The times., 1897-06-28

was reached, the power was reversed, anu
the car started on its bOmeward course.
The hill on Louisiana avenue was sup
posed to he the critical point OF the route
and all interest was centered on seeing
how tie motor would take the grade.
Before starting up hill Mr.. Vogelsanger
stooped the car ON the curve. and taxing
off both power and track brake, showed
that the car stood perfectly stlli This,
ne said, was caused by the fact that the
car had a much wider tread than the
track, thus increasing greatly the diff
cuIties OF the trip.
When the car had gotten half way up
the grade it was again brought TO full
stop The power was then put on, aud
it responded beautifully, walking up to
the top as II there We're no grade. At the
top those in the car set up loud shout and
applauded the success Of the motor.
TIE power-house was reached again, and
it was decided to continue the trip TO the
Catholic University and back. This was
done, and the reservoirs were found TO
still contain $50 pounds pressure, or renoagh
to convey the car TO Brookland and return.
The entire trip, with thirty stops, was
made in d little less than an hour.
The car used was precisely the same
as the first with which the company ex-
perimented, except that this used hot
water instead of burning charcoal TO heat
the air, thus dispensing with the stove
against which there was so much COM
plant.
AT the conclusion or the trip, MI yogel-
sanger explained away some of the OBJ
iections advanced against the motor. N
the first place, he said, il had been al
legged that the reservoirs We're charged
at 1000 pounds, which pressure would
propel the car at fair speed, but that,
as the air was used up, the speed must
necessarily slacken until at last the car
would come to a tull stop. Now, as a
matter of fact he continued, ''tncre is
regulator VIII icii, although the air bottles
are charged at 1000 pounds, keeps the
pressure at the uniform rate of 200 pounds,
SO that, as long as we have 200 pounds
in the reservoirs, we can go at fun speed
Besides that, we can charge the cars with
power sufficient for a trip of any de-
sired length by merely enlarging The size
OF the bottles."
Mr.. Mcfarland said yesterday with re
gard to the air motor, that he had made
over thirty trips in the car, aad to the
best Of his judgment. it had passed sue
cessfully every test prescribed by the
Commissioners. The trip yesterday had
been made under conditions much more
unfavorable than that OF an ordinary
passenger trip, and the car had made
it so auspiciouSy that he saw no reason
why it should not be found satisfactory
as the regular motive power of the line.
Mr. Mcfarland has made reports CON
cernipg the motor to the Commissioners,
in each of which he stated that lie had
no fault to find IN view OF this fact
it is highly probable that tine Commits
sioners will give their approval to the
adoption of air by the lexington and Sol
diers' Home line Us the motive power
for their service
If this approval is given the WORK oi
eauipping the road with the new motors
will be begun Immediately, and as the
Hoadley-Knight Company have announced
that they can supply cars for the main
line In a month or two, the long wished
for rapid transit on this line would be a
reality before the 1st of September next
The equipment of the branch lines would
follow rapidly aud they would alt be sup
,,lied with the new system many months
before July / 1893. which is the time
limit set by Congress.
The cost of putting In the new system. as
has often been stated. will be about one
third that of the first cost of an clrctr- C
or cable system, and the running expense,
it Is also claimed by the manufacturers,
would be much less.