New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-13
COMPRESSED AIR MOloH0'
,,v OFFICIALS LOOK WITH FAVOR ON
THEM
THAT THE SYSTEM NAY BE USED
90 As TO AVOID TIE TEARING " o'
STREETS WHICH WOULD RE SH'hS-
e,nv IF THE UNDERGROUND

AVOID IL"
srprrrs WHICH WOULD 'N
..,x TT THE UNDERGROUND
ryo,1,rY IS INTRODUCED
~c,s,s have said lately that
Several OF '"e ia 70 any further extension OF the
'"., Is IN New-York anu wv, 49,.
,oor with disapprovai upon NV p ,,o
aiSo " ,,,.r Traction Company 10 "''U 60, W,
Metropon'". ,roley in Fourth. Madison Six'h ana
underground -. declare that the tearing up Of
Eignth a' <.r long distances in order to lay the
the a'e"" conduts will be serious matter
unoe'e,, no danger to the health OF the puohc
-, the months Of digging particularly 10
"'' arv 10 change number or the sewers ana
.,ament is made by the Deputy Commissioner
'ne ,,,, works that changes in the sewers would
" necessary in such work There VIII also DE
oe obstruction 10 public traffic before the con-
A,its can be constructed.
rxnnciatfon Of serious difficulties after the uh-
berground trolley has been introduced mas peeh
.xnressed II is asserted that there will be danger
=, tho wholesale corrosion Of gaspiIss and water
mines in the avenues in which the powerful under
xround currents of electricity in daily use Inc
exnerience OF other cities in which the underground
trolley has been tried tends to confirm such rear
While the general work OF the underground roHe!
,s believed 10 be more satisfactory 10 the pupic
than the work of the cable has been. the op)ec'ioh
Is raised that any system of car traction whch ue
velons all the mower at central station is always
liable 20 a breakdown-a thing which blocks an
entire line break in the cable stops all the cars
break In the underground trolley would 90 tho
same and so would the sudden destruction OF Il
power-house by fire. There is a serious element oi
danger also in the creation Of an immense force at
point.
The city officials who have been STUDYING 'he
question more inclined to favor system O.
car traction which will provide separate an" ii'oe
pendent power for each car. and they have been
frat which
made by the running of cars with compressed-ar
motors in the city. For several months cars run
by compressed air have been making tf'ps ever!
day across the city In ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ATHEIST carrying the usual number OF passengers.
making frequent stops and moving as rapidly and
as smoothly as the cabe-cars in the same street IN
all kinds Of weather One OF the cars recently
made trip down the Boulevard ana broadway 10
Forty-soconds ST TO show the officials thai II could
be run over any kind OF track. The car was buiit
with air storage capacity for nine mile trip with
frequent stops and a heavy load of passengers but
IL has gone as far as seventeen miles without re-
charge The motor of the car Is the Hardie motor
A compassionate car, with a different motor was
run for time on the Lenox-ave. line by the Met
ropolitan Traction Company before the company
decided 10 introduce the underground trolley in
several of the avenues of the city.
on THE ELEVATED RAILROAD.
Another test of the Hardie motor is to be
made on the elevated railroad in Sixth-ave.. and
Russell Sage George j. Gould and General Man |
ager Fransoli of the Manhattan Railway Company |
have said that the motor will have thorough |
trial. The motor completed some weeks ago |
at the works of the American Air Power Company |
nj Rome. y. Y. and i, has made number of short |
trips on the tracks of the New-York Central and |
Hudson River Railroad, dragging many ten |
loaded freght-cars II weighs 1900 pounds and Is
intended TO draw train of five passenger-cars |
from Reotor-st. TO Fify-eighth-st. and back again
without being recharged The motor will be put |
into the road a power-house.
which is being constructed in Greenwich-st near |
Rector-st.. can be completed 1t is expected 10
draw five loaded cars with the same speed and the
same stops for passengers made by the other
trains drawn by steam locomotives. but It will do
the work more smoothly. with less noise. and with
put sending smoke cinders. If the air motor
IS successful the elevated road. and s not found
10 be too expensive all the elevated trains may be
3rawn by air motors before many months pass
MR. WILDS'S VIEW
The Commissioner of Public Works said the other
lay that he making a careful investigation Of
he air motor as a means OF propellint streetcars,
put he unwilling TO express any views on the
ubjec; until his investigation completed
Howard 7. Wilds. Deputy Commissioner of Public
Works speaking upon the of compressed air
rs motive power. said: Il think compressed air
motors adequate and advantageous for short
distances, for crosstown cars. for instance. ! am
Journeys. If the system were installed upon any
of our main avenues it would be necessary TO have
several power houses along the line. The exhaus-
ton Of the power is largely dependent upon the
grades over which the cars may run. and also upon
the number Of stops made. Unless there were
pOwer-houses built at frequent intervals. | not
certain that compressed air motors would be SER
'iceable upon the avenue lines. because of the ex-
'ense OF power required on the uneven grades and
he frequency of stoppages.
advocate IL. for the reason that. unlike the under
'round electrical system. II will not necessiate
would mention. too. that this tearing up Of the
venues will bring to the attention of the Depart
0 abutting properly owners. one Of these ques-
ions VIII have reference 10 the sewers sewers Hitherto
ughfares; and us service has sufiiced ior the
{ a solid structure, ike these underground trolley
onduits. along the sever line will prevent the
oses. Consequently. it will be imperative that two
mes Of sewers, one on each side Of the street
ense Of laying these additional sewers is a matter
D which serious consideration must be given
THE. CABLE UNSATISFACTORY.
President John Jeroloman Of the Board Of Alder
nen said he inclined to favor means Of
moving sreetcars Sort OF an overhead trolley. 10
ct rid OF cables and horses THE cable is most
nsa tisfactory In this city, said. land at times
is dangerous to the public The jerky motion Of
he cable-cars particularly IN starting. is disagree
Die. We shall not be SATISFIED until we get sys-
EN- which will enable the cars 10 run at any de-
ired speed around curves and backward as vel as
onward the same track Perhaps We shall have
0 he satisfied with the underground trolley al
hough il is a pity 10 have the streets torn up for
ne conduits. The compressed ar motor seems 10
y the ideal motor for short trips. and the cars can
un on any kind OF track We ought TO have com
yes sed air motOr-cdfs on the crosstoWn lines IN
toad Of horsecars. rode on such a car from one
undred- and wen -thrd-s down to Forty second
I and mari way back again recently. and the car
an smoothly The motor would be the ideal motor |
(; mad power enough 10 run a car from the Harlem
Hall |
hargDg For such long trips however. the motor |
you'd have 10 be- recharged once. and perhaps; |