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Street Railway Journal

Vol. XVI. NEW YORK AND , NOVEMBER 3, 1900. No. 44.

Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Convention

OF THE AMERICAN STREET RAILWAY ASSOCIATION

HEED AT

Kansas City, Mo., October 16-19, 1900

The nineteenth annual meeting of the American Street ciation, I desire to thank you for your eloquent words of Railway Association was held at Convention Hall, Kansas welcome spoken to us, and also to give you my personal City, Mo., Oct. 16-19, 1900. thanks. The first business of this meeting is the calling TUESDAY'S SESSION of the roll. If it is the pleasure of the meeting, instead of taking time to call the roll, the official registration of President John M. Roach, of Chicago, 111., called the the secretary will be deemed the calling of the roll. That meeting to order at 11 115 a. m. has been the custom in the past, and will be considered as The President.—We have a distinguished citizen of applying at this time, if there is no objection. The next this city with us this morning and he will extend a wel- business before the meeting is the address of the president. come to you. I take great pleasure in introducing to you President Roach then read the following address: His Honor, James A. Reed, Mayor of Kansas City. (Ap- plause.) PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Mayor Read then delivered an address, and said It gives me great pleasure to meet with you in this magnificent in part: "Kansas City, as much as any other Western city. I have every assurance that nothing will be left city in the world, welcomes to her midst the rep- undone to make our visit most pleasant and profitable. There is resentative business men of all other cities. a breadth of character and freedom of personality in this young metropolis of the plains which peculiarly appeals to the business We believe out here in the West that it takes capital and man who has large interests entrusted to his care, and I believe brains and courage to build cities. We know out here in the members of this association will show their appreciation of the the West that if capital comes to us it must come because many pleasant things provided for their entertainment while in it expects a fair remuneration. And I want to call your this community. When this nineteenth annual convention of the attention, gentlemen, to the fact that you are in Missouri American Street Railway Association shall have finished its labors I am sure I may safely say to Mayor Reed that none of you will and, notwithstanding the fact that nearly all of the States have regretted the acceptance of the hospitality of the people of that surround us, hard financial when conditions existed, Kansas City, so graciously extended by him. placed upon their statute books laws aimed at the de- I see before me representative men from all the- leading cities of struction of wealth of financial institutions, there never has this country. To your hands are entrusted street railway invest- aggregating hundreds of millions of dollars, and the welfare been a syllable, line or sentence of what we commonly ments of over a million persons. From the single track, one-horse denominate crank legislation placed upon the statute of forty years ago the business in which you are engaged has of books Missouri. (Applause.) grown to a magnificence where nearly all fields of human endeavor "We believe here in this State that capital should receive are called upon to perfect its equipment or aid in its management. ridicule and financial instability, and in its fair share of remuneration; but we believe, at the same It has outgrown the rapid whirl of events has built cities, enriched its promoters and made time, of course, that these great institutions which you possible a freer, healthier and happier life for its patrons. Each represent owe some duties to the citizens of cities, the and day the street car is entering more and more into the business life that it is their business and duty to serve the citizens, and and pleasures of the community, and each day its benefits are be- serve them well. While we believe in that, we, at the same coming more apparent to the general public. The street railways of America now represent the enormous in- time, realize the fact that great financial institutions must be vestment in bonds and stocks of $1,800,000,000, upon which in- secure in their profits, and that all the people have the vestors are receiving annually over $70,000,000 in dividends and in- right to ask of them is a policy of 'Live and let live,' of terest. Salaries and wages amounting to $250,000,000 a year are serving the people and in turn of being benefited by the distributed among the three hundred thousand employees neces- people. sary to equip, operate and manage this great industry, repair its 20,000 miles of track, handle its 60,000 , and meet the ever "We believe in inviting the capital of the East here for pressing demands for improvement. Directly and indirectly over the purpose of in investing great public buildings. I do 1,200,000 persons depend upon the traction interests of America not believe a single man lives who came to Kansas City for their livelihood. and used ordinarily good business judgment in the matter An industry of such proportions penetrates and more or less affects all other enterprises in the country which sustains it. Nine- of his investment in great public buildings, but to-day is tenths of the business men and women of the look receiving splendid dividends upon that investment." to the management of street railway companies to furnish them President Roach.—Mr. Mayor, on behalf of the asso- with swift, comfortable and safe transportation to and from busi- STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

