO SdLlS-
factory that the 500 delivery wagons used
by the firm which organized it, are to be
replaced by automatic petroleum wagons.
Whether the new machine can be domes-
ticated in a city paved as New York is, for
the most part with more or less irregular
stone blocks, Is a question yet to be
answered. Paris, like Washington, is
chiefly paved with asphalt Unfayorable
as such surface is to horses, to the horse
less carriage it is ideal, and hence the ex-
tent OF the present Partisan craze for horse
less vehicles is not surprising.
MAKING EFFICIENT MoToRMES. = The
Brooklyn City Railroad Company have
reached the wise conclusion that one way
to reduce accidents is to improve the work
ing standard of their motormen. So that
If they are not willing to spend money on
equlpplng their cars with proper brakes
they are, at all events, adopting the half
way course OF teaching the motormen to
make the best possible use of the imperfect
and clumsy apparatus they have to handle.
The company have a regular school in
which the new men are instructed in the
construction and working of the car and in
the rudiments of electricity. No man is
allowed to leave the school until he is
thoroughly proficient and capable of man
aging car.in any emergency. As an induce
ment to better service, the directors of the
company have authorized the setting aside
or SlO,Uo0, to be divided among conductors
and motormen who between now and Nav
l, 1896, shall have had no accident causing
either injury or damage to persons or prop-
erty, or TO the company's property, and
who have not been suspended for viola
ton OF the company's rules, Each of the
successful men will receive a pro-rata
share OF the reward. The company 'sde-
slres to impress upon the employees that
Its success and DrosDerity deDaud upor,
sure, regular and quick car service, to-
gether with courteous treatment of the
public by its employees, and the payment
OF this amount is authorized in the hope OF
securing more efficient and conscientious
service on the part of both conductors and
motormen, and thus improving the service
on the eompany's lines"