The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-09-19
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COMPRESSED AIR
Again Seeking Recognition as n
Traction Medium

more to seek for the recognition as a
commercial traction medium which it's
packers claim as it's due. Arrange
ments have been made to operate
surface railway car by compressed-air
motor on the I.enox avenue line, New
York, during August. Much is prom
lsed in the way Of speed, smoothness
of travel and absence of shock. The
system has been most carefully de-
Vlsed, and every precaution has ap-
parently been taken to make it's first
appearance one which will lead to as
favorable comment as possible. The
test will be extremely interesting,
though whether it will result, as those
Interested in compressed-air traction
prophesy, in giving a death blow to
the trolley, and in the speedy equip
ment of all the street railways in the
country with compassionate motor
cars, is somewhat doubtful. \ COM
parison between compressed air and
electric systems of traction must
necessarily, in their present respective
conditions, favor the latter. The troll
ley, to begin with, is lighter; the cleo
trio generator and motor are the most
efficient pieces Of machinery ever con-
structed, and in this regard the COM
pressor and compressed-air motor can
never under commercial conditions ap-
proach them. The trolley is much sim
pier and has fewer parts to maintain in
working order. In the electric system
the traction per pound Of equipment is
much greater the wear and tear of the
q
can operate continuously for days
without attention of any kind, and it
has the immense advantage of having
stood the test of practice, and it's
ciaimeS are backed up by facts of daily
occurrence. On the other hanu the prac-
ticability of cOmpressed-air traction
hes never been demonstrated. The
only way Of increasing it's car mileage
(unless an elaborate system of under
ground piping is resorted to- is by in
creasing the pressure. This leads to
losses in heat, and in the reducing
valve, as we'll as in leakage. and the
high-pressure system becomes abso-
lCtely prohibitive 1t is hard to con-
ceiye how this radical difficulty can be
sUrnnouDted. With low-pressure COM
piessed-air traction out of date, and
higl-pressure traction practically i'm
possible, the prospects of the system
do not appear promising. The posi-
bilities OF electric traction, on the con-
trary, have by no means attained their
full limit, and the long lead which
electric systems now have they are GER
tain to maintain. Manufacturers of
electric railway equipments are watch
ing developments with much interest.
but not the least apprehension.
The Electric Light in England
1t has been said, and with much
show Of reason, that by the time Eng
land makes up her mind tC run trolley
cars America will have done with
them, and taken up better electrical
system. It would certainly seem that
tie United States will have exhausted
the usefulness IF +he incandescCnt
light, and thrown it over for phoSphor-
escent lighting long before the average
English town has adopted any kind of
electric light. English municipalit
of the good old cf1 servative sort are
given to carrying out reforms very
thoroughly and we'll when they have
at last concluded to enter upon them;
but when the average councilman sets
about "'making up his mind no man
is going to hurry him, and he wants to
be sure that he is right before going
ahead. An amusing account is given
of a recent attempt to introduce the
electric light in Torquay, a watering
place of considerable Importance on
the coast OF pevonshire. At a local
meeting one gentleman, an eX-mayor
and alderman. objected to the scheme
on The ground that it was too much of
a luxury for the town. On being
pressed, he explained that the town
could not afford to spend $780, 900 on
lighting when it was already lit by
gas. while it's proposed marine drive
was awaiting construction. His testi-
mony was brought to naught by the
counsel Of the lighting committee,
who, on cross-eXamination, extracted
from the witness that, while he object
ed to the towns going to the expense
of 100000 lighting plant, which eX-
perts showed would pay for itself, he
advocated marine drive which would
cost the same money, without making
any return whatever. One opponent
of the lighting scheme, member of
the electric light committee, refused to
admit anything, even that the light
was healthier than gas. But the doc
tors all said so. That might be, but he
didn't care for what the doctors said
He vas evidently prepared to say
much more but some one in the meet
ing asked him if he didn't sell patent
medicines, and whether his business
would not be affected by the better
health of the public TIe sat down.
Another opponent of the measure said
he had taken all active part in canvass
ing the feeling Of the citizens, which
he found strongly agai1 st the electric
light. On being gently pressed. the
witness admitted, after some hesita-
ton, that gas was bad for house dec
orations. and that by using the electric
light people would not have to call in
the painters quite so often. A little
more hesitation, a little more pressure.
and it came out uat the earnest can
vasser was also a painter and decorat-
or. Another argument in favor of de.