ness. Still a greater per cent of pleasure seekers demand and re- upon you the advisability of entering into full discussions and ceive from the same management to and from theater, casino, analysis of these subjects, so that a clear understanding of all park and suburb transportation of such elegance of equipment and (juestions presented may be carried home with you. I also urge efficiency in service as to satisfy the most exacting. It has re- the association to show appreciation for our friends, the supply quired heroism and patience on the part of street railway men, with men, who have produced for this annual meeting their splendid so little friction, to meet the demands of a critical patronage in so exhibit. excellent a manner as is being accomplished by them at the pres- Allow me to request your hearty support in the work of the ent time. Accountants' Association, which meets in annual convention here On all sides we hear the cry of improvement, and in every direc- at this time. Its work is of great importance, and is worthy of tion we hear the sound of the busy car shop as it responds to the your most serious consideration. demand for more modern equipment. The public is becoming To the secretary and members of the executive committee our more exacting, and there is need for the most perfect knowledge thanks are due for the satisfactory manner in which they have as- and the widest experience to successfully cope with the ever sisted in conducting the affairs of this association. Personally changing situations which confront the street railway manager. their efforts have been highly appreciated. Street railway companies have frequently, at great cost, increased The honor of having acted as your president for the last year has their miles of tracks, and added to an expensive equipment, pri- been most gratifying to me, and shall ever remain one of the marily for the sole purpose of accommodating the public, by pene- pleasant recollections of my life as a street railway man. For my trating into outlying districts, unwarranted by additional business successor I bespeak the same courtesy and cordial co-operation to be acquired in such territory. This policy has proved wise in which it has been my good fortune to enjoy. Gentlemen, I thank nearly every instance. It requires considerable pluck on the part you. of a company to back a temporary loss in order to please its patrons. Those companies which have pursued such a course The President.—The next business in order is the have generally been rewarded by more liberality on the part of report of the executive committee. municipalities, more good nature and praise from patrons, and an Secretary Penington read the report of the executive early increase in the new districts acquired, which soon brought committee. It consisted of the minutes of the meetings those lines to a paying basis. of In thus catering to the wishes of the public the street railway in- the committee on Feb. 5-8 and Oct. 15, and related dustry of the United States has been brought to a high standard of principally to the making of the necessary arrangement excellence, and has kept safely in advance of traffic. The aggre- for the use of the hall, rules for exhibitors, etc. Upon gate of miles of track has grown from a few hundred miles of motion the report was adopted as read. single track, confined mainly to business centers, to many thou- The President.- will hear the report of the sands of miles of thoroughly equipped double tracks, which have —We now brought the country districts within quick and active touch with secretary and treasurer. the larger cities. Such energy and management must and will be The secretary read the following report: appreciated and fairly treated by the communities benefited. It may be declared that corporations are without soul, but it REPORT OF THE SECRETARY AND TREASURER. cannot truthfully be said that street railway corporations are lack- ing in good sense or business principles. False economic doc- Cash in bank Oct. 10, 1899 $5,658.87 trines yield to and flee before rapid development and prosperity. RECEIPTS TO OCT. 10, 1900 A well equipped street railway with modern service, which seeks Annual dues $3,950.00 to oblige the people, operated in any community, will develop the Membership fees 250.00 best resources thereof and bring prosperity to its people with such Space, Exhibit Hall, 1899 2,171.30 rapidity as to utterly confuse and put to flight all false economic Space, Exhibit Hall, 1900 doctrines. 47-00 Interest on deposits 146.25 $6,564.55 Newspapers, reviews, magazines, periodicals and journals of this country, indeed of many parts of the world, are entitled to the $12,223.42 thanks of this association for the fair and generous treatment ac- EXPENSES TO OCT. 10, 1U00 corded in their columns to the street railway men and their in- terests during the year. It is the province of these publications to Printing and stationery $948.02 exploit the great industries of the land. If upon one day we are Postage 162.00 able to congratulate ourselves upon their unstinted praise, we Salaries 1,500.00 should patiently bear the publicity of our faults, if any there be, in Miscellaneous expenses 50.00 the next issue. Executive committee, 1900 653.26 The last year has been a period of notable activity and healthy Eighteenth Annual Convention, 1899 1,596.96 progress, with but few disturbances of a serious nature. The man- Nineteenth Annual Convention, 1900 312.43 $5,222.67 agers of large street railway properties should shape their policy toward their employees and the public so that disturbances be- Cash in bank Oct. 10. 1900 $7,000.75 tween employer and employee will be entirely eliminated from their history. The management of the great corporations of the $12,223.42 country can best retain the adherence and loyalty of employees by October, 1895, $5,000 in debt. adopting toward them a policy at all times just, and at the same October, 1900, $7,000 in bank. time courteous, kind and conciliatory. The good-will of your em- MEMBERSHIP ployees and of your patrons will be found an asset of great value Oct. 165 in the days of trouble, and most desirable at all times. 11, 1899 Members since last meeting 32 A business so widespread in its usefulness, holding and judi- ciously employing.as itdoes, so great a portion of the capital of the country, and so essential to the best interests and prosperity of 197 the LOSS trade centers, should, and I believe in good time will, possess the Suspended 3 very necessary good-will and hearty support of the municipalities Withdrawn 31 34 it so faithfully serves. Our interests and those of the public are inseparably interwoven, and naturally harmonious. If such in- Membership Oct. 10, 1900 163 terests become strained and in conflict such conditions are un- natural and illogical, therefore it should become one of the lead- NEW MEMBERS ing features of our association to suggest a uniform policy for street railway companies, of so broad a gage that the mutuality of The following companies acquired membership at and since the the best interests of the public and of the company shall be as ap- last meeting: parent to the people as to the street railway managers themselves. Atchison, Kan.—Atchison Railway, Light & Power Company. I take pride in announcing that the condition of your associa- Aurora, 111. —Aurora Street Railway Company. tion, both as to membership and finances, is improving each year. Asbury Park, N. Y.—Atlantic Coast Railroad Company. I wish to urge you to make this gathering of use to our associa- Bridgeton, N. J. —Bridgeton & Millville Traction Company. tion and of importance to the street railway industry. This may Chicago, 111. —Chicago Electric Traction Company. be accomplished by a full attendance upon and participation in the Columbia, Pa. —Conestoga Traction Company. business meetings. The executive committee has selected mem- Detroit, Mich.—Detroit & Pontiac Railway Company. bers who have prepared papers on important subjects, and I urge Dayton, Ohio.—Dayton & Western Traction Company. 1053 November 3, 1900. STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. DEATHS DURING THE YEAR Elgin, 111. —Elgin City, Carpenterville & Aurora Street Railway Company. Philip T. Begley, superintendent, Lowell & Suburban Street Fond du Lac, Wis. —Fond du Lac Street Railway & Light Com- Railway Company, Lowell, Mass Dec. 24, 1899 pany. Amos Breed, president, Lynn & Boston Railroad Company, Ft. Wayne, Ind.— Ft. Wayne Traction Company. Lynn, Mass May 22, 1900 Galesburg, 111. —Galesburg Electric Motor & Power Company. Garrett A. Hobart, president, Paterson Railway Company, Hamilton, Ohio.—Cincinnati & Hamilton Electric Street Rail- Paterson, N. J Nov. 21, 1899 way Company. John McNulta, receiver, Electric Street Railway Highwood, 111. — Chicago & Milwaukee Electric Railway Com- Company, Chicago, 111 Feb. 22, 1900 pany. Volney C. Turner, ex-president, North Chicago Street Rail- Joliet, 111. —Joliet Railway Company. way Company, Chicago, 111 7 Dec. 2, 1899 Kansas City, Mo.—East Side Electric Railway Company. J. H. Vander Veer, superintendent motive equipment, Brook- Knoxville, Tenn.—Knoxville Traction Company. lyn Heights Railroad Company, Brooklyn, N.Y...Dec. 3, 1899 Montreal, Canada.—Montreal Street Railway Company. Upon motion the report was received and placed on file. Oakland, Cal.-— Oakland Transit Company. City Club Pasadena, Cal. — Los Angeles & Pasadena Electric Railway The secretary then announced that the Kansas Company. and the Elks Club had extended a cordial invitation to all Pittsburgh, Pa. —Consolidated Traction Company. the delegates to visit their clubrooms. Peoria, 111. — Peoria & Pekin Terminal Railway Company. The President.—The next business before the conven- Pueblo, Col. —Pueblo Traction & Electric Company. paper Mr. Daniel B. Schenectady, N. Y.—Schenectady Railway Company. tion will be the reading of a by Sioux City, la.-—Sioux City Traction Company. Holmes, counsel of the Metropolitan Street Railway Com- St. Louis, Mo.—St. Louis Transit Company. pany, Kansas City, Mo., on the subject "Consolidation of Seattle, Wash. Seattle Electric Company. — Street Railways and Its Effect Upon the Public." [This South Bend, Ind. —Indiana Railway Company. paper is published elsewhere in this issue.] Vicksb.urg, Miss. —Vicksburg Railroad, Power & Light Com- pany. The President.—We would be glad if anyone has any- Venice, 111. —Venice, Madison & Granite City Railway Company. thing to say to hear from him. I imagine the gentleman Willoughby, Ohio.—Cleveland, Painesville & Eastern Railroad has treated the matter so comprehensively and in such a Company. diplomatic manner there is very little additional that can be Westwood, Mass. — Norfolk Western Street Railway Company. said. MEMBERS SUSPENDED The secretary announced that there would be a reception held Monday evening, at 8:30 o'clock, at the Midland The following members were suspended for non-payment of all delegates others in attendance dues: Hotel, at which the and Newburyport, Mass.—Newburyport & Amesbury Street Rail- upon the convention were invited to be present. That on way Company. Wednesday at 2 P. M. there would be a trip to Armour's Steelton, Pa. —Middletown, Highspire & Steelton Railway Com- packing house, and in the evening a theater party at the pany. Coates' Theater. West Superior, Wis.—Superior Railway Com- The meeting then adjourned. pany. v MEMBERS WITHDRAWN

