Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-03

by the small boy when the merry go
| round stops. You have gone the limit
and YOU must pay again or hop off. The
feeling would be the same if you mad
get aboard the car knowing that we are
going to Watcrvile. We pay our first
nickel trying to deceive ourselves that it
will take us there. 1t doesn't, and the old
Adam rises within us, but moments
thought will convince anyone that a mile
of travel is mile of travel, whether by
steam or rail. and the disadvantage. if
disadvantage it be, Of a slower schedule
is offset by the fact that We may board
or leave the cars almost anywhere
And at this juncture if may be well to
state a fact that all should know.
The cars will stop only at the white
poles.
A service car was out on the line, one
day. last week, with a crew that was
painting the white belts on the poles
where the cars are to stop.
'I hope You will paint pole right in
Il n,t of NY house." said a lady. Il in
tend to go to Augusta real often this
winter and 1 don't like to get my feet
damp" 1t SO happens that the white
pole is located rather near to the lady's
home, but in locating it the management
had to take into consideration the con-
ticular neighbornood. 1t is the public
which the electric railroad is trying to
serve.
A short distance from the first fare linn
it sign. the road swings away from the
highway ard traverses a private right OF
way. leading in a northeastly direction.
The speed maintained at this point
makes the fare limits appear to come
thick and fast. though in reality they
The second one is OH the straight-away
the third is near the residence of Charles
Sturgis ana the fourth is at Webher pond.
The fifth limit is about two miles from
East Vassalboro, where the trolley line
crosses the highway The sixth limit is
Just beyond East Vassalboro Soins north,
the seventh is at North Nassalboro.
AS a collection is taken in Augusta be-
fore the limit is reached, and the passing
of the first limit sign is the signal for
second collection, it follows that the fare
from Augusta to a point two miles above
is five cents: to tie point beyond the turn
off the Bangor road, 10 cents; to Web
Der pond 20 cents to East Nassalboro
% cents: to North Vassalboro, 80 cents;
and to Winslow, 40 cents.
It is q beautiful. rolling country be
tween Augusta ana Webber pond. There
is a long stretch where the roadbed is
level with the top of the ground, though
dtched out at the sides.
At Wehber pond is the substation,
where enough of the 1o,OoO-volt alternating
current from the Fort Halifax power
station at Winslow is transformed or con
verted into 650-vOlt direct current to op-
crate the cars between WatervIlle- and
Augusta.
Simple, and yet exceedingly intricate
are these rotary convertcrs. The priEci-
pie of the converter, whereby the 1900
volt alternating current is made over in
to $50 volt direct current is entirely diff
ferent from the box-like transformers
which adorn poles wherever low vol
tage circuit branches off from a higher
voltage circuit.
The transformer which Is set on a pole
in a city street operates by that wonder
full electrical principle known as 'in1uc.
tion'' for an explanation of which the
reader is referred to any good text book
on electricity. The rotary converter is
dynamo ard a motor mounted on the
same shaft. The 1906 volt current from
the main power station operates the mo-
tor on one end of the shaft, and this
turns the dynamo at the other end, the
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