The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1912-10-12
THE TROLLEY LINE.
NELDPMENTS ARE bisI%G
MADE AND PREPAH ATION s
FOR EXTENSIONS ARE MANI
FEST.

A 80" III itself, IS a very small
thing and means nothing aat tins
can be said OF il only when il
stands alone. Last week, IN our ac-
count of the proposed changes IN
the central power plant, We af"l-
ped one oy these lttle -" IL des-
crihing tHe/capacltN oi the neA
generatoYY to be installed. The
account Mould have read, ,'si~ u
nits of 1000 X VS. each. turbine
driven" These generators viii
send out high tension current oi
$4,000 volts A. G. to ~ stepped
down for use on the trolley Wlrc / s
Suh-stations
The Southwestern Fraction \
Power Co. received several car
loads Of rails this week for the
proposed improvements III thus
city From the amount oi mater
ial being received the tompanN
seems to be preparing tor th&
building Of the line to other places
where the preliminary surveys RaNe
been made The first move Viii he
to extend the Main strePt track on
up to the northern city limits, TO
the greater accommodation OF the
people who have use for thls part
of the line
The Traction Co, III this city, IS
balasting a section of the uptown
track with Tioga gravel. THIS
gravel is an admirable mixture ol
gravel, sand and clay III such pro
portions as to cause 1t to pack
thoroughly, thus making an ideal
covering for a public thorough
fare. This section IS beng 50
treated as an experimental test 81
the merits OF the Tioga gravel,
with the view Of having the City
Council accept it in lieu OF wood
en- guard rails, should il prove ott
satisfactorily.
There are many objections to
the wooden guard rail. In most
places where put in on traction
lines, they have been torn out and
abandoned, proving more ohjcc-
tionable than the bare iron ran,
There must be a space lett between
the inside wooden rail and the steel
for the accommodation Of the
flanpe of the car-Wheels. Into tins
space will fall considerable luan-
titles of the road covering Il
shell, gravel or earth. The flange,
Of the car wheels must ana
will force this loose material
down into the crack, continually
adding to it, till the space between
the two rails is filled; then "a pack
ing pressure is developed, equal TO
the weight OF the car borne upon
the individual wheel, plus the
momentum of this weight. Th's
pressure, in a very short while,
finds it's easiest relief IN eN-
erting its force lateraIiy between
the wood and steel, and, in short
period, aided by sun and decay, 1he
wooden rail is warped and sorned
from its fastenings. As the space
increases, impcrccptably, between
the two rails, the crack broadens
and soon becomes lar greater
menace to narrow tired vehicles
than the present bare rail.
The Company disclaims that us
present course is actuated by 4
desire OF minimizing cost only, nu'
that it is seeking a method winch
will develop the feWest objections
and which will yield the greatest
nermanency, within certain limit
ations of first cost. II desires 10
discharge every obligation to the
CITY under it's franchise and will
work fully to that end. Should any
particular piece OF work prove de-
fective, as did certain concrete
crossings on Main street, there
will be no hesitancy on the part OF
the Company in ordering, It torn
out and having it properly done
This was instanced by the work
done this week in front OF the
City Hall and at the intersection o.
Main and French streets.
The Traction Co. has agreed WIZ
the Chatham Construction GO. fot
the use of far greater quantity, oi
gravel and sand on its part of ,h'
Work of graveling the lower END
Of Main street than the city specii-
fications call for. The Traction,
fications call for. The fractions
object in this is to gain greater
soiidity for its track, 20 increase
permancncy, and to reduce nam
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