The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-08-01
ELECTRIC CAR
80 YEARS OLD
Pioneer Inventor Was a Vermont
Blacksmith.
SPURRED OTHERS TO WORK

Success Finally Reached In 1888 and
Richmond, Va, Was First City to
Operate Cars After Edison Had
Done His Share-During the Years
Since That Time the Electric Rail-
way Industry Has Made ENORMOUS
Strides.
More than eighty years ago Thomas
Davenport, Brandon (VL) black
smith, completed working model of
an electric railway. A few years later
car was ready for a trial trip. The
power was provided by an electro
magnetic engine. This device was
driven over circular track in Spring
field. Then Mr.. Davenport, apparent
ly satisfied that public conveyances
could be propelled by electricity, rest
ed on the honors he had achieved.
News of the device spread and
stirred into action a score of able
men, who sought to make practical
use Of the idea. Among them were
Profs. Moses g. Farmer and 9. q.
Page, and Thomas Hall. They la
bored for years to perfect an electric
railway, but their efforts were futile.
Professor Page came the nearest to
success. In the spring Of 1857 his
car ran between Washington, D. c.,
and Bladensburg, Nd, a distance Of
5A miles. The maximum speed was
at the rate Of 10 miles an hour and 1t
proved too much for the professors
batteries, which were ruined.
( Many Inventors Try II.
It was generally conceded that
progress had been made and there.
after, for period Of 30 years, many
inventors tinkered away at batteries
and made many trials, but there was
always something the matter which
convinced the majority that the use
Of electricity for transportation pur-
poses was merely an interesting
thought like perpetual motion.
Then entered the field Of the ex-
perimenters Thomas A. Edison and
Stephen D. Field, who advanced SO
far that, in 1879, Mr.. Field fled an
application for patent on a third
rail system. Mr.. Edison built small
road at his laboratory at Menlo Park,
and, after many trials, it became
known that the use of electricity as
power for transportation was prac-
ticable. In 1888 Field and Edison
produced an electric locomotive that
moved around small circular track
at the Chicago and Louisville EXPOSE
lions.
During the long period Of tests and
failures Frank J. Sprague, student
at the United States Naval academy,
had followed with deep interest the
various attempts to make a success of
the idea, and in 1888 he resigned from
the navy and for five years made an
Intensive study Of electricity and no
it might be controlled for use in trans
portation. Some of his tests were
made in detail before distinguished
gatherings. Everything was going
nicely and financiers were becoming
interested in the matter, when one
day fuse blew out during a trial.
There was startling flash, and the
car was out of business.
Then Mr.. Sprague interested Oscar
7. Crosby, afterward secretary Of the
treasury, and s. Dana Green in his
Invention, and they all went to Rich
mond, Va, where on a very dark
night early in 1883 the first electric
ear was tested. It ran well under cleo
:ric propulsion until it came to a hill,
when 1t bucked, and four mules were
Communicated to drag the car to the
barn. Efforts to perfect the mechan-
SIN were continued, until finally car
vas placed in service. Passengers
we're willing enough to ride in It, but |
hey soon grew doubtful Of ever being |
lble to reach their destination with
In electric horse"
More or Less Trouble.
There was more or less trouble at |
III times, and winter storms added to
he general uncertainty Of electric
:ravel. These first electric cars in
Richmond were run over mud road
'ed on rails one-third the weight of
hose used today The road was bal
asted, the wooden stringers being
aid In dirt. But despite these disad-
antages the first round trip Of a lit
le more than three miles was made
q about an hour. More cars were
dded, and finally they became an
veryday sight, and experts employed
y other local railroad companies
'ere sent to Richmond to study the
ew contriyance. The news Travelled
broad, and Mr.. Sprague went to Italy
D install an electric road there.
According to electric experts, the
recise date when the electric car was
roved practicable was May 4. 1883,
nd the thirty-third anniversary was
celebrated with ceremonies in many
{ the smaller cities.
During these 33 years the electric
ailway industry has made enormous
tribes. A statement issued by the
merican Electric Railway aSsOcia-