The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-08-12
Compressed Air Favored By An
Electrical Expert.
SAW IT USED IN new YORK
Watched Street Cars for a Year.
Has Many Advantases-Compar.
ed to Trolley and Cable.

scene of rest, Is boy kind of a man who
has had his nose at the grindstone for
| twenty-five years. when he came here a
few months ago he was pale and weak
and tired. Now his eyes are bright and
his step light and his conversation viva
cious. He has found health and happiness
at the beach and the grindstone effect is
all gone. lie is delighted with Waikiki
and fond of Honolulu. lie is like bird
out of a cage and it's "A pleasure to meet
him because he's SO different.
In January last Geo. +. Bulen rounded
of a quarter of a century of continuous
service with the Automatic Fire Alarm
and Extinguisher Company, of New York.
When he was at II fifteen years the di-
| rectors gave him a vote of confidence and
| "a big blocn of stock and he has sold a
| score Of patents to the company. But
what Mr.. cullen prizes In his possessions
Is IA loving cup and written farewell
| from the ffty-one head men in the en-
ploy. Mr.. Bulen quit the company en-
tirely because he wanted a vacation Of
indefinite length and did not care to have
with him the thought or sense Of any re-
sponsiblity. He's that kind OF a man, as
you could tell fiye minutes after meeting
him. Mr. Bulen left off just in time. Al
the hotel early in the year was man
whose grindstone term was only IL years
and heVlad quit too late for now his soul
has gone to its maker and his grave Is
in Nuuanu, where the cry of the night
birds blend with the rustic OF the trees
and the sounding of the clifr side waters
forced around by the winds.
Mr.. Bulcn was superintendent and cleo
trical expert for his company and he
comes fresh from the field or center in
which all kinds of power have their most
thorough tests and their highest develop
ment. In New York power application is
originated and exploited more extensively
than in any other place. Mr.. Bulen's com
pany has an outdoor fire alarm system In
New York and couple of thousand build
ings titted with the Automatic Alarm ana
| ENtinguisher plants. These plants or con
| trivances send in a fire alarm when a GER
| tain dangerous temperature Is reached at
| the ceiling of n room and at the same
| time turn on the water. me alarm tells
at tn" fire station the exact spot of the
burning.
| II was with the eye Of nan who knows
| something Of street railway power that
Mr.. Bulen looked upon the Tram here He
| has paid little or no attention to the SER
vice and has nothing to say of 1t. but
wonders why there has not long since
been adopted cable, electric current or
| compressed air. Mr.. Bulen is partial to
| electricity for power, but has within the
past two wears made an inside study of
| the use of compressed air. The oppor-
tunity for inquiry and observation came
| about by the operation in the New York
home street of Mr.. Bulen OF compressed
air cars by the cable company. The eX-
perimental cars We're In actual service
more than "a year under the notice of Mr.
| Bulen and are there yet. They Were "a
fraction of great system They did the
work of electric or cable cars and We're
cheaper than either Mr.. Bulen made his
study with a view to applying the use
of compressed air to launches. replacing
| the dangerous naptha. Mr.. Bulen owns
| one of the fastest steam yachts In New
Iork-a Herrishor built boat-and IL his
| own engineer, using steam.
| He made a critical mechanical cNamin-
| alton of the compressed air cars, was
| permitted to operate one and had access
| to the stations and shops. Compressed
| air." says Mr. Bulen, has proven itself
| to be not only "A safe and reliable agent,
| but particularly adapted to many uses
| where steam, electricity or other known
| power has long been established. Com
| pressed air makes possible the pneumatic
| dynamite gun, the Westinghouse air
1 ~
numerous mining devices. Electricity has
| so absorbed the users of power during
| the past twenty years that the advance
ment in the use of compressed air Is
known to comparatively few people. Com
pressed air is excellent for street cars
| for many reasons. Trolley poles can be
made ornamental. but they are usually
| quite the contrary. Putting electric wires
| under the ground is considered now to he
Tout of question on account OF expense. Ths
cable is TO "A considerable degree OF ths
past. | have been an electrical man al
my life, but will consider anything In the
line of power. | have satisfied myself tina
In New York compressed air has been
held back and will be held back on ac,
| count of the large steam and electrical
and cable interests so long In vogue. \
compressed air locomotive on the Ele'
waited had no end OF trouble TO get tria
and then was discarded when II was Civ
ing satisfaction. but the day OF com
pressed air for street railways Is coming
The power plant for compressed air Il
about ~ extensive in engines as for troll
ley or cable. \ compressed air car car
, ries two high pressure cylinders on on'
| truck and two low pressure cylinders OF
the other The initial high pressure II
2,Vp pounds to the square inch. Contain
ers before being used are subjected e
square inch. The only explosions know
have been forged and intended as tests
TO note effects There is no danger. Tn
, air goes out with hiss and a chilly blast
You see, with vent the force lessons, Will
at the beginning of a steam explosion tn
force Is greater than before, because ex
panson generates or allows to come int
action steam that ~ not steam an in
slant before in its confinement. when tn
, | air IL applied its pressure Is l25 To -
pounds To the square inch. one charge o
the reservoirs carries car seventeen
miles. The regulation Of speed Is simple
and safer than with any other power
The running II very even. There Is ncve
Iany burning out OF motors Nr losing o
cable. II compressed air car has al
accident, II Is helped along by the fol
lowing car. one disabled trolley or Cabl
car ties up many. Then when there ar
trailers or trains of compressed air car
one may break down without making an,
Interference. Four cars, say, could MAX
n train run of siNty-cight miles. Their
is no frost In the power air, because tn
: high pressure has forced out all tn
moisture.
"Of course the trolley Is now a staudb,
in street transit. hut the people her
[ would like the compressed air for power
, To me IL seems practicable ana dosirabi
I | in every way. l like what r. best for tn
, | operation of machinery and I'm going 4
put II into launches, even II the Honolulu
q Rapid Transit and Land Company de
. | cides on using the trolley for its cars. Tn
, | corporation is, | understand looking care
u fully into the power | have been studyin
and ! think that the more they look int