Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-27
BY COMPRESSED. AIR
Authoritative Statement That It
Will Be Tried Here.
ON THE LEXINGTON ROAD FIRST
Railroad Men Confident That the
Problem Has Been Solved.
MR.. DOLAN'S STATEMENTS


Philadelphia, which is interested in the
Soldiers Home ind lexington and Belt
Line railway companies of this city, has,
1t is announced, perfected a compressed
air motor, with which 1T will in the near
future equip the Soldiers Home and Eek
ington line, later relaying the tracks Of the
Belt Line and planning the same sort Of
rapid transit there also
This at least WIS the information given
last evening to a Star reporter by Mr.. Do
Ian at his home in Philadelphia.
Continuing, Mr.. Dolan said: 1.-The people
Of Washington have been disposed to dis
believe myself and my associates when We
have stated that would successfully OPP
crate compressed air motor In that city,
and some persons have abused US without
stint; but, nevertheless, we have gone
ahead and made experiments with
compressed air Until we have succeeded in
getting q motor which will meet every re-
quirement fer rapid transit travel.
Il became interested IN this mode of pro-
pulsion several years sgo, upon being con-
WINGED that come power was needed by
which the people of cities who had been
accustomed TO riding on horse car lines
could secure a modern mode of travel
where the authorities would not permit tie
use of the overhead trolley, and where the
expense necessary to build an underground
system would not be justifable.
Not After a Trolley.
Fright here want to say that the charges
made that we want to get an overhead troll
ley in Washington are untrue in every par
ticular. We know such an attempt would
be Useless, and we would not waste our
time trying to get it. Nor is there any truth
in the report, SO industriously circulated in
some quarters, that we want the Anacostia
lire. Our experience in Washington rail-
way properties has not been of an encourag-
ing nature. We went into the District of
Columbia and bought up lot Of broken
down street railways, paying entirely too
much for them. and have operated them at
a loss of 100000 year, and II could get
out of Washington the money that we have
invested there, neither myself nor my asso-
ciates, Messrs. Widcner and Elkins, would
ever spend another dollar in the place.
An Early Trial.
Now, as to the Soldiers Home and Eek
ington and Belt Line railways. We are con-
WINGED that it would never pay to convert
them into an underground electric system;
the expense would be entirely too great
But we do expect to have rapid transit on
the first named road within couple of
months and the latter soon there
after rails be laid.
THE Introduction of the compressed air
motor into Washington at the earliest pos
sble moment is dependent on but one thing,
and that is the success which ii Will at
way Company of New York, with which
company have made a contract to OPP
crate a number of cars on some of its most
important lines. / have no doubt whatever
that the New York experiment will prove
entirely successful ana L an therefore look
ing forward TO their early subsequent OPP
Grafton in Washington"
Confident of Success.
Mr.. Dolan said further that It was he
who has taken an active interest in having
the compressed air motor brought to a
state of perfection, his associates Messrs
Widener and Elkins, being unable ON ac-
count of pressure of important business
engagements to pay any attention to
the matter though they had, at his invita-
ton, invested money in the enterprise
Mr.. Dolan declined to go into the details
eS to the construction of the new motor
but friend of his, who. it is said, is well
posted in the matter, told The Star re-
porter that for several months past Mr.
Dolan or some one representing him per-
sonally has from time to time been max
Ing occasional but very quiet trips TO a
town in Massachusetts where the cars for
the New York line are being manufactured
and tested. Expert engineers who have
been taken into the secret and permitted TO
view the operations of the motor have be-
come enthusiastic.
I'm the construction Of the cars the stor-
age reservoirs are placed under the BODY
OF the vehicle, and are hidden from view
ity OF forty cubic feet of air will run a car
sixteen miles in an hour without stops or
twelve miles an hour with stops Larger
reservoirs will carry car twenty miles in
an hour, and still have left reserve force
The reservoirs are OF steel, and tested to
stand double the amount of pressure that
it will be necessary to put upon them
The air is compress ;ed to about 1000
pounds to the square inch. 1t is not ex-
pected that the reservoirs will hold enough
for the long distance service necessary in
New York, so station reservoirs will be
placed along the route. Each car will be
furnished with flexible tube connection
and 1t will take less than half a minute to
replenish the reservoir at each station
"One great advantage of the new motor
Is the ease with which ears can be stopped
even when running at the full speed and
car running at the rate of twenty miles an
hour can be brought 10 a dead stop within
few feet. 1t is also possible to reverse
the action and back them, which Is out of
the question with the cable system
There Ia much interest in PHILADELPHIA
in street railway circles in regard to the
new motor, and some engineers are SO en-
thusiastic in reference TO the matter that
they predicting that it will soon to a
great extent displace the trolley.