The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-11-17
OUT FOR A MOTOR sPTN.

to last a vehicle for an average Of 90 miles
travel. They can be reoharged from any
regulation arc circuit, the recharging tax
ing from one to two hours time. An in
dication Of the increase in the use of these
electrically driven vehicles Is found in the
fact that several Of the big electrical pow
or houses in New York have had stations
added to their equipment especially for
the recharginR of such vehicles.
Stored electricity involves great weight,
and in some cases the batteries constitute
more than half of the weight of the entire
vehicle. Tho frame and wheels of the
wagon or carriage must be made unusual
ly strong and heavy to sustain the load.
That has been one of the greatest obstacles
in the path of the electrical carriages 8 prog
ress In this country 1t Is being over
come gradually, however
Inventive genius has evolved methods
to provide for the demand for lighter bat.
teries, and In the newer models of motor
carriages now being put on the market
the weight Is not nearly SO great az in
those of year ago. Much attention Is
also being paid to other than electrical
forces for motor carriages, with a view to
making them acceptable for use and thus
reduce the first cost as well as the cost of
maintenance of the vehicles.
The expensive nature Of American au
tomobiles has hitherto made It impossible
for any but wealthy persons to own and
use them. These have argued that they
preferred the exhilaration of driving spir-
tied horses to conduotinga motor carriage.
They are beginning to find out, however,
that the motor carriage has an exbilara-
tion of its own. The sensation produced
by riding In it is like that Of a continuous
coast on well groomed bicycle--in other
words, down hill all the way. There Is,
moreover, the same fascination in mapip-
ulating one OF the motor carriages that
one finds in Fnaneuvering a sensitive yacht,
with the difference that the motor car
riags Is always under control and can be
stopped or turned almost within its own
length.
The average cost of charging the batter
les Of an electric motor carriage is 80
cents Thus the expense for power Is about
2H cents mile. Other expenses of main
tenanoe depend largely upon the care of
the vehicle and the uses 1t may bo subject
ed to- The cost Of charging is reduced
largely where the consumer has the cur
rent available in his own premises, The
average cost just referred to means for
current taken from public stations.
In London the tendency of the hoFseless
carriage seems to he solely In the direction
Of large vehicles to replace the omnibuses
Representatives Of the cab companies who
witnessed the tests in Paris We're we'll sat
isfied with the exhibition and are deter
mined to have one in London next year.
There are already several designs of steam
omnibuses, motor omnibuses and "pe-
trole" cabs about to be placed in service
I'm London. II is said that in the first of
these vehicles stsan is generated by slow
combustion stove which consumes only a
very small quantity of coke or petroleum.
The omnibuses are Of go horsepower and
one vehicle, IL is asserted, can acoommo-
dato 2S passengers.
CHARLES WARNER