Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1914-05-23
ASLEEP At SWITCH
Fate of Professor Thinkist's
Scheme for Operating Rail-
road Without Engines
or Train Crews.
BY HARRY M. DOTY.

many, luAuS5 nave udppSuSu SAA1o eno
slow-going days of 1908. when we be-
lieved the goal of perfection had been
reached in nearly everything scientific
and mechanical. But progress has
gone on even more rapidly since that
time than In the years which inter-
vened between the stage-coach days
of 1850 and the slaughter by auto days
of 1907.
The president of the great R. and N.
system sat In his luxuriously uphol-
stored chair in his luxuriously fur
nished private Office, lost in thought.
Ever and anon. as If to quicken the
coming of ideas. he ran his shapely
fingers through his abundant locks,
now well tinged with gray.
The problem with which he was
wrestling was the same one with
which he was contending in 1907-1908
that is. how to decrease expenses
and increase dividends; but the solu-
ton seemed as far away as ever
The buzzer ON his desk informed
him that some one desired an inter-
view. He touched a button which
raised curtain in room three sto-
ries below, and exposed to the gaze
of the caller seated therein a sign
which read: Name and business,
please"
The caller crossed the room and
spoke In the transmitter of the phono-
print, recent invention, connected by
wire with the recordograph on the
presidents desk.
The recordograph contains a COM
plete outfit of type, each letter at
tached to a wire so sensitively and
delicately adjusted that, as a word is
spoken into the phonoprint. each let
ter composing the word is automatical-
ly released. linked, and brought in con-
tact with card, distinctly printing
the word and ejecting the card when
the sentence is completed. 1t is now
In universal use. having replaced the
slow and inefficient telegraph service
about five years ago.
The card which was elected from
the presidents recordograph bore the
printed inscription:
]. GREATHEAD THINKIST,
Expense Reduction Specialist
Interview requested.
Expense Reduction Specialist"
were really the only words the presi-
dent saw. Quickly ne pressed another
button, which uncovered the sign, RE
quest granted" whereupon the special
ist entered the pneumatic elevator and
was whisked up to the magnate's pri-
vate office.
There he was cordially received,
and proceeded Immediately to busi-
ness.
MY errand here" said he, rs to
unfold to you, by the aid of this model,
a railroad expense reduction scheme
which believe Is to revolutionize the
railroad systems of the world-that is,
unless, of course, one of Americas
foremost roads should purchase the
exclusive right to use it,"
After waiting a moment to assure
himself that the great railroad presi-
dent had fully comprehended the Tex
elusive right" hint, he continued:
This scheme, of course, will neces-
state the expenditure Of considerable
money at the outset, but the saving
will be so great that this will be more
than returned in a few weeks. The
road must be equipped for operation by
electricity. The current will be sup
lied by storage-batteries of my own
invention. more compact and a hun
dredfold more powerful than any now
in use.
Practically the only expense for
current will be for charging the bat
teries to run the first train, as each
car will contain a battery-charging
compartment, fitted with small dyna-
mo operated by a belt from the car
wheels. Thus when the cars reach
the terminals the batteries will be
fully charged and ready to furnish
power for drawing other trains, and
exhausted batteries will be put In their
places
you see, this also practically solves
the problem of perpetual motion; but
is what we seek primarily"
Just So" said the president, but
proceed. The scheme looks good. so
far. I'm getting interested"
About how much is the aggregate
weekly salary of your train crews at
the present timer" asked the expense
reduction specialist
The president communicated with
the accounting department and found
the figures to be $9.8999S.
How much do you pay your Office
boy?" inquired the special
Since his last increase, 1925 per
week." replied the president
Then" said the specialist. won
Would save in salaries just s9,ss7 rs
per week. the difference between his
weekly stipend and the train crew
pay roll. BY reducing the boys salary
Two cents, you would effect a saving