The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-23

Enthusiasts look forward to the day, and
that in the not very remote future, when
compressed air as motive force will have
become o very important factor in me-
chanics. Some of the more enthusiastic
mechanical engineers expect that 1t will
revolutioniZe and make its influence felt
in every branch Of manufacture requiring
power The strides that have been recent
ly mad, in utilizing the force give war;
rantabie basis for such supposition.
Compressed air motors have been practi-
cally tested in this country for the past
three years, and the appliances, methods
and advisability Of using air in place of
electricite, steam or cable, places the sue.
cessful inventor in this line in the front
rank of inventors Of the nineteenth
century.
Never before, it is claimed, either in
America Europe or the world. has so
much power been developed and work &C.
complished with so small volume of free
air as is done to day. There are two com
pressed-ar cars running in actual daily
service, upon street car line in New
York both of which took tho place of u
cable car, and performed a service jointly
of l6l miles each day, and during Il period
of six months have travelled o distance al
most equal to the circumference of the
ODE.
his NOrk uuS Deeu accomplished WIFI
out serious accident and without delays
IN stormy or snowy weather. The cars
are reliable in starting and stopping, and
travel at speeds varying up to twenty five
miles por hour Accurate accounts have
been kept of every trip, showing the
amount of air used per mile and per hour
and also tho waste, number of cubic feet
of air used and miles covered during the
entire service.
AS the cost Of air compression is well
determined fact, it is only necessary to
figure the cost of COMPRISING the air con
sumcu to arrive at the exact cost of motive
power. So, also, an accurate record has
been kept of repairs to motor and machin-
cry, the cost of which, added to the COM
pressed air consumed, gives the exact cost
o. operating q nprIssed.air m, to-
These facts have demonstrated conclusive
ly that by the use of compressed air on an
ordinary street railway the cost of opera
ton and maintenance will be much less
than by any other method of locomo.
ton.
1t will be observed that compressed-a air
motors require no obstruction in the
streets, such as is caused by the trolley,
underground electric or cable system, the
cost of which is saved IL compressed air Is
used, to which saving must also be added
to tho cost of maintaining the cables and
wires Also the compressed air cars are
almost entirely noiseless, and from the
fact that they save tearing up the streets
it is believed that this method will be per-
mittcd in sections of cities where the other
systems would not be allowed.
Air cars can be reversed very quickly.
if necessary, and stopped within q remark.
ably short distance, thereby making them
the safest vehicles which operate in crowd
ed thoroughfares, reducing the probability
of accidents. 1t is believed that COM
pressed air cars will shortly be placed upon
cable lines to perform night service, at
such hours Us by reason of the uncr0wdcl
condition of the streets air-motor cars
would be permitted to run ut the rate Of
twenty miles per hour, which Is greater
speed than Is admissible by cable, thus ell.
ablng Arrears, travelling at high ate
of speed SO perform tho service Of n larger
number Of cars travelling at u slower rate
of speed. The economy in saving labor
and number Of cars Is evidence of the
superiority of compressed air as motive
power over all others.
One Of the chief advantages Of an indc.
pendent motor is that it can be gradually
introduced into service, one motor a. d
time, on any line, no matter how it may
be equipped, whether horse. electric or
cable
Compro sscd.air motors have been in sue.
Cessful operation for ten years in Paris
Berne and Nantes and their use on the
Continent is rapidly increasing, while in
this country many railroad shops uso
them Tor various purposes, at n great saw
Ing OF labor, being thoroughly equipped
with compressed air plants and pipes that
distribute the air to all departments The
uses of this forC3 in the future are almost
unlimited.