The following members have withdrawn during the past year, in WEDNESDAY'S SESSION nearly every case owing to consolidations: Atlanta, Ga.—Atlanta Railway Company. President Roach called the meeting to order at 10:50 Baltimore, Md.—Baltimore City Passenger Railway Company. o'clock a. m. Buffalo, N. Y.—Buffalo Traction Company. The President.—For reasons unnecessary to explain Bridgewater, Mass.—Brockton, Bridgewater & Taunton Street at this time, we have changed the order of business some- Railway Company. , have Cleveland, Ohio. —Akron, Bedford & Cleveland Railway Com- what. The names of the nominating committee been pany. selected, and the secretary will now read them. This com- Covington, Ky.—South Covington & Cincinnati Street Railway mittee will also recommend to the association a place for Company. our next meeting. Detroit, Mich.—Wyandotte & Detroit River Railway Company. read the names of the committee on nomi- Denver, Col. —Denver City Railway Company. The secretary Derby, Conn.—Derby Street Railway Company. nations as follows: Chairman, John A. Rigg, Reading, Gloucester, Mass.—Gloucester Street Railway Company. Pa.; E. C. Foster, Lynn, Mass.; E. G. Connette, Syracuse, Girardvillle, Pa.—Schuylkill Traction Company. N. Y.; U. B. Dyer, Augusta, Ga., and Robert McCulloch, Manchester, N. H.—Manchester Street Railway Company. Chicago, 111. New Britain, Conn.—Connecticut Lighting & Power Company. Norwalk, Conn.—Connecticut Lighting & Power Company. The President.— I would say to the gentlemen who Niagara Falls, N. Y.— Niagara Falls & Suspension Bridge Rail- have any idea of asking the association to hold its next way Company. meeting in their city, that they can see Mr. Rigg, the chair- North Tonawanda, N. Y.—Buffalo & Niagara Falls Electric of the committee on nominations, any time at their Railway Company. man place for New York, N. Y.—Nassau Electric Railroad Company. convenience. Mr. Rigg will appoint a time and

Paterson, N. J. —Paterson Railway Company. the meeting of the committee. Pueblo, Col. —Pueblo Traction Company. Secretary Penington.—Mr. President, I will state Racine, Wis.—Belle City Railway Company. that I have received invitations from the Mayor of Cincin- St. Louis, Mo.—Cass Avenue & Fair Grounds Railway Com- pany. nati, the president of the Cincinnati League, and from St. Louis, Mo.— Citizens' Railway Company. President Kilgour, of the Cincinnati Street Railway Com- Lindell Railway Company. pany, asking us to hold the next convention in that city. Missouri Railroad Company. I will turn these invitations over to Mr. Rigg, chairman Southern Electric Railroad Company. of the committee. St. Louis Railroad Company. Union Depot Railroad Company. The President.—The next order of business is the Taunton, Mass.—Taunton Street Railway Company. reading of papers. The first paper on the programme this Taunton, Mass.—Providence & Taunton Street Railway Com- morning is entitled "A Comparison of the Various Sys- pany. tems of Electrical Distribution for Street Railways," by Wakefield, Mass.—Mystic Valley Street Railway Company. Bancroft, electrical engineer Massachusetts Electric Wakefield, Mass.—Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Com- C. F. pany. Companies, Boston, Mass. Mr. Bancroft is not in attend- 1054 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

