The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-09
Double Trolley System
Prevents EleCtrOlySiS.
But Trouble Arises.
INVESTIGATION
AT FIRST HAND
Times-Dispatch Representative
Makes Special Study of Con-
ditions In Cincinnati and
Finds Them Far
From Salts
factory.
lsses.;,ssl. lFr2qq s,4s cggresDoqaent. J

tspec.ai From a staI Cvrrespo1dentI
CINCINNATI. OHIO. December g.
Duriug t.4e o-scuszions wn@ch recently
took place before the Common council
u Richmond and it's committees on t'.s
subject OF e'ectroiysis. IL was claimed by
-epresc natives Of abe city that the double
overhead trolley system was a complete
remedy. and the only complete remedy
<nown 20 science. for that evil The Pas
senger and Power Company. for its part.
admitted that the doubleoverhead wire
would prevent electroiysis. provided the
Insulation should be complete. but con
tended that this was ia practice impossi-
ble. and Professor Sever went % far as 70
say that there would be more Leakage
from the doubie-overhead wire than from
the singiewire system with bonded rails.
Throughout tn discussion reference was
repeatedly made TO the douo.e-troIlsy
system in the city OF Cincinnati. and as
the whole subject is one OF such i'm
portance 20 this community. The Times
Dispatch determined 70 Investigate for
itself the Cincinnati system and report
tie result The inves tigauon has been
made and the result may be summed Up
ia TWO sentences.
!. The double trolley system is so far
as Cincinnati Is concerned. a preventive
u clectroiysis.
.. The remedy is worse than the dis
ease.
The City Water Works.
The city os Cincinnati acquired its
water works IN 1889 from a private cor
poration. and the works have been oper-
ated since that time by the municipality
The water Is pumped from the river into
settling basins thence conveyed 70 the
reservoirs and the stand pipes. and finally
distributed through mains TO consumers
There are as miles % mains. measuring
from three 20 sixty inches in diameter
The city has Just enlarged its plant. and
now has "A pumping capacity Of 12o 900 600
e1ll9ns per day.
Cincinnati has an extensive system Of
electric railway. The cars run on most
OF the principal streets. and the com
pany operates a number Of suburban n
lines. extending 70 Newport Dayton
Ludlow. Bellevue and other towns within
radius Of twenty or thirty miles
Within the city limits the double wiro
IS used. outside the city limits the single
wire is used In passing from one sys-
tenn 70 the other. one OF the trolleys Is
strapped down
To sum up: Cincinnati has a system OF
water works and mains similar 10 the
system IN Richmond. Cincinnati has
within the corporate limits a double over
head wire and trolley system OF electric
railway. and - IS agreed on all sides
by the representatives OF the railway
cornnauv. well as hv the CITY errf-
neer, the city electrician and various
other city officials consulted that there
IS. and never has been. any damage in
Cincinnati to water pipes from cleo
trolysis.
on the other hand in towns nearby
which have the single wire there is much
complaint OF damage 70 water pipes from
this source. The conclusion Is irresistible
therefore that Cincinnati owes its IN
munity 10 the doubie-wire system
The city electrician said that while
the city was not suffering the company
Itself was suffering, from electrolysis.
and that many or its poles had been
practically destroyed by this mysterious
agency This. however. IS denied BY he
railway officials. they admit that many
Of their poles have been eaten awav at
the base but they attribute the damage
10 acids in the ground and not to elec.
trolysls.
TIE Railway Service
But. while IT is true that the doubie-wire
and trolley system prevents electrolvsis
the system itself Is far from satisfactory
in its operation either to the CITY at
large or TO the company. Each car is
provided with two separate and distinct
trolleys. each running on its own wire.
and as a result there is a perfect net
work Of wires at the corners. and all the
usual worries" Of the trolley are mora
than doubled In Cincinnati
When one trolley slips. both are ant to
slip. and both trolleys must be adjusted
TO the wires before the car can proceed.
In the winter time when the wires are
covered with sieet these worries" are
greatly increased.
As for tho cos. or maintenance. tho
doNHle-troiley system is far more ex-
0ensive than the single trolley. and to
convert a zfngle-trOIla.- svetor- into 81,
doub' e-trOiiev system would Dc TO re-