The Washington herald., 1917-08-18

The New Haven line is practically
without heavy grades nor are there
any sharp curves upon II. The st.
Paul extension involved the building
of tracks over the Rocky Mountains
and the Cascade range further west.
And there were some electrical ex-
perts who wondered whether there
had been sufficient demonstration of
both the capacity of electricity and
the economy OF its use for hauling
heavy trains over these mountain
ranges.
President Earling, however. per-
severed, persuading his directors TO
support him in his plan of elecuify
ing the St Paul extension. Some 400
miles of this extension was electrified
and the electric power was generated
precisely as George Westinghouse
predicted it would be generated. For
in those mountain ranges are streams
which carry abundant water power. it
being necessary only to dam them
and then to install the turbines where
by this power can be converted into
electric energy. Mr.. Westinghouse
predicted that in due time many of
the railways of the South would be
operated by electric energy that had
been generated by the abundant water
power in the mountain regions of the
South. Mr.. Mellcn when he was in
stalling electricity in the New Haven
system contemplated establishing
hydro-electric plants by means of
which the waterpower in New Eng
land streams could be converted into
electric energy sufficient for the oper-
ration of all trains upon the New
Haven system.
To President Esrling and his asso
ciates Of the st. Paul system Is due
whatever honor or prestige may be
associated with the installation of
electric energy upon 651 miles Of rail-
road, part of which suTmOunts the
difficult ranges of the Rocky and of
the Cascade mountains. Seattle and
Tacoma are soon to be the Western
terminals of this greatest and long
est electrified railroad system in the
world.
The first instalment which was COM
pleted nearly two years ago by
means of which the Rocky Noun
tains in Montana were conquered by
electric motors was in operation but
a short time when there was suf-
ficient demonstration of the economy.
the convenience, the safety. and the
sufficiency of water-power-generat
electricity to haul the heaviest trains
over these mountain ranges.
The attention of engineers the world
over was attracted to this work and
it was a subject of much discussion
in England and also in Russia. Now
it is announced that the completed
identification of the extension on the
st. Paul system to the Pacific Coast
and the highly satisfactory results
which have been achieved would in
evitably lead to early imitation of the
st. Paul example 'by some of the
other Pacific railway lines were 1t not
for the fact that the war stands in
the way of immediate development of
that kind.
In all probability the Pacific rail-
roads whose lines run through the
Southwest and Southern California
will for many years depend upon oil
for their fuel. 1t is economical, as
convenient as is electricity, and the
Southern Paicific railroads touch some
of the great oil-producing sections Of
the United States.
So well pleased were the members
OF the Russian commission which was
sent to Russia by President Wilson
late in the spring with their expert
ence in travelling westward on their
way to Seattle on the electrified st.
Paul system that they made choice
of this route when returning recently
from Russia to the United States.
Probably the st. Paul mana cement
would not have undertaken this elec-
trical equipment when they did II they
had realized that a world-encompass-
ing war was at hand and that the
United States in time would become
one of the belligerents. The work,
however, was well under way before
the outbreak of the war and it SEEM
ed expedient to continue II so that
there could be completion of it, al
though so much of the industrial
energy of the nation had been divert
ed from peaceful pursuits to the man.
ufacture of commodities needed for
war. This great work, therefore,
stands apart, almost unique in the fact
that it has been continued and COM
pleted Notwithstanding the war. In
railway circles in this city the opinion
is expressed that the success of the
st. Paul in electrifying the most diff
cult part of its system will, after
the war is ended, surely lead to the
electritication of other great railroad
systems, especially those which can
rely upon abundant water power for
the generation of electric energy.
HOLLAND.
n