The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-02-10

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adapted to ,iti-- shrrr TO-.
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toy s%l.,tfi, bs"m1t.~ l...s
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,untscts ~ 90 immny liIr "rafg
O'hsf early "tr~fiuirr'rrs bel e.
mons field and urr s~ulsHlH. IA,
,-s-i In asfual rtlspy eUfH .I. s.r
in-ilste'i trt,hs Ih. go ... ,a,.,
later hv overhead .%n-ulp'~i sr.s .s.
~ -ilated fhiri rsil sleusra {, ut.ss
R~rln u..i f, sts,p' TOWN as
supply In issl emit dlrfs 'is .s,,..
exhibition IN ritIa Iu tie' .al. r.-
'r,mvty lip" sp4 rIn Dr.. ... lace
bison esp"rimrufri r'H .F
supply line ~ Nsrbn Park ,r. H I...
rush In Ireland pn n,'Hel f,su s.
rit rfo "p~r,flon ty s.~...a Ur.ss
u-.rs M" 'hiri ftI oil s'am ..Fu
issl ne poser Of n" y ftr , .. sf,
VA 'hat - u soi.t shoe. &C., gov.
erif.ng lyman
N" modern overhead ~. .r .s-.
running trolley. - IL ia .l.aI saar. ,
have been first Invent~I ht IlrIHa..s s
AMI I-ed hy him IN practical aa.'r. pI
way work about iSpG ant ,f'.- T.,
uni ver-ality of This Invention '.- U.s-.
head supply marks tho Ioyi." ~ q ra,I,
important advance In the 49, = sr'r,
traction NanDcpoels va sisp = l.1nser
In tho use 81 an Underground onrIuf
which he ~mploy~i successfu.lv ln I.r.r',
In lssI The names of Edward VI bentley
and Walter " knight stand ont prominent Y
IN connection with the first use ~ an under
ground conduit. tried under thor plans IN
August. 1884. AT Cleveland, on the tracks u,
the horse railway company
We have barely outlined the history =
N. electric motor railway mp 70 no bag,-
ning u a period ~ wonderful development
resulting In the almost complete rer.,r--
ment by electric traction ~ horse traction
or trsmwsy lines. all within an lnIervli
Of scarcely more than IN year
The year isss may be said 10 marx '-.
beginning Of this work. In that y"sr -
spragus Company. with Frank J Srr1.'A
at its head. put into operation 'h" c."r.
trio line at Richmond. Va. using the uude-.
running trolley. Mr.. Sprague hal been
associated with Edison In early Traction
work and was well known In connecu0n
with electric motor work in general Ihs
Richmond line was the first large under.
taking IL had about thirteen miles q
truck. numerous curves. and grades ~
from 3 to 10 per cent. The enterprise was
one Of great hardihood. and but for amps
financial backing and determination %
spare no effort or expenditure conducive
Ia SUCCESS. must certainly have failei.
The motors were too small for the work,
and there had not been found any proper
substitute for the metal commutator brushs
on the motors-a source Of endless trouble
and Of an enormous expense for repairs,
Nevertheless. the Richmond installation.
kept In operation a. 1t was in spite q all
difficulties. served as an object lesson AMI
had the effect 81 convincing Mr. Henry
NJ. Whitney and the directors OF the Wet
End Street Railway Of Boston Of the frasl.
bility OF equipping the entire railway sy-'
tenn Of Boston electrically. Meanwhile tie
merging OF the VanDepoels and Bentley.
Knight interests into the Thomson-Hols-
ton Electric Light Company hroueht a
new factor into the field; the sprague inter
ests being likewise merged with the Edson
General Electric Company.
The West End Company. with :c miles
Of track in and around Boston. began 10
equip It's lines in 1883 with the Thomson.
Houston plant. The success Of this great
undertaking left no doubt OF tho future Of
electric traction. The difficulties which
had seriously threatened future success
were gradually removed.
The electric railway progress was 81 grea,
In the United States that about Jan |. 1891,
there were more than 2+O lines in operation
About 10000 horses and mules were re-
placed by electric power In the single year
OF 1891. In 1892 tho Thomson-llous'on
interests and those OF the Edison General
Company were merged in the General
Electric Company. an event Of unusual
importance. as it brought together the "
great competitors in electric TRACTION AT
that date. Other electric manufacturers,
chief among which was the Westinghouse
Company. also entered the field and he-
came prominent factors In railway eN-
tension. In a few years horse traction IN
the United States on tramway lines virtually
disappeared. Many cable lines were con-
verified to electric lines. and projects such
as the Boston Subway began 10 be planned
Not the least Of the advantages OF electric
traction is the higher speed a%ttainabie win
safety. The comfort and cleanliness ol
the cars. lighted brilliantly n night ana
heated in winter by the same source OF
energy which Is used TO propel them. as
important factors.
All these things. together with tho great
extension of the lines into suburban ana
country districts. and the interconne'ilon
of the lines OF one district with those %
another, cannot fail TO ave had a decidenv
beneficial effect upon the life. hahi's ana
health Of the people. While the | nNe'
States and Canada ave been and stu Az
tho ,he,trc of tho enormous electro h'