ance at the meeting, and it will devolve upon the secretary of the cost of the various kinds of painting we have done. to read the paper. I made some statements last year at the meeting which 1 he secretary read the paper, which will be found else- seem to be rather low in price. I have prepared these where in this issue. figures from work actually done and took five different The President. We would be pleased to hear from operations, — took them from our detailed sheet. For in- some of the gentlemen who are present in reference to the stance, the first-class operation, which was for an 18-ft. subject matter of this paper. I will call upon E. C. Foster, car body, including the entire repainting of the car, the roof of .Lynn, to open the discussion on this paper. and the trucks, under the contract price, piece-work sys- Mr. Foster. Mr. President and gentlemen, I thank tem, — the cost was $28 for labor and $19.79 for material, the you for calling upon me, but as I am not an expert elec- total cost being $47.79. I have here, which I.will hand to trician, it seems to me that I am hardly competent to dis- the secretary, a detailed statement showing the various cuss the merits of the paper which has been read. I think operations and the material entering into them. On a that Mr. Bancroft has treated the subject in a very broad second-class operation, same work, on a 16-ft. car body, way. is a very competent man, and is employed by the the He total cost was practically the same. On a third-class same companies which employ me. consider him one We operation, a $14 contract cutting in of paint work, varnish- electrical engineers in the East. I not of the ablest do ing, etc., the total cost was $24.21, the material being to this subject. There are many care to undertake discuss $10.21. The fourth-class operation was outside painting others here far more competent to do it than I, and 1 of vestibules and cutting in dashers, touching up main should pleased to hear from Colonel Heft. I thank you be body, blacking off iron work, one coat of finishing varnish, President. for calling upon me, Mr. one coat of paint on roof, dashers, floors and platforms President. Is Colonel Heft in the If so The — room? and one inside coat of finishing varnish. The contract we would be pleased to hear from him. As Mr. Heft is not price for this work was $8.50, and the materials $7.71, present, I will call upon E. G. Connette, of Syracuse, N. making a total of $16.21. The simplest operation is prob- Y., to give us his views upon the subject. ably the fifth-class operation, outside touching up dashers I thank you, Mr. President, but 1 and Mr. Connette.— main body of car, outside blacking off of iron work, think, like Poster, that the is of such technical Mr. paper a one coat of outside finishing varnish, one coat of roof paint nature, the has been so fully covered, that and and ground one coat of paint on inside of dashers, floors and plat- there is nothing that can be said which would be interest- form. The contract price for this work is $4, and the ma- ing in addition to what the author has already stated. terial $5.13, making a total of $9.13 as an average. This The President.— I can fully appreciate what the gen- work is done on the piece-work system. Under the usual said, after listening to It certainly system tlemen have the paper. of hiring labor, we usually found our work cost in seems to cover the ground quite fully. We would like labor 50 per cent to 100 per cent more than under the to hear from Colonel Dyer, of Augusta, Ga. piece-work system. I have taken these figures from our Mr. Dyer.—Gentlemen of the convention, I am not at books, and have had some talk on the subject with other all this character. street prepared to discuss a technical paper of railway managers, and they think that the figures I think that the subject has been treated most exhaustively, are very satisfactory. and it is a valuable paper. This association certainly owes Mr. Foster.—I would ask through you, Mr. President, the price a debt of thanks to the gentleman who wrote it. I am paid by Mr. Harrington for the labor in doing wholly unable, however, to go into the details of the paper that contract work ? Mr. and discuss the advantages of the different systems which Harrington.—Twenty-five cents an hour for the painter. have been referred to. The assistant painter gets 15 cents an hour. if Mr. Rigg, Mr. Connette.—Mr. President, I would suggest, you of Reading.— I move that the paper be re- ceived will permit me, that we hear from Charles W. Wason, of and the thanks of the association be extended to Cleveland. Mr. Brydges. Carried. The Mr. Wason.—Mr. President and gentlemen of the con- secretary announced that a trip would be made to vention, it seems to me that from the standpoint from Armour packing house at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, and ihere which the author of the paper has taken up the subject would be a theater party in the evening at the Coates' there is very little to discuss as to applying the theories Theater, and that on Friday at the Convention of the paper to any particular . The fact that the Hall there would be a vaudeville entertainment, provided condition of each road, as it is presented, determines in a by the supply men. of electrical application, The meeting great measure the character the then adjourned until 1 1 o'clock Thursday there really is hardly anything that we can discuss. If we morning. had a road which we desired to equip, then the question THURSDAY'S SESSION would come up as to which one of the several systems President presented would, in the minds of the gentlemen present, Roach called the meeting to order at 11:10 a. m. be competent to bring out the best results. Under the Secretary Penington. circumstances, it does not seem to me that there is really —I wish to announce that seventeen anything to discuss. companies have joined the association at this meeting: Mr. Connette,—I move that the paper be received and Dallas Consolidated Electric Street the thanks of the convention tendered to the author. Railway Company, Dallas, Mo- Tex. tion carried. Danville Street Railway & Light Company, Danville, 111. The President.—The next regular order of business Detroit, Rochester, Romeo & Lake Orion Railway 'Company is the reading of the paper on "Painting, Repainting and Detroit, Mich. Jackson Railway, Light Maintenance of Car Bodies," by F. T. C. Brydges, super- & Power Company, Jackson, Miss. Kansas City-Leavenworth Railway Company, Kansas intendent of car shops Chicago Union Traction Company, City, Kan. East Side Electric Railway Company, Kansas City, Mo. Chicago, 111. Lebanon Valley Street Railway Company, Lebanon, Pa. The secretary read the paper, which will be found else- Meridian Street Railroad & Power Company, Meridian, Miss. where, in this issue. Schuylkill Traction Company, Norristown, Pa. Hoosac Valley Street Railway Company, North Adams, Mass. Mr. Harrington.—I have prepared some statements Ottawa Railway, Light & Power Company, Ottawa, 111. November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1055

Ottawa Electric Railway Company, Ottawa, Ont. double-truck car, with two motors, or four motors, is more Holmesburg, Taconey Frankfort Electric Railway Company, & desirable and profitable to operate; and we are now re- Philadelphia, Pa. building some of our smaller cars and converting them Monongahela Street Railway Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. are Rockford Railway, Light & Power Company, Rockford, 111. into 25-ft. cars. We are doing that successfully. We Saratoga Traction Company, Saratoga, N. Y. also building a large number of new 25-ft. double-truck Terre Haute Electric Company, Terre Haute, Ii.d. cars. The President.—Gentlemen, we will now proceed to Mr. Chamberlain, Brooklyn.—You will appreciate the regular order of business this morning. The paper on that the average mechanic in this country has his "hob- the programme is entitled "Double-Truck Cars: How to bies," as well as the average professional man. Without Equip Them to Obtain Maximum Efficiency Under Vary- referring to any part of the electrical equipment which ing Conditions." This paper is by N. H. Heft, president Colonel Heft has designed for his peculiar class of cars, of the Meriden Street Railway Company, Meriden, Conn. there are two or three from the present prac- This paper will be published in an early issue. tice in the construction of the car body which may well The President.—Gentlemen, we invite the members attract attention. With most of us, innovations of this to come forward and inspect the plans prepared by Colonel character are subject to adverse criticism. I know of no- Heft at considerable trouble and expense, showing the body who would be subject to adverse criticism less than details of the construction of the car he has spoken of. the author of this paper, who has had such a vast amount (A number of the members then inspected the plans of the of experience in this direction, and it seems that it is right car.) and proper he should make an of this char- President Roach.—I would state, gentlemen, for your acter. I speak more particularly of the construction of a information, that all of the cuts, as shown here, will appear car without longitudinal truss rods. I think that Colonel in the minutes of the meeting, to be printed hereafter and Heft has designed a car of something over 42 ft. in length, distributed among the street railway men of the United and gains his body support by a number of cross transoms States and Canada. I desire personally to thank Colonel built in the form of the ordinary iron body bolster, welded Heft for his able paper, and we will be much pleased to at the ends, filled in with wood, and supported through the hear it discussed by the members of the association. To center with longitudinal I-beams running from one end of start this discussion, I take pleasure in calling upon E. C. the car to the other. The author of the paper has evidently Foster, of Lynn, Mass. succeeded in obtaining the minimum of weight with the Mr. Foster.—I have listened with a great deal of in- maximum carrying capacity, and I think, gentlemen, you terest to the paper read by Colonel Heft, and have also who are practical men, and you certainly all appear to be, given a casual glance at the drawings submitted. I think will agree with me that that is the object to be sought. that Colonel Heft is on the right line in the way of making There are some questions I would like to ask Colonel improvements. We all know that it is desirable to have Heft in private, and he has kindly invited me to inspect cars constructed as light in weight as possible, and yet to his cars when they are put on the road. One question I be sufficiently strong to meet all the requirements and have in mind is with regard to what might be the result conditions. I am very glad, Mr. Chairman, that Colonel of an end collision. I do not know whether this truss, Heft has taken up this subject. We all know that the vary- running longitudinallv through the car from one end to the ing conditions under which we operate in the various other, would be all that is adequate, and would perform States and municipalities require different kinds of equip- the functions and give the proper camber to the car, that ment. There are places, of course, on the lines the ordinary longitudinal truss rods do. You will recol- where an equipment designed similar to that submitted lect some vears ago that the managers of the steam here could, without doubt, be operated very successfully. went wild in following out the idea of reducing the weights The Lynn & Boston Railroad Companv, with which T am of their rolling stock, until thev reached a noint where connected, for instance, is operating lines running into thev almost passed the limit of safetv factor. Colonel Heft Boston. We have one line over a distance of t6 miles from advises me that he has carried through on this device a a small town on the coast, Marblehead, through Swamp- factor of safetv sometimes reaching as hi?h as 2^ per cent. scott, Lynn, Revere and Chelsea to Boston. On that line Tf he has done that he has certainlv covered all the ground we are operating 12-bench double-truck open cars, that is necessary to make the vehicle safe, and one that equipped with four motors. The closed-car equipment would do good service in actual practice. I was very care- consists of 25-ft. box cars with double trucks and four ful to inquire of the Colonel whether he placed all his motors each. We have been operating over this line about strength on a line with the sills. When we have a collision fifteen months at a maximum speed of 30 miles an hour, we do not collide with the clear story of the end of the bon- and we have found by our experience that the operation net, but we generallv get it on the end of the buffer. Of of four motors is more economical than the operation of course, we all know there are some roads which never have two motors over the same line under the same cars and anv accidents, and thev do not have to experience anv diffi- under the same conditions. To be sure, there is an in- culties of that kind. T was particular to ask him whether of - creased consumption power. We are all willing , I be- the strength was on a line with the longitudinal timbers, lieve, to concede that, and I think Colonel Heft will agree and whether the frame above that included posts and with me, although he shakes his head to the contrary. trusses in the framing, and the clear storv was lightened tin From tests made we are sure of it. The operation of four correspondingly. It would be a difficult matter to put all motors, of course, depends upon the speed you wish to of the strength in the clear storv, or on a line with the roof, attain, and that it is desirable to attain. In operat- because when this is done and the car runs into any ob- ing- upon a line where your speed is not more than struction the roof would probably keep going on and the T2 miles to T5 miles per hour, I question whether bodv remain where it was. it would be wise to adopt the practice of using four Not to occupv any more of the time of the meeting, T motors. We are also operating on manv lines 16-ft., would like to ask the author of the paper whether he has i8-ft. and 20-ft. cars. With those cars we use, as is cus- sufficient strength with the transverse brace to overcome tomary, the usual two motors. We have various types of the difficulties which I have outlined? motors, but we have learned by our experience that the Mr. Heft.—I will say, in reply to Mr. Chamberlain, :

