The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-17
RAILROAD NEWS.
New Automatic Brake Iuyented
by Kansas City Man.
Is an Electric Device and Will
Be Tested Next Week.
STATE OWNERSHIP.
OWNERSHIP.
Liked by Austrians EyenThough
1t Is Costly.
Santa Fe Spent Over 40 Millions
for Material and Supplies.

one OF the most important business
enterprises ever promoted by Kansas
CITY men is just about to be com
pleted, and the final test of the Born
Electric Automatic Brake device will
be made in Washington city during
tho coming week.
1t Will do away with all block sig
mailing systems and forever eliminate
from railroads the terrible and. disas-
trous wrecks caused by a collision of
any kind. 1t goes farther and pre-
vents any train running into an open
bridge or from any obstruction upon
tne track When the simple apnli-
ance used is attached to the engine
1t is impossible for any form of wreck
unIess II is the result of defective
roaopeds or rolling stock. The ques-
ton has always been raised will this
device do what is claimed for it. That
question was settled last spring and
summer by tests given to many hum
dredS OF the most prominent people of
the country, including members of
both houses of congress, cabinet min
listers and foreign diplomats at Wash
ington. d. c.. where five miles of track
was used on the Chesapeake Beach
railroad just outside of the city. The
demonstrations proved that it would
do everything claimed for it,
The engineer might be away from
his cab and the fireman asleep and
the train rushing at full speed toward
another, instantly when the field of
resistance is met, the little instru-
ment in the cab of the engine responds
to the electric current, turns on the
air and stops the train. The same
condition would occur when the train
was approaching an open switch,
broken rail or a broken bridge Even
a handcar placed upon the track
would cause the train to come to
stop.
A complete system of telephone and
telegraphing from moving train has
also been put into practical operation
through the use of this device. When
this device is installed upon the roads
passengers can talk to their friends
by telephone or telegraph anywhere
they choose. even when the train is
moving at the rate of fifty miles an
hour. This has been attempted many
times, but never made a success be-
fore, which within itself would make
this the most wonderful useful inven-
ton of the age for railroads.
1t has taken more than three years
to complete this work, although the
tests were practically completed in
Washington last July, and arrange
ments and contract were entered
into by Chicago capitalists to pur-
chase the controlling interest and pay
the company several million dollars
for it, the payment of the money to
be made as soon as the final test can
be given, which is now being arranged
for in Washington. NJ. H. Loudon,
who has conducted these tests, has
gone to Washington to join the cleo
tricians who are already there, and
during the present month many cap
italists, scientists and railroad f1nar1-
cier1 will meet in Washington to see
the final tests and join the Chicago
capitalists in promoting the enter
prise and placing 1t upon the railroads
of the country.
1t is proposed that when the final
test is given and the company re-
organized it will be conducted as
business enterprise and railroads will
be given the use of the device on roy
atty only The plan of introducing the
device has been worked out by one OF
the most experienced railroad experts
in the country. His method is to have
the railroads use the device and pay
a reasonable royalty, which VIII
amount to less than one-half OF l per
cent upon the gross earnings OF the
road. and his estimate shows that
when the device is placed upon one
half of the railroads of the country
bv this method of royalty, it will pay
the company a per cent dividend on
a $40 900 900 capitalization