The sun., 1896-12-17
THE MOTOR FOR STREET RAIL
ROADS
The opinion or n Civil Engineer OF Dis
tiuctton.

Ahe Opinlon OF n Civil Engineer OF Dis.
tiuotion.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: There ID
no question awaiting solution of greater ir,-
portance to the public than the question now
under discussion by the street railroads of New
YORK asst change OF motive power.
It affects the interests Of every individual in
the community; all classes ride on tho street
cars. 1t not only affects the passengers, but
also affects the people on tho crowded streets Of
the city. 1t affects the property in front of which
the road runs; the interest of the gas companies;
tho insurance companies, both accident and fire;
the city Governments interests In Its water
pipes, its sewers. its metallic pipes. Its pave
ments. 1t affects the health of the city.
1t ia generally conceded that the cable must
20. Its jerking motion Is not only uncomforta-
bio but serious to delicate women, and causes
accidents. The necessity for going around
curves at the speed OF the cable is menace to
the safety of people crossing the streets and the
frequently occurring breaks in the cable inter.
fere with the regularity OF tho service. These
breaks generally happen when the greatest
strain is put upon the cable. when it's capacity
is tested to its limit; therefore such break ages
become n serious loss to the company rs well as
to the community. This nnrrows down the
tricity and compressed air.
The prejudice against the trolley compels the
great expense to the railroad company. which
later means great tax on the public. for the
cheaper the system that can be adopted by the
company the better in the end for the public 1t
means the tearing up of the streets and the in
convenience and menace to health OF all who
live along them. 1t means the Wholesale de-
structon of water and gas pipes and plumbing
generally from electrolysis. 1t means the dis
turbing of the streets and additional expense
upon the Board of Public Works to keep them
In repair. Besides all this II means that tho dis
agreeable hum of the trolley shall disturb the
resting place of tho residents of tho city and add
to the discomforts of summer nights by the noise.
disagrceable features there Is also danger OF
these live wires breaking down In the street. do
Ing damage. and endangering life and property.
The record OF accidents of this sort in Brooklyn
furnishes evidence Of danger from this cause.
On the other hand, compressed air motors are
not open to any of the foregoing objections
The compressed air cars are now successfully
ular service since Aug. 3, performing a daily
schednlc. These cars are noseless in their
operation. They are equipped with air brakes.
go that they can be quickly stopped gently
stopped. Each motor Is Independent, so that
nothing can happen to disturb the entire line.
upon ordinary tracks of the street railroad
companies. thus doing away with all tearing up
OF streets and all resulting damage to property
interests.
The cable runs with uniform speed aud the
cars can be started only with q sudden jerk:
whereas compressed air motors can be started
by an accelerating device as quickly as the ca
the speed grad ually increased as TO make mp
time lost. This cannot be done with system
that reonires cars to be run at n uniform speed.
New YORK, Dec. IA. HERMAN HAUPT, c. Z.