The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-21

"-1T WILL be just eight years ago
Isl I this coming June since the first
kA1 attempt was made in England 20
I6&ESDt have electricity and the electric
- motor replace the tinne-honOred
horse-drawn omnibuses which play so i'm
portant a part in LOndOn's congested street
traffic. To see the remarkable progress
made both in the manufacture and use of
electric vehicles-it does seem longer ago
than that
The English papers during the early part
of 1896 fairly teemed with glowing accounts
of the new electric vehicle which was build
ing and of the revolution it was going to
create in street traffc-especiaIly London
traffic. The only thing we could see to re-
tard this cock-sure wonder was an iron
clad English law which limited the speed
of self-propelled vehicles to four miles per
hour. AS to whether they would go all
right or that the problem solved APP
parently never entered our heads-for. look.
we'd say, at the lords and dukes and things
back of it-go? OF course it will go.
One morning in June we received at the
laboratory in St. Adams, Herefordshire,
telephone message from London-the mes
sage asked could and would we care for
the new electric bus on her trial trip from
London TO Hatfield House-Lord Salisbury's
home. about five miles beyond our place.
Could wei Well, rather. We not only
could. but would. with pleasure. The lab
oratory was perfectly equipped with cleo
trical machinery and a corps Of skilled
the reply. r----fea
1t was early in the forenoon that we re-
ceived the first news of our great good
Iuck-the first electric omnibus actually
coming TO our place!
Bird, the foreman, and thoroughly prac-
tical man, was asked If we could handle it
said n IN
the safe side we telephoned London for adj
ditional Information and probable time of
arrival. The reply was TO the effect that
they expected 10 leave some time that aft
ernoon and would reach the laboratory be-
fore dark; to have engine and charging
dynamo In working order, as the batteries
might be exhausted, and the intention was
10 have a company of distinguished people
down the next afternoon and complete the
trip to Hatfield House.
Never since the London Bath and North
OF England Show" adJoined our grounds
and the then Prince OF Wales hOnOred us
had we had such an exciting day. The al
ways scrupulously clean laboratory was
scrupulously recleaned and our own giant
storage plant charged 10 its fullest capacity
TO provide against the unheard of thing
breakdown OF the engine plant.
HAD A LONG WAIT.
As the day wore on. the London road,
which passed the laboratory, became more
and more thick with people, for the news
of the great event had, of course leaked
out and the quaint old cathedral town was
all agog-yokels from everywhere crowded
the roadway, straining their eyes for the
first sight. The head constable, with a
half dozen Of his men-all as excited as the
crowd-rode furiously back and forth, up
and down the road in a vain attempt to
keep back the fOolhardy who would per-
sist in crowding into the passageway left
clear for the flying wonder.
Keep back: keep backi' shouted Chief
Batch, you're tax your lives in your
lands; she's liable to come hover the i'll
any moment"
o'clock on; the Union Jack, with "Old
Glory" by her side, waved from the flag
stan; the mayor and City Council invited
themselves down, and by O'Clock the
elite for miles around had gathered in the
laboratory TO do honor TO the new " orse-
less"
My. but we had a time of it! p T.
Barnum wasn't one-two-three. Seven
O'Clock came and the shades of night were
the village passed. By s the crowd had
thinned considerably, police guard changed,
the dazzling laboratory lights were turned
on-still no bus. We strung a powerful
arc light over the center of the roadway
TO act a guide for the meteor she
came whirling over the hill By o'clock
the crowd, added 70 by the womenfolk who
had finished the days work, was back
again. So came 10 O'Clock, and IL o'clock,
but by u only few of the most persistent
News of the car was not obtainable, for
both telephone and telegraph offices closed
at O'Clock, but at 1880 in walked the man
we had sent to London 10 act as guide and
ride down in the car. He had come down
on the Midland Grand 'Owl' train.
She'll be ere about o'clock draw'd by
four 'orses," announced he, in the most
matter-of-fact way. THE i'll at Trafalgar
square raised ell with err" he added.
We announced the disappointing news TO
the waiting crowd and TO the press repre-
sentatives, St Adams Boosting of three
Heading weekly papers-issued Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays. The Tuesday
and Thursday men left, but the "Satur-
days" representative, who was also pro-
prieVor, announced that he would stay. II
believe in being hon the ground. said he.
As a matter of fact. he almost was on the
ground for he had not only partaken
freely of the excitement OF the day, but
also OF the refreshments prepared for the
Ierve-racked crew of the long overdue
''whirlwind." That Tuesday night,
and his two sheet Sxl0 went 10 press on
saturday
About Z o'clock a m ''it'' hove in sight.
preceded by four weary-lOOking horses, too
tired even TO appreciate the joke of the
thing. Perched sky-high on the front seat
was the man at the steering wheel, and by
his side a sleepy-looking constable, placed
there 10 prevent, by majesty of the law,
excessive speed. He would have stayed
there even IL they had come TO anchOr-he
had started out from Victoria Mansion
ell right. with a full load OF "juice" In the
batteries and a choice, self-cOnscious load
OF nOtables on top. All went well until
they struck the slippery wood block paved
hill TO the right of Trafalgar square There
the crowd gathered and Jeered as they saw
the smooth irOn-tired wheels go helplessly
round, and the foolish chauffeur just let
them Ego round until the batteries were
worse than exhausted.
One by one the "nOtables" i'm the order
line top 10 the tender mercies Of the guy