Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-08-31

cities like the shuttle in weaver's
force liquid or COMPRESSED air or
vacuum transit interviewer in The pro-
ject 1t is simply another stride hui
man ingenuity is about to take in util-
izing electricity, the most potent and
wonderful force that has yet been sub
jecte1 to mans will At the recent
convention of the American Society Of
Civil Engineers, held at Cape May, the
largest and most important gathering
in the history Of the society, Professor
Oberlin Smith, of Bridgeton N. j., in
a carefully prepared paper dealing
with the recent improvements in
transportation, said the time was close
at hand when the journey from New
York to Philadelphia could be made in
one-fourth Of the schedule time of the
fastest express train. This was not
mere flight Of the imagination, for he
proceeded to convince his audience,
men of the highest engineering skill
and attachments, that his statements
was easily within the bounds of posi-
biity.
Professor Smith has the reputation
in the engineering profession of being
a modest, conservative man, of sound
Judgment. and an authority on me-
chanlcs. He is president of the Fer
racut Machine company, at Bridgeton,
N. J. Professor Smith has given much
attention to the problems which re-
strict the speed of railway trains, and
has come to the conclusion that the
limit of speed by the use of steam has
been almost reached.
Electricity, however, presents force
which is restricted only by the ability
OF the engineer to utilize it. Thus,
quicker travel is Il problem which the
machnist and civil engineer rather
than the scientist must solve.
Il would like to clear up misappre
hension that seems to exist in regard
to what / said of rapid transit at the
Cane May convention" said Professor
Smith. when asked to tell how space
could be annihilated at the rate OF
three miles a minute. 81 did not say
that rubber tired locomotives could be
made to travel two or three times fast
er than their present speed My ref
erence was to rubber tires on electric
cars. Electricity will undoubtedly be
the motive power used on the railroad
Of the future"
Professor Smith thinks the first rail-
way on which electricity will take the
place of steam will be built between
New York and Philadelphia. because OF
the comparatively short distance, the
great travel between the two cities and
the large profits to be derived from
such a road.
"Of course the road would have to be
elevated" he said, ITO do away with
grade crossings, and it would be an air
line, for curves would not permit OF
the high rate OF speed desired. 1t
would be a double or triple track road,
controlled by an automatic electric
block system Electric power would be
transmitted through the rails, and
transmitting stations could be located
at intervals Of twenty or thirty miles.
There would be no trains, but each car
would have its own motor and would be
run singly."
"The cars would be two or three
times the length of the ordinary rail-
road passenger car, and would be built
of steel upon the principle recognized
In bicycle construction-that Of attain
ing lightness with strength. The
weight Of passenger trains in proper
ton to the number Of passengers car
ried is some thing tremendous when
Won figure e out. This is necessary to
keep the train from jumping the track.
But the feature of the electric road
that will obviate this is track which
will make derailment impossible With
such a track the highest attainable
sneed will be devoid of danger the
cars should be tapering at The ends 70
minimize the resistance. and the
wheels might have rubber tires to
minimize noise and jar"