The Washington herald., 1911-11-05
YANKEES CAPTURE
EUROPEAN BONANZA
Edison Heads Trio After
Electric BUS Business.

An interesting story of how three
Americans are planning to capture the
electric vehicle business of Europe has
just come to light in connection with
the visit to this country Of John F. Mon
not, an eminent electrical engineer Of
Paris and London; and the most interest
ing thing about the story is that these
three Americans are in a fair way to &C
complish just what they have planned
The three Americans who are work.
ing to carry out this big plan are Thomas
A. Edison, the electrical wizard; w. c.
Anderson, manufacturer of Detroit cleo
tric cars, to whom Mr.. Edison has re-
Gently given the exclusive right to use
the Edison battery in pleasure vehicles,
and Mr.. Monnot himself, who has just
been appointed European representative
for both Edison batteries and Detroit
electric cars.
Speaking of the possibilities Of cleo
tric traction abroad, Mr.. Monnot said:
American manufacturers have not
heretofore realized the great market for
electric vehicles existing in Europe.
Electrical transportation is the ideal
method for European cities. In Paris
London, and the other great centers OF
Europe the population is very dense, the
traffic congested, and many Of the streets
so narrow and winding that it Is pac-
tically impossible to operate tram cars
to the extent that they are used in
America Bus lines and taxicabs, there
fore ure in great demand. In Paris there
are more than 5000 gasoline taxicabs.
The electric vehicle, however, has long
been recognized as the ideal solution OF
the traction problem. 1t is cleaner ana
quieter, and much more economical, par
ticularly in Paris, where gasoline costs
n
don, where IT costs twice as much as IL
does in this country.
Mr. Edison, who, up to last summer,
had hardly gone out of his laboratory
for twenty-five years, little realized the
commercial possibilities in Europe. His
trip was an eye-opener, and he returned
with Mr.. Anderson very enthusiastic.
The Edison storage battery, which
Mr.. Edison considers one of his greatest
inventions, solves the problem of electric
transportation. 1t is simple, light, easy
to take care Of and far more efficient
than the old lead battery.
Mr.. Edison has just perfected a very
wonderful device called his boosting bat
terry which is especially adapted for
'busses and taxicabs. This new battery is
so constructed that it can be boosted or
charged, at a high rate for ten minutes,
accommodating in this time enough cleo
tricity to run the vehicle an hour. This
means that taxicabs and 'busses will not
have to carry a heavy, costly battery,
but by having electric plugs at the cab
stands, or at each end ofthe bus routes,
the vehicle can be quickly charged with
enough electricity for each trip. This in
vention alone is enough to put electrical
transportation on a sound and successful
basis
"A demand for electrical vehicles al
ready exists in Europe. and the De-
troit Electric, with the Edison bat
terry, is bound to meet a very favorable
reception. The 1912 models of this car are
far ahead of anything that We have ever
had in Europe. Not only pleasure vehi-
Cles, but trucks and buses will be sold.
In fact, I have already urged Mr.. Ander
son to build electric taxicabs for the for
eign trade"
Mr.. Monnot becomes the European rep
resentative for the Anderson Electric |
Car Company and the Edison Storage
Battery Company. He will establish
branches in Paris and London cities and
then in the other large centers of Europe.
Before coming to this country to conclude
arrangements, he made extensive inves-
tigation of the European market. He has
already arranged with the London Om-
nibus Company to put on fifty buses. In
Paris the head of one of the big trans
portation companies which delivers goods
for the department stores has already
agreed to take thirty trucks.