The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-03
AN ELECTRIC CARRIAGE.
A Boston Mans Break That Can
Travel Twenty Miles an Hour.


From the Springfield Republican.
People of this vicinity are soon to see
what many have prophesied would ere
long come to pass-electricity practically
applied as a motive power to a gentle
mans private carriage. This first step
and it is a long and bold one-has been
made by a gentleman of this city, who
has for long time been making good use
of his ample means in experiments to
this end. About year ago he made his
first attempt, bat it did not prove success
full. In this last trial of the principle he
has called to his aid a carriage builder
and an electrical engineer, and the result
Is most gratifying. Just before the last
heavy storm the carriage was driven into
the city from Brookline and around some
of the thoroughfares at the West End.
Boston is not by any means the first
city to boast an electric carriage. In both
Germany and France they have been in
use for some little time, and promenaders
on Fifth avenue in New York have re-
Gently been watching two as they careered
along that fashionable way. There can
be no doubt, however, about Boston's first
electric carriage being fully the equal of
any of the others in style or equipment,
for nothing has been spared to make it a
model of its kind. In form it is a handsome
break designed to carry upon it's three
seats seven persons. 1t is not easy to see
how, in the present state of the arts, this
carriage could be improved upon. 1t has
immense powers, and, 1t is claimed, can
be steered and managed with the greatest
ease. From ten to twenty miles an hour
II is estimated can be made with this We
hicle on ordinary roads with the five
horse power motor with which II is
equipped The batteries-forty-fou in
number. arranged in groups of four. so as
TO be used singly or all four in connec-
ton, are concealed in the body of the car
riage and under the drivers box. These
cells can be charged from an ordinary
Illuminating current. The motor is To-
Gated under the center of the body of the
carriage. The power is applied through
heavy chain sprocket gear attached to each
rear wheel
The method of steering this vehicle is
ingenious. Instead of the forward axle
being pivoted in the center, as in all horse
carriages, the axle in this case is sta
| tionary, while each forward wheel is pivot
! ed at the collar of the axle, just inside
| the hubs. The wheels thus turn together,
but on Independent centers. at the slight
est turn of the steering bar in the hands
| OF the driver All the wheels are pro-
vided with ball bearings. This steering
! bar which is not unlike that used on
| bicycles. is located a little to the right of
/ the center Of the space before the box, and
| beside it, on the whip side. are the two
! little levers by which the power is applied
| and the gear reversed. A simple but pow
erful ratchet brake enables the driver to
/ control his carriage on a descent The ar
engagements for starting, reversing, stop
! ping and change of power are as perfect
/ and simple as 1t is possible to have them.
| 1t is estimated that the total weight of
-
tons, while, for the sake of comparison, It
may be mentioned that break similarly
/ built for horses would weigh from 15O0 to
| 1.sOO pounds. Boston TRANSCRIPT