Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-10-15
C0NTROI..

railway corporations, invention snc
Improvement are bringing up new
problems.
SO rapid is this Advancement that
there is danger Of repetition Of past
history in similar matters before the
laws are matured they are likely 10
become obsolete.
Recent developments Of railway act
ivity along the line Of absorbing and
building electric lines as feeders to
the great trunk systems, introduce
features which were undreamed Of a
few years ago, and hence could not
possibly have been provided for in any
scheme looking to the governmental
supervision and control of existing
corporations.
The absorption OF parallel and com.
peting trolley systems by railroads in
certain sections Of the country, par.
ticularly in New England, has been
one Of the most suggestive episodes
Of recent railroad history. More re.
Gently the electriGcation Of a consid.
cradle mileage Of steam road TO handle
suburban passenger business Or 20 meet
special conditions, as in the ease Of the
New York Central at New York, has
introduced another set of problems. In
short, railroad managers are waking |
up TO the possibilities Of electric trac
tion and the more open minded freely |
confess the superiority Of that form
Of operation when applied TO certain
kinds Of traffic.
The slowness with which the great
railroad lines have taken up this sub
jeet seriously, is readily explained. III
is only within very recent period
that master mechanics have been re.
eruited from the ranks of technical
school graduates, capable to take up
readily electrical subjects The aver
age master mechanic, not understand.
ing the new power, looked upon the
electric ear as new tangled affair
aud one entirely out of the railroad
field.
The railroad papers are accused Of
silence on the subject for fear Of the
effect on the sale of locomotives, but
this is doubtful explanation aud one
that is entirely unnecessary, since
their silence can be explained by the
fact that electricity was not consider
ed as within the field Of steam rail.
road economy.
As a result Of the Indifference Of
their technical advisers traffic mana
gers naturally did not appreciate the
possibilities Of the Innovation, and
hose that did were naturally 10th to y
experiment. with new form Of trac.
lion when reliability OF service was "A
factor Of prime importance. Now that
lhe path has been broken there is
Ao doubt that where electric power n
ian be applied with economy 1t will be I
rapidly applied aud that when the Ii
lime comes for the complete electric
'ation Of steam roads they will be In
generally electrified. In
The development of the electric o
road followed the line Of least resist n
lnee. It's economy once proved there G
Was general call for the new form g.
'f traction. The manufacturers were o
Kept busy supplying the demand for G
'ars aud equipment aud their technical n
'tans were absorbed in working out v
ihe various problems that arose. The a
practical extinction Of the horse and
able railways indicates that the first N
lemsnd is being satisfied. Following n
'lose ON the heels Of this initial stage q
ame the development of rural aud in, v
erurban lines, development much 81
more sluggish. But the demand from b
his source, together with new urban b.
'uaineas aud the continuous raising Of ,i
he standards inthe cities 6rst supplied al
as kept the plants busy enough, but m
ot so busy that they have not looked Al
. the steam roads as possible mar Iot
ct.
This changed condition Of things,
specially that feature which eonsoli-
ates long aud important trolley sys. ldi
sma, with the trunk lines of railroad. In,
Iill be OF vital interest to large IL
asses Of people. Manufacturer, Ipl
IerehaRts aud farmers will all be Ib,
lteFested In such changes AS must in. 4,
antly affect transportation charges Q,
ad facilities for prompt delivery Of p,
rodncts, and which must bring pro, &c
seer aud consumer still more closely OF
'getheE al
ARd the Sentry believes, the same 10
langed conditions must be at once si
lcogniaed by our senators and repre-, si
n,ativea In congress. who are respon n
bic for the legislation of the country re