Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-10-15
LIKE A WHIRLWIND.
PEOPLE WILL FLY ACROSS THE
WESTERN CONTINENT.
II Nicola Tesia,s FIau Is Onevated
on n Large Scaie-The t:reat I'm.
vcntOr says That One Hundred
uiies an Hour Could Re uade
With safety ON an Elevated
Road From New York 10 Chicago.

uiies an Hour Could Re Made
With Safety ON an Elevated
Road From New York TO Chicago.
Tesla's application OF the alternat-
ing current in electricity will make
possible railway journey from New
York to Chicago in nine hours. an
even speed of one hundred miles an
hour for the entire trip. Not on an
experimental run, but as a regular
thing every day in the year, and every
thirty minutes in the day. This is
the plan of the Transcontinental
Railway Company, OF which Lysander
Hill, OF Chicago, is President. He de-
clares that the project is not only
feasible but has the backing of capi-
tailsts and eminent railway experts.
" We are enabled to accomplish this
revolution in railroading solely by
reason Of Tesla's wonderful genius"
SAWS Mr.. Hill. Five years ago such
thing would have been impossible.
Now that Tesla has shown us how to
utilize the alternating current it is
easy; a mere matter Of money and in
telligent application"
The Transcontinental Railway Co.
obtained charter from the Illinois
Legislature, June %, 1895, authoriz-
ing the construction of n double track.
elevated electric railway from Chicago
to Jersey City on an airline route.
The capital is $2,0OO,OO0 all of which,
according to President Hill, has been
subscribed for. Besides this the COM
pany is to issue s1OOOOO,OO0 in five
per cent. gold mortgage bonds, secured
by trust now on file with the Euuit-
able Trust Company.
"We will have" SAYS President
Hill, "a double-track elevated road
running in an airline from Chicago
to Jersey City by way of Cleveland
and Buffalo. The structure will be of
steel, and the average height from the
ground will be eight feet. 1t will be
operated, probably, by the Sprague
third-rail system, and the General
Electric Company has assured us we
can, If necessary, attain speed of two
miles an hour with safety.
One-half this speed, or one hundred
miles an hour, will satisfy us, and
ut this gait we can reyolutionize the
railway business of this country.
1t is now commercial possibility
to transmit electric power economi-
caily for fifty miles in the United
States, and by the time we are ready
to use it believe our power houses
may be located one hundred miles
apart. In Germany they are trans
power for 120 miles with lit
tie loss of energy.
Constructed on an airline our
road will have the minimum of curves,
and high rate of speed can be main
tanned with more safety than with an
ordinary grade on surface lines. There
will be no blockades from snow or ice.
no cattle guards or flag crossings, no
annoying delays at stations, as we
will make only four stops between
Chicago and Jersey City, and no
heavy trains to haul.
The through express business is
worth 81 100000 a year. Freight is
an enormous item. Every year g.
100000 tons of live stock, meats,
grains, and various kinds OF merchan-
disc are hauled between the two cities.
If we could keep our rails full of cars
moving one-half hour apart we could
only handle 100000 tons a year,
leaving the other half for the surface
roads.
"Then the passenger traffic will be
largely profitable"
The following statement is made in
an interview with Nikola Tesla for the
New York Journal:
"The projectors of the road to be
operated by means of the alternating
current evidently realize what a vast
undertaking they are entering into, as
is indicated by their capitalization.
First of all it is not only practicable,
but easy of perfection. The question
of great speed will be greatly con-
trolled by the quality OF the track and
the running gear on the cars. Prop
eriy constructed tracks, on level
country, will permit rate of speed as
high as $50 miles, and, perhaps, 200,
as is stated by the President of the
company, but it is certain that 100
miles an hour can be made with safety.
II the General Electric Company
has offered to sign a contract to equip
the road and guaranteed the speed, l
am satisfied that all the petty obstruc-
tions have been carefully investigated
and that the promoters mean business.
Either the General Electric Company
or the Westinghouse can supply the
power if others will supply the capital.
So far as the alternating current is
concerned it will supply the speed"