1056 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44. that I have endeavored to get all of the strength longitudinally, lightening

795 760 812 864 690 781 804 ,249 the upper portion of the car, but constructing it in such a manner that the 2,092 1,845 1,690 1,1801,4791,034 upper portion is braced to the lower portion and tied to it, both longitudinally, vertically and otherwise. I would say, for the information of the members,

Time Start to that we have under contract the construction of five of these cars. We expect Stop of t> ta that the first one will be turned out in from four to six weeks. We expect to * operate this car from Port Chester, N. Y., to New Rochelle, N. Y. 1 would * St. 3.43 99 4.34 and 6.99 7.35 7.35 6.99 6.99 7.35 7.35 6.99 7.35 6.99 7.35 be very glad to show the car, when in operation, to any of the members of Haddon- 6 Fed. Up C, the association. I may be wrong in my ideas concerning this car, but we are Down C, Had., Had., Had., Had., Had., Had., ferry, ferry, ferry, to ferry, ferry, ferry, and to putting up our own money to build it. If it is a failure, we will have to foot Between Ferry, To To To To To To To To To To To To Mer. the bills. (Applause.) field Bridge W. E. Harrington, Camden.—The question of four-motor equipments seems to be one of a mooted character. There are a large number of roads SU1JSE03 ONO oi^*^' ! 1 CO CO rA u£ 3m !X using four-motor equipments, but there seems to be relatively very little known as to the number of watt-hours per car mile which the different equipments 4 min. " " " * min. " "

Current require, and with the idea of bringing out that point as a feature of discussion, Time Using

26.75 31.75 27.4 27.2 27.4 31.4 24.3 24.5 I would like to place this question before the meeting: "What is the experience 23 22 27 22 of those present, who have made tests, as to the watt-hours required by the psad [inj OOOOif3i>. i O O CO ?) CO lO S i^. CO TP CO CO ' ' CO iO CO CO CO CO different equipments mentioned ?" Mr. Foster says it takes more power with lOOOiOiflOOOiOQOQCiincp — <~i the four-motor equipment, and Colonel Heft says it takes less. They are both UinUllXET^ QO © © ' i - — — Ci 00 t- CO 00 highly representative men, and yet they differ on this point. Our road is about ssisduiy 00 i> © iO C* CO CO CO ©" © t-' o oo" co" CO* CO ^- t» t> CO to place some equipment orders. I have been urging four-motor equipments, OfCOCOi-iF-THNCOiNWHr-iH

I I ,^OOM< and yet must confess am somewhat in the dark as to the relative merits of I ifli-©©CDCOOOClT-"Tf<© CO i> i- 00 Oi CO i-i iO t- GO Os tj* i ^ tJ» tji iO »o t ^ Tr ^ the different equipments. [I know from tests I have made that the double-truck

40-ft. car equipment, with two 38-B Westing-house motors, on trac- O 01 e\> x m i - cp '-i co o oi maximum i-i Id 1-1 'J. C'COiOQiftCO'^iflCOCl 01 TJ- i> CO © Oi © -^CO Oi_uO ©,© CO tion trucks, have taken an average of 2000 watt-hours per car mile, whereas the same weight of car, with the center pivotal truck, with No. 49 Westing- house motors, 35-hp, under identically the same conditions, takes an average < of only 1200 watt-hours per car mile. Again, a single-truck car, with an 18-ft. u and similar o* body under conditions, takes an average of 900 watt-hours. I would W a, oo; co- co * °t co- - - like to know if there are any data from actual test to the number of watt- show "** « £ £ A £. « . hours consumed by these different equipments. I have made a series of tests Z- fe Z- Z- - o A' 1- rS" A'" on different o classes of cars, showing the watt-hours. I deem this matter of very X great interest, 1 and I will file with the secretary a statement of the results se- H H cured in these tests. I did not encounter any difficulty in getting information < Of Oi of this character, and I think the information obtained by me would be interest- ing to the other members, in Z showing the number of watt-hours consumed per O" car mile with the various forms of equipment. z a Mr. 1 Heft.—In answer to the gentleman, will say I have not the figures a of s the tests at hand, and do not remember the figures of the tests, but we have < Oi M Oi Oi CO © made a series of tests during the last three years with double-truck cars, u b equipped with one, two and four motors, as I have stated in the paper, and we O -? -t -t © CO CO CO -rji fc- t- CO CO

