The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-11

The overhead wire is to come down.
Henry w. King. of Rice, King &
Rice. counsel for the American Wheel
ock Engine Company of this city re
turned last night from two days
business trip in New York, and after a
weighty conference with New. York and
Chicago capitalists, a great deal which
has tremendous significance to the
business interests of Worcester, has
been consummated by which Joseph
Letter the ex-wheat king, has obtained
full control of the Hoadley- Knight pat
ents on tho use Of compressed air for
transportation. which patents have
previously been held by The Interna-
tional Air Power Company.
Mr.. King was seen at his office last
evening in regard to the report of
Letters control Of the air power pat
ents, and stated that Mr.. Letter came
into formal control of the patents yes
terday, and that the public little APP
preciated the Importance in the means
of transportation which the deal will
bring about.
AS result the method Of transport
tation by compressed air receives a
grand impetus. and before many years
all the great cities of the world viii be
employing this method. one Of the
great and most benehcent results is
that it points to the quick humiliation
Of overhead wires in the principal cities
of the country, and even Worcester it.
self may in time adopt this method.
Tt is now believed that the MetropOl-
itan Traction Company will use the
compressed air motors on all Of its
cross lines. and thus 1000 motors will be
required. which will all be manufac-
tured at the headquarters IF the Am
eTican Wheelock Engine Company of
this city.
After years of experiment. temporary
victory, and then apparent defeat and
dtscouragement, the compressed air
motor has now established itself before
the world, and there is every promise
Of a revolution in the methods Of trans
portation The air motor is now des
tined, according to the opinions Of eX-
perts. to be used in all transportation
plans of the country.
Capitalists Of unbounded wealth have
taken hold of the scheme, and now
there will be no more waiting for eX
pertinent, as the experiment has sue
ceeded The men behind the scheme
are William c. Whitney Of New York,
William EllSins Of Philadelphia, p. A.
b. Widener of Philadelphia, Thomas
Dolan Of Philadelphia, known as the
J Pierpont Morgan of the Quaker city.
One Of the most fortunate conditions
Of the enterprise is that the American
Wheelock Engine Company of this
city is the manufacturer Of the com
pressed air motors. TO this company
the plan means much, and thus to the
city While it is early to make pre-
aictions, within a sort time the plant
will have to make heavy additions TO
it's capacity. and as soon as the plans
for the use Of the motors throughout
this country and abroad are perfected.
employment viii be given TO several
hundred more men here.
For, a long time the American Wheel
ock Engine Company has been expect
ing this realization Of their plans. and
now that the realization is at hand, the
whole city of Worcester begins to APP
preciate the quiet work That mas peeh
going on here for years which now pas
fair to bring about a complete reEolu-
ton in the methods of transportation,
and to bring it's direct advantages to
the city of Worcester herself.
Mr.. Joseph Letter during his recent
stav in New York, has made a complete
Investigation of the availability OF
compressed air power with view 10
its application in foreign countries 70
transportation, where the cohSesteu
state of traffic will not permit Of the
laying Of rails in the streets and where
in consequence electric power over
head or underground is impossible
TO this end he has obtained control OF
the Hoadley- Knight patents for foreign
countries, which are now owned py
the International Air Power company
From mis- intimate connection Win
street railway transportation in Chica-
of
through the requirement of the foreign
rights nortends not only abroad but
also in this country a revolution IN
motive power for tntramural tfanSpof-
tation
The fact that the Metropolitan Street
Railway Company of New YORK, nav
ing adopted the system for their up
town cross-town lines, and are now in
process of equipping them, has done
much to bring into prominence TINS
mode of power application for auto
matte traction.
The cheapness of operation and the
low cost of installation VIII insure ~
this country, as well as abroad. great
savings over any other known method
of commercially SUCCESSFUL power sUoi-
age and application
1t is asserted by those in position TO
know. that some important develop
ments will soon be made known, WlncIi
will be productive of greater pubic m
terest than has ever before been shown
in this new application OF stored
energy. of which so much has been
heard in it's experimental stages IN the
past few gears.
Mr.. Joseph Letter is director and vice
president in both the elevated and sur
face railways in Chicago.
Mr.. j. H. Hoadley was seen III rev
York last evening at his residence, ana
confirms the report that Mr.. Letter