The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-20
|NGLE TALKS ON
NEW b|RNEY CAR
Manager Of keoIeuk Electric Company
Explains Operation Of Car and
the History OF Its
Invention.
THE HIGH TENSION CLUB
One Of Most Interesting Sessions of
the Year Hold Last Might
Members Subscribed $1o-
$50 to the Loan.
THE HIGH TENSION CLUB

One Of the most interesting meet
1ngs of Me High Tension club this
year was held last evening in the
club rooms at Eighth and Main streets
The reading OF the minutes of the
previous meeting was followed by re-
ports of the various chairmen of the
High Tension club excursion commit
tees. These in turn were followed by
report on the proposition of form
Ing rifle club and joining the Ma
t1onal Rifle association of America
Much interest Is being manifested in
this plan, but unfortunately the club
at present can proceed no farther
than perfecting an organization and
making plans for rifle shooting Ow-
ing to the great scarcity of rifles and
ammunition in the country, the gov
eminent is unable to issue any of
them to civilian rifle clubs for prac-
t1ce shooting. This illustrates in
very forceful manner the present con-
d1tion Of the country as a result of
years Of unpreparedness, since even
the relatively antiquated Krag-Jorgen-
son rifles must all be retained in the
arsenals Of the country for use this
fall by the new national army.
A report Of the treasurer of the Lib
erty Loan club showed very gratifying
results The members Of the High
Tension club contributing were 131
and the amount raised was $1O,35O.
An exceedingly interesting talk was
given by J. P. Ingle, on the new Birney
car. Mr.. Ingle related the history of
the development Of this car, telling
how the jttney at first threatened to
put the street cars out Of business
and how c. o. Birney, traction expert
of Stone & Webster, invented this
new car Mr.. Birney at first received
very little encouragement for his
ideas, but persisted until he finally de-
veloped car which, it is declared, is
destined to revolutionize the street
railway industry. 1t is only one-half
the weight Of the ordinary car and yet
is fully as strong and seats nearly as
many people. 1t is operated by one
is humanity possible to make it.
Many objections were raised to this
car, but they have all been overcome
to the satisfaction Of all parties con-
cerned, and the car has received the
approval of al public utility commits
sions which have investigated 1t. This
car is equipped with air brakes to in
crease the safety of the passengers
and to cut down the labor of the op-
orator, as the new motor1nan is now
called. They are as automatic and as
sure in their action as interlocking
systems on the railways Of the coun-
try. One Of the chief objections to
car operated by one man has been
that he might suddenly die Of heart
failure, faint or otherwise become in
capacitated from operating the car,
leaving the passengers at the mercy
Of a runaway car and unable to get
out because all doors were closed.
The air brake system on the Birney
car, however, is so arranged that in
such an emergency the brakes will be
applied and s'ep the
car; the rails sanded and the doors
opened so that passengers can alight, |
all in about five seconds.
The Keokuk Electric company has
been very fortunate in being able to
purchase the third Birney car ever
This is now in opera
ton at Hamilton and it will repay
any one to take a ride in this car and |
observe its new features.
Mr.. Ingle's talk was followed by
short talk by DR.. G. Walter Barr, who
related many interesting features con-
1ected with the early days of electric
street railroads and particularly
called attention to the fact that Keo
1uk was one of the first cities in the
to adopt electricity as a mo-
tive power for cars md also one Of
The first cities to adopt Sprague con-
troll. Dr.. Barr was followed by DR..
Dorsey who made few very pithy
remarks.
A. s. Nichols, former manager Of
he Fort Madison Electric comuany
who has been transferred to Paducah,
KY, and who was one Of the organic
,rs of the High Tension club and its
first president, was elected an hon
)rary member for life.