The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-04

The Summer Of 1897 viii see In operation
in this city an entirely new type OF street
car said Seattle man yesterday .
reporter OF the Post-Tnfeiligencer- The
car will be Few not only 20 the West, but
10 the country"
TIE gentleman quoted - very close IN
the councils CT one OF the Lake Washing
ton lines. the equipment Of which is not
quite up 20 date and which has been dis
cussing n a qu.et sort of way ne problem
OF putting on new rolling stock that would
be an attraction in itself as well as fur
nishsag an entirely satisfactory way Of
reaching the beautiful resort az its lake
end
This car he continued. has Just been
built at Concord. n. H. and is intended 70
save the street railroad companies many
thousands Of dollars 9 UNIQUE in more
ways than ore and its introduction in Sc
asFie Ii only add 70 the reputation tn1s
city enjoys for having the very best street
car service in the United States. There
are larger cities with longer service and.
Of course. a greater amount Of equipment.
but in proportion 10 its miles Of track ard
population there is nothing that ap-
proaches Seattle. This fact is commented
on by every visitor 20 our city and has
often been spoken OF by eastern periodi-
Gals and trade journals devoted 10 rail-
road and street railroad interests. No tiner
cars or tracks exist than those in use by
the Seattle Consolidated. but the road re-
fer 10 as introducing the new cars viii be
a cable road although I do know that cir
culars have been sent 10 an electric road
that purposes al extension OF its service
and possible purchase OF new equipment.
The ear that IS now attracting such
widespread attention in street car circles
and which IL is intended 10 Place on a Sc
attic line next summer has many adyan-
tages over any hitherto used and is Of par
ticular value in china ties where any meas
ure Of uncertainty attends the sudden
changes.
rae ear is practically cylindrical n
form. although this by no means interferes
with the seating arrans Ement- Its chief
claim 20 attention. however lies in the
fact that each section Of the sides. with
windows Of carved glass. slides Up under
the roof. Just as the curtain Of the roll
top desk disappears as & 5 pushed up
ward just as the sides disappear a run
ming board drops down Just below the floor
Of the car, and in the usual position on the
outside. In this way IS the comfortable
closed car transformed into A very neat
appearing open car that is as comfortable
vehicle of that sort as can well be mag
ined.
The value of cars Of this sort for a
street railway company can easily be IN
necessary 20 keep much larger amount
OF rolling stock on hand than would De the
case II the newly invented car wera used.
As II is. there are summer cars and winter
cars. each of which has to lie Idle part of
the year Under the new arrangement
there would be only one sort OF car.
again. this new invention removes one
OF the greatest evils Of the open car. II
often happens that during the season of
the year when the open car is most in evil
dence a storm sweeps down and dashes
rain all over passengers. Nothing but open
cars are running. and there IS no other
protection for people who wish to ride
With this new car. in case OF storm of
that sort. the sides could be promptly
rolled down. and The passengers would be
as snug as the traditional bug in a very
comfortable rug.
Thus far only working models have
been manufactured. but preparations are
under way for supplying the demand
which is bound TO follow upon the heels
OF the satisfactory demonstration Of its
advantages. The lowering or raising OF
the cars sides is by no means a difficult
task, for so perfect IS the mechanism that
Il is really Of less difficulty 10 lower or
raise them. than ii is 20 arrange the cur
tains OF the open car that is IN use al pres
ent.
Instead Of being narrower than the or
binary street car, because Of its peculiar
form. the duplex car. as II is called is
really wider The seats are arranged cross
wise on each side. with an aisle running
down the middle Just as the ordinary rail-
road passenger coach. Each Of these seats
VIII accommodate TWO persons. and the
seating capacity Of the car is therefore
limited. Not only that. hut there will IA
no tramping upon toes. which Is OF Itself
2 boon that ought to occasion great re-
joicing.
1T is the idea Of the projectors Of the
car 70 introduce Il on al lines OF railroads
steam as welt as street railroads. There
are a great many railroads that run obser-
walton cars and the same trouble n al
ways experienced with them. as with the
omen street car when * rains II Is held
that II the new car is utilized on the rail-
roads in this fashion, there viii he very
much less objection by passengers TO max
ing use Of the observation car. No matter
how threatening the weather night Re
under those circumstances there would be
TO hesitation on the part Of the traveller in
taking advantage OF the observation car
20 as great an extent as possible
Il Go not feel at liberty 70 speak OF other
matters that VIII caN attention 70 the par-
ticular road I have IN mind" continued
the Post-TnteGigencer's authority as there
would he TO doubt then as 20 which road
proposes 10 use the new car. and I cannot
betrsy confidence. The projectors Of A
number OF improvements have simply IL
elu3eG this feature among others 7 viii
say this. however. that no new trucks win
b necessary. The superstrueture NAV be
shipped II sections and mounted upon. old
trucks that are easily susceptible 20 he
few changes necessary 20 convert them
into cars Of the new tyne"