have kept a very close and accurate record of the results. The weights of the z" o different trains on which these tests were made varied from 15 tons to 250 tons. H Oi Oi OJ Oi Oi Oi Oi Oi Oi Oi Oi Oi Oi OJ o The speeds varied from 10 miles to 65 miles an hour. z 2 There is no place car is where the operated with an increase of current with OS < SIS the four-motor equipment, except while accelerating, but you gain a quicker X and higher acceleration by this increased consumption of power. The average consumption of the current, however, and even the total consumption of the current in the running of the cars, is less with the four-motor equipment than -O- with the two-motor equipment. That is beyond dispute. I can furnish the G- u H < data to that effect, I O and think the Company and the Westing- e; j i is ' 4 *5 « 04 house Company, also, can furnish any of our members with data which will sub- stantiate that statement. It is unquestionably correct. Mr. Wason.—I would ask the writer of the paper if the additional cost for the drilling of the hole through the axle and the armature shaft is commen- surate with the results, and whether he is seeking to lighten the axle, or to be

assured of the quality of material ?

CO » • CO -

on our heavy high-speed motors, it and we found necessary to increase the ^r^NOiCMCM^^OiOlCWCTCNOit-.t^^^HCOco©cooiOi^h^f©p diameter and weight of the axles. We were loath to do this, and so we adopted the plan of drilling a hole through the axle to lighten it. We not only lighten the November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. axle, but we get the benefit of having a ventilated axle. It much injured except that a corner post was knocked off. overcomes crystallization in the axle. I think Colonel Heft has seen how our cars are braced.

J. I. Beggs, Milwaukee.—In connection with the state- We use the longitudinal truss rod and truss plank, with a ment that four motors take no more current than two rod through it. We do not feel that we can take chances motors, I would ask Colonel Heft whether he meant four with the longitudinal brace; we want the strongest con- motors of the same size, or two motors having the same struction possible to put in the car. Therefore, I should capacity as the four might have had? take issue with Mr. Heft on that point. Mr. Heft.—We have made experiments with motors As stated, the results of the tests made were somewhat of different capacities, but all of the motors were of the contrary to what the experts had given us to believe we same size, and used on the same class of equipment. might expect would be as regards the power consumed. Mr. Beggs.—I do not know whether I made myself For that reason I had Mr. Sunny and Mr. Bailey come to clear. We made some very exhaustive tests, and they were Milwaukee on two or three different occasions to make so opposed to the position which Colonel Heft now takes those tests, not simply tests on a special car, but on the that I took occasion to have B. E. Sunny, the Western regular service, equipping different cars on our regular manager of the General Electric Company, and also Theo- service with different types of motors—two G. E. 57, two dore P. Bailey, the manager of the railway department of G. E. 1000, and four G. E. 1000 under different cars. I do the General Electric Company, of Chicago, to come and not believe there is any question that the four motors will witness the tests made on this mooted question of the take more current, but, as has been said, you get quicker amount of current consumed by these different equipments. acceleration. You have no slipping wheels. In our prac- Of course, this matter is a very important one to all of us. tice we are going to put two additional motors on all the

I might say that we adopted double-truck cars as a • cars we equip in the future. The higher speed you can standard for our entire system five years ago. We have make compensates for the increased power consumed. In been using them ever since, and are continually increasing the city service where we use these cars, as we do entirely, the number. We have given a great deal of attention to with blocks running from 200 ft. to 300 ft. in length, it is an the development of the most advantageous car, the most important matter if you can save a second or two on each durable car, the car which will best stand the strains to street corner in getting the car into rapid motion; and which Mr. Chamberlain referred, as ours is one of the roads when the car gets on a slight grade, or starts on a slippery that has collisions, and a number of them, unfortunately, rail, it will immediately pick up speed and get off without and some pretty severe ones. We operate 350 miles of spinning the wheels. That is what the four motors will road, and have one electric line 61 miles in length. We do. I believe that four smaller motors are much more try to build the equipment to that it will be interchange- effective than perhaps 50 per cent increased capacity in able, in city use or in suburban service, as we have a con- two heavier motors. T give you my experience, gentle- solidated system, and we run the cars interchangeably. I men, for the reason that we have running some three hun- must take issue with Mr. Heft's statement to the effect that dred of these double-truck cars. We have one line which four motors do not take more current than two motors. If is 61 miles in length. We control all the city lines in Mil- you equip a car with two G. E. 1000 motors, or four 1000 waukee and Racine, 25 miles south, and extending 35 miles motors, I think any gentleman, when he comes to pay for south to the city of Waukesha. We have a complicated the current, will pay for 20 per cent more current in the system, but it is run as one entire system. If we have a four motors than in the two motors; but he will get 50 certain call for cars on any of our interurban lines, we can per cent better service with the four motors. That has take our citv cars for this purpose, because they are inter- been our experience. Our cars for three years were changeable. equipped with two motors. For the past two years, after To compete with the steam railroads we are now giving careful experimenting and taking into account the various our attention to the development of a new car that will be

costs entering into the matter, of which the smallest is 50 ft. over all, and upon which we propose to mount four power, we have adopted four motors as a standard, be they motors of 75 hp each. The steam railroads through- of whatever size they may. We can get much better results out our Western country are beginning to realize they have from 150 hp in four motors under a car than we can with a real competitor in electric lines in distances of 50 miles or 250 hp in two motors under the car. That is our experi- 60 miles, and, as a consequence, they are reducing the ence. The results may differ in various sections of the rates of fare very materially and putting on an additional country, but with us the four motors have certainly taken number of high-speed trains to run short distances. We from 20 per cent to 25 per cent more current than the two propose to build an electric car for the double purpose of motors, running under exactly similar conditions, not for being able to make 60 miles an hour with four of these the purpose of test, but putting them in regular service on G. E. motors, and with the further purpose that in case long distance on city lines, with wattmeter, voltmeter and we have a congestion of travel on any of the lines running ammeter, so as to cover all the points. The use of these to our summer resorts, we can hitch three or four trailers four motors is a very important thing on our standard car, to the car and make 35 miles to 40 miles an hour, and han- -which is 41 ft. over all, and seats forty-four passengers, dle a larger body of people at a much reduced cost. We with cross seats, and weighs somewhat heavier than the may have peculiar conditions in our city, but that is one car referred to by Mr. Heft. I trust that Mr. Heft will of the things we have in mind. With these cars which we succeed in making his car all that he desires. are going to build, and under which we are to put four I was very much interested in the points raised by Mr. motors, we should want a more substantial construction Chamberlain, as we have found that, in order to put a car than the cars shown in the drawings which have been sub- on the tracks in our city so that it will stay there, in spite mitted to us, although these cars may be all right for the of a head-on collision, as we sometimes have, even with service for which Mr. Heft designed them. I have given the greatest degree of care, it requires some weight and you the result of our experience in five years of operation strength to withstand the shock so that the car will not be with double-truck cars and four-motor equipments. absolutely shattered. We had a case recently with a green Mr. Heft.— T wish to say, in reply to Mr. Beggs, that motorman on a curve, where our car was thrown off the his statement is true, judged by his conditions, while I tracks across the street, with result that the car was not also insist that my statement is true taken from my condi- 1058 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI No. 44.

