Evening star., 1934-10-25
FRANK !. SPRAGUE,| |
EDISON AIDE, D|ES|
Weeks Illness Fatal to One
of Foremost Figures
in Engineering.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, October 25.-Frank J.
Spargue. engineer and inventor. who
for a time was assistant to Thomas
A. Edison, died of pneumonia today
at his home, 40 West Fifty NTH street.
He was n years old.
He had been i'll only week.
Mr.. Sprague was a pioneer in rail-
way electrification and equipped the
first modern trolley railway in the
United States at Richmond, Va, in
1887. For years he was engaged In
promoting underground rapid transit.
Born in Milford. Conn. July rs.
1857, he was graduated from the
United States Naval Academy In 1878.
He received degrees from Stevens In
stitute and Columbia University.
Made Study for Navy.
After his graduation from the Naval
Academy. he was member OF jury
at the Crystal Palace Exposition in
London, England, where he had charge
of tests of dynamo-electric machines,
gas engines and electric lights, as re-
ported to tine Navy Department. He
continued his electrical studies and ex-
periments at Stevens Institute, the
Brooklyn Navy Yard and the United
States Torpedo Boat Station at New
port, r. I.
In 1883 Mr.. Sprague resigned from
the Navy to devote his time to elec-
trical work, and it was at this time
that he became an assistant to Edison.
He founded the Sprague Electric
Railway &. Motor Co. in 1884, and this
company. using his constant speed
electric motor, was the first to engage
in the general manufacture and intro
duction of industrial electric motors.
Among his inventions was pilot con-
troll of industrial and other motors.
Work Known Abroad.
After equipping the trolley railway
at Richmond, he equipped similar
railways in Florence. Italy; Halle, Ger
many, and more than 100 other rail-
ways in two years.
He developed an alternating current
induction smelling furnace, and also
high speed and house automatic elec-
trio elevators. He invented a method
of operating two elevators on the same
rails in a common shaft. and accel-
Grafton control of car safeties.
Mr.. Sprague also invented the null
tiple-unit system Of train control,
which is now in general use, and
system of regeneration used on noun
tain electric railways and on high
speed electric elevators. Another OF
his inventions was a system of auto
matte signal and brake train control
to enforce obedience to signals. Dur
ing the World War he was engaged
in the development Of fuses and air
and depth bombs.
Headed Engineer Group.
He was a past president OF the
American Institute of Electrical Engi-
neers, and had received numerous
honors for his work. Among them
was the gold medal at the Paris Ex-
position in 1889 for electric railway
development, the Elliott Cresson medal
OF the Franklin Institute in 1904 for
MS multi-unit system, the grand prize
for invention and development in
electric railways" at the St. Louis Ex-
position in 1904, the Edison gold medal
for "meritorious achievement in cleo
tr1cal science, engineering and art"
in 1910, and the Franklin medal in
1921 for fundamental inventions and
achievements in electrical engineer
ing
surviving are his widow. the former
harriet Chapman Jones of New Hart
ford. Conn. and four children. Robert
I. Sprague of Williamstown, Mass.
desmond Sprague, Stratford. Corn.
Julian K. Sprague. Toronto. Cana ia
ana Mrs. Frances Althea Tucker, New
Canaan, Conn.