The Detroit times., 1909-02-25
BIC LINES WILL Be
ELECTRIFIED, HE
DECLARES
STEPHEN D. FIELD, WIZARD OF
TROLLEY, EXPECTS CHANGE IN
THE UNITED STATES WITHIN
TEN YEARS.

phen D. Field, father OF the modern
trolley, Wit and philosopher OF old
Stockbridge, electrical inventor and
prophet, is slxty-three years old.
Mr.. Field Is a descendant OF the
Field family of Stockbridge--a family
that produced Cyrus West Field. who
laid the first Atlantic cable; David
Dudley Field, the Rev DR.. Henry NJ.
Field, Jonathan Edwards Field and
others equally renowned
Mr.. Field, asked what he had been
doing the past year. and what predic-
lions he would make on the local eX-
tension Of electricity as a motive pow
er, said:
During the past year | have been
barking back to my first love. the tel
egraph. In the next ten years | think
you will see the Berkshire and Manga
tuck divisions OF the New York and
New Haven railroad entirely propelled
by electricity generated from the falls
or the Housatonic river at Falls VII
lage, Conn. There is ample power
even in the dryest years between
Canaan and New Milford 10 run all the
trains OF those two divisions
Il am confident that within the next
ten years will be realized electrified
ton OF the main lines OF railroads
throughout the United States. as indi-
Gated by me In an article published
at the time OF the exhibition OF cleo
trio propulsion in Chicago in 1883
His Early Ideas Copied.
To show how closely ideas embodied
In his trolley patents granted in 1880
have been followed in recent develop
ment, Mr.. Field said:
Since the opening OF the new tun-
rel between Italy and Switzerland,
where electrical traction was enforced,
the locomotives are almost exact re-
pleas of the electrical locomotives
that / used In New York on the ele-
waited railroad in 1887. The rails are
bonded with a particular kind OF rail
bond. which introduced in my work
in Geneva, Switzerland. and now
known as the Swiss rail bond"
Stored in the cellar of Inventors
Lodge" at Stockbridge, are remnants
OF the first trolley car ever constructed
In this country. 1t was built in 1880
near the present Stockbridge Casino.
and was equipped with third rail and
later with trolley. In August OF that
year Mr.. Field invited some follow
citizens to inspect the trolley car
built for two, which moved about the
lawn smoothly and with speed.
Mr.. Field next equipped a trolley
road for the business exposition or
railroad men at Chicago, 1888. The
tracks were laid about the exposition
grounds and a fare OF ten cents was
charged. That was the first public
trolley line In existence. After litiga-
ton over patents Mr. Field sold out in
1896 to the General Electric and West
inghouse companies.
From 1863 to 1879 Mr.. Field was in
California, where the Leland Stanfords.
the Crockers, the Mark Hopkins and
the Huntingtons were building up the
Pacific coast. Mr.. Field secured a
petition with the San Francisco Fire
Alarm Telegraph company.
While on an expedition with party
OF engineers to the Frazier river,
British Columbia, In 1865. Mr.. Field
found himself alone in the wilderness
with a red shirt. pair OF corduroy
trousers, a felt hat with hole In IL
and a roll OF blankets as his sole
earthly possessions.
AS Cyrus West Field had not at that
time successfully operated the Allan
tic cable for commercial use the West
ern Union Telegraph company sought
60 extend its lines up the Pacific Coast
10 Alaska and across Behring Strait TO
Siberia. Then 1t was planned to cross
Asia to st. Petersburg and run a line
20 Paris and London.
Objected to Slavery.
Il was inveigled, with some sixteen
other engineers" said Mr.. Field, TO
joir the Collins Overland Telegraph
company, which was to build the line
MP through British Columbia, on an
engineering expedition.
Il was told one morning to pack up
the mules for a trip to the mountains.
told the manager / wasn't hired for
that and didn't propose to be a slave
for any man.
Very well, you may quit, then,
said the manager.
Il quit on the spot. ! was sixty
miles from any sort OF civilization,
without a cent in my pocket. | made
my way through the wilderness b
sleeping alone under the Ar trees al
night, and eating sparingly of the
lunch that the boys had given me
down TO Victoria, Is. c., whence O
rurser OF an old side-wheeled coast
steamer took me down TO San Fran
cisco"
Mr.. Field says he was never - neal
death as one day in Smartsville, Cal
II was hired he said, Ito fire a BIAS
OF $500 kegs OF powder under bani
or gravel. Making a miscalculatiol
I'm the condlctivity OF the wire EN-
ployed. was obliged TO double Tho
wire back on itself until got within
the danger zone OF the blast Thu
blast was a great success. but th'
I bowlder behind which was seekin,