tions. Mr. Beggs' cars, I believe, are operated largely or in the country where there was any grade. We did that through city streets, and are frequently stopped and for the purpose of eliminating one-half of the repairs, as started; and, as I stated in reply to Mr. Foster, there would we supposed. Later, we removed the two 75-hp motors be a greater current consumption in producing the acceler- and put on four 50-hp motors, with much more satisfactory ation of the car when starting and stopping so often. results, as we were able to make our time and consumed Mr. Beggs.—I might state, gentlemen, that this test was but a very small amount of power more than with the not made on a city line. It was made on our Waukesha two 75-hp motors. The results were very much more satis- line, a 20-mile road, with a train every hour each way. We factory, and I think there is no question but for all sub- make the run in fifty-two minutes, and keep up an hourly urban work four motors are preferable to two motors, service with two cars. The test was made on that high- no matter what the amount of power you put into the speed line, upon which there are very few stops, and some- motors is. times no stops in a distance of 10 miles. The lightening up of a car for suburban work seems Mr. Heft.—Then I must insist, under that condition, to me a little questionable. I think that a year from now that my statement is correct. (Laughter.) I will say, to Colonel Heft will be able to give us some more definite satisfy Mr. Beggs, if he will come down to inspect our sys- data on this point. We have been strengthening our cars tem, I will give him an opportunity to witness a test, and from the start, rather than making them lighter. Some- if he does not agree with me I will pay his expenses to times now they leave the track for a shorter road across Meriden and back. the fields. It seems to me that we ought not to consider Mr. Beggs.—It will be a pleasure and worth all the ex- making the cars lighter. The ordinary railroad man buys pense to spend a day with the Colonel, outside of the test; his equipment and expects it to last a reasonable length of but I shall take advantage of the opportunity he offers to time, and it seems to me that it must be strong. Of course, have this test made. I shall, however, want to know how the strength should be put in the best possible places, and his instruments are calibrated. I shall also want to take I think that, rather than making the car lighter, we should some expert along with me to see these tests. I am not an make it stronger. In the steam railroad practice the car is expert in electric railway matters, except on the commer- cambered up in the center. In the first of our suburban cial side; but I feel sure there is some mistake in the read- cars the manufacturers insisted upon putting the camber ings of the motors. I was told what the Colonel tells us, in the center, but we found after using the car a short time but it did not agree with my own practical experience, and we could put the camber there ourselves. The trouble what I considered would be the result when I was seriously was to keep it from bulging up in the center, so that a considering three years ago, this very question of whether truss rod in a long 40-ft. car was a useless thing. or not we could afford the current consumption required Mr. Harrington.—I would ask Mr. Beggs what the by four motors. The first report which came to me from a tests showed where they ran two No. 57 motors, compared gentleman whom I considered to be a highly scientific, with four G. E. 1000 motors—whether the results from the technical engineer, harmonized with what Colonel Heft four G. E. 1000 motors showed a less consumption in has told us, and the report went further and said that four power than they had in the use of the two No. 57 motors ? motors saved to per cent, and he submitted the figures to Mr. Beggs. —The current was less on the four G. E. demonstrate it. Then I concluded I would call in other 1000 than on the two No. 57. experts, and I did call in Mr. Sunny and Mr. Bailey, and I Mr. Harrington.—Did not you get better results? went on the cars mvself with these gentlemen, and spent Mr. Beggs.—We got quicker acceleration. I want to say several days with them. The result was that I found it here, as our experience, and to throw out a suggestion as took fullv from 20 per cent to 25 per cent more current opposed to what might be inferred from Mr. Foster's re- with the four motors than with the two motors, on the same marks, that whether the service is for 8 miles an hour, character of service, the same cars and load, and running about the standard for city service—our city service is exactly during the same hours, as we made the tests on maintained pretty close to 9 miles an hour on the average different davs, so as to get exactlv the same conditions. —whether the service is for 8 miles, or 15 miles, or for Mr. Foster.—As I understand it, the conditions under 50 miles an hour, put four motors on a double-truck car. which Colonel Heft has been makingftests are different from The distance does not make any difference whatever. The the ordinary conditions under which street railways oper- main question with many roads in this matter is the in- ate. The conditions there are these: That the test was creased investment, but you will save the interest on the made upon a steam railroad roadbed, with stops at infre- increased investment in reduced cost of maintenance. It nuent intervals ; that is to say, that the run would be made costs considerably less to maintain four motors under a from one station to another, a distance of two or three, or car of the same size than it does to maintain two motors five, or even ten miles. That being so, I think it is possible under the same car. The difference in cost of maintenance that they do operate, as he says, without consuming a will more than offset the interest on the increased cost of greater amount of current than they would with two the investment. motors. Our experience in operating four motors on the Mr. Connette.—Mr. Beggs has just answered the same type of car, over the same road, under the same con- question I was going to ask, whether or not the increase ditions, as near as it is possible to obtain them, has been in the efficiency of the motors by reason of having four that it requires from 15 per cent to 23 per cent more cur- motors rather than two would compensate for the increase rent to operate four motors than two motors. We make in the investment. I presumed that would be the case with tests twice a year, and pay for current on that basis, and four motors as compared with two motors. Mr. Beggs we believe that the tests are carefully made, as they are states that the maintenance is less. I wanted to know some- conducted by the representatives of the Boston Elevated thing about that point, and as that question has been an- Railway Company, over whose tracks we operate, and who swered, I do not think I have anything further to say. furnish power to our company. Tests are also made by President Roach.—Gentlemen, we have Mr. Vreeland experts representing: our company. of New York with us this morning. I would like to have Mr. Wason.—On one of our suburban lines we started him say something on this subject, or such other subject as two years ago to put on two 75-hp motors on each car, and he may wish to talk upon. We ought to have some benefit found it almost impossible to make our time in the city, of his great knowledge of the business. November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1059

H. H. Vreeland.—We have gotten into rather a tech- paper which Mr. Heft has presented. I want to say, in nical discussion. I do not claim to be a technical man. Our the first place, that I have seldom seen so much valuable peculiar conditions in New York are such that we cannot matter so admirably put in so few words. I think this go into the character of construction which warrants the paper is a model of brevity and information. On the ques- use of the standard double-truck car with four motors. We tion of power, of four-motor cars versus two-motor cars,

do it on a number of lines controlled by the syndicate which or two-motor cars versus one-motor cars, there seems to be owns the New York lines, and wherever it is possible, and considerable difference of opinion. While we have had no we are not held down to the matter of a sixteenth of an experience in actual service with four-motor cars, for the inch in step heights, as we are in Greater New York, we purpose of determining what the power consumption was, go to the square-body car and use the four motors. The we made some very careful tests with two and four-motor peculiarity of our streets in New York is such that longi- equipments. We found with the ordinary railway motors tudinal lines, by reason of Central Park, have to use very of different types that we got a little better acceleration narrow streets. We have to conform to the old type of con- with the four motors. We obtained, as a matter of fact, 10 struction, with sunk panels, to keep the cars moving. We per cent decrease in time, better speed, but we had to use

have a number of cross streets through which the important 50 per cent additional current to get it. I should suppose lines operate, and the difference between the sunk-panel the question is one of local conditions. Certain electricians car and the square-body car means keeping the line in op- have been trying to persuade me for years that two motors eration all the time, as against stoppages every once in consumed less power than one motor. We have records a while of from ten to twenty minutes, owing to the numer- covering a good many years that one motor consumes less ous teams using the streets during the day. Take, for power than two motors.. instance, our Fifty-Ninth Street line, running across town. In regard to our elevated equipment, possibly we have If an ordinary truck is standing at the curb, the hub will been making a mistake. What we are intending to use is

go under the sunk panel of our car ; while if we used a motor cars having one motor truck with 150-hp motors on square-body car, we should not be able to pass. We also that truck, making a motor truck and one trailer truck.

find it necessary to have step-raisers. Every car will be a motor car, and we will use the multiple I want to say, as I said not long ago on this proposition, control system. I hope inside of the next year, if you come

and as has been expressed a number of times, we are not to Boston, we can show it to you in successful operation. tryingto do gilt-edge railroading in New York. Imean to say It will be the only elevated road which will go under- that these things are not necessary. I had a man recently ground as well as be elevated, and we have to overcome

say to me that he thought it was an unwise thins; to have long grades of 5 per cent and descending grades of 8 per step-raisers of an open car under the control of the motor- cent. We feel, therefore, we want the greatest acceleration man. It means to us on the down town streets of New we can get. York that the motorman can signal the conductor to raise Mr. MacCormack.—While I was with the Brooklyn Rap- the step and pass a truck without a stoppage of the car. id Transit Company, the president of that company thought

which, under the ordinary conditions of a solid step, could it was advisable to have double-truck cars, and the first not be avoided, and when you are running the cars five sec- car that was built had the wheels all of one size, and the

onds apart, as we do in Centre Street, down town, it is a question came up whether it was advisable to put four great advantage to be able to raise the step and allow the motors on the car or two motors. Tests were made to car to pass. decide this question, and it was finally decided to equip The proposition under consideration is so local with us in the cars with two motors on account of maintenance. An that respect, that to discuss it from the standpoint from order was placed for double-truck car bodies. We had not which these gentlemen have taken it up would not amount yet determined whether we had the right kind of truck, and to much, except as concerns our experience with the con- whether it was advisable to use four or two motors. We solidated system in New , where we run high-speed, had some maximum traction trucks on the road, and in long-distance interurban cars. On that system we use the making the test in regard to the power and the efficiency in large type of car with four motors. We get the largest acceleration, it was found that the maximum traction truck carrying capacity car we can with the highest speeds, and was giving much better service. In consequence, we adopt- do not consider particularly whether there is more or less ed the maximum traction truck, and I believe it was the power consumed, if we can compete successfully with the only truck we could work with two motors and continue surrounding steam railroad conditions. We have long lines, the service in Brooklyn. The fifteen cars referred to were and in every instance they are in competition with the equipped with wheels which were all of one size, and we steam railroads. had to pull those cars off the road whenever we got 3 ins. The Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of or 4 ins. of snow on the ground. It was absolutely impos- New York recently made a very thorough test of . sible to get them over the road. I complained to the presi- While we had nothing to do with that test, our men put on dent of the company, but he thought I was wedded to the the instruments, and in this way we got some figures as to maximum traction trucks, and insisted on running them. the power taken with our single and double-truck cars. One day he happened to be at Richmond Hill, going to Both are equipped with two motors, and the test showed Brooklyn. It was a twenty-four-minute run from Rich- that with the same sized motors on single and double-truck mond Hill to Ridgewood. The president got on one of the cars, there was an increase of about 20 per cent in the con- cars with wheels all the same size, and he was fifty-two sumption of current in the double-truck car. I speak of this minutes getting there. He thought the wheels traveled because I am uncertain whether it was due to the increased a thousand miles. These cars were equipped with two weight of the car or the increased length of the car. So motors. The next day we discontinued the use of the fifteen far as the question of general car construction is concerned, cars equipped with these trucks, because we had so many we have not to consider so much the question of collisions delays. They dragged the road and it was found impossible at high speeds as we have the question of a "hogging" of to operate them. the cars, as we term it ; and as Mr. Wason says, it is no Tn Cleveland, when I went with that company, I found trouble to get any kind of a camber in our Broadway cars. that all the cars were double-truck cars with wheels the Mr. Sergeant.—I have been extremely interested in the same size. Some time ago I had a cyclometer put on the ; : : : : ;

io6o STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

driving- wheel, the wheels equipped with the motor, and a duties of the office by each one of those we recommend, cyclometer on the idle wheel, and the record showed that and we will ask any of the gentlemen who are the driving wheel made many more revolutions than the nominated if he does not mean to attend to the idle wheel. I do not know that I can say much more, Mr. duties of his office, if he is elected thereto, and give his ear- President, for the information of the gentlemen, but I nest support in helping to carry the association along in

want to say, in reference to Mr. Heft's paper, that it will a successful way, and give his personal attention to the give us more food for thought and study than any other meetings of the committee, we would like to have him paper presented to this association. There is one important decline the election, and let someone else be put in his

thing he speaks of, and that is doing away with the - place who will attend to the duties of the office. beams, having the brakes hung and operated direct, without Mr. Rigg, chairman of the committee on nominations, brake-beams. I think that is something that can be appre- presented the following report ciated, particularly in view of the trouble we have had in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 18, 1900. regard to chattering brake-beams and brake-beams catching To the President and Members of the American Street up rubbish on the road, and sometimes when we have acci- Railway Association dents we will find that brake-beams are a large factor in Gentlemen—Your committee on nominations respectfully them. reports that it recommends , N. Y., as its Mr. McCulloch, Chicago. —Colonel Heft's paper has next place of meeting, and also recommends the following been discussed almost entirely on the question of economy gentlemen for officers of the association for the ensuing in power, and from the standpoint of the strength of the year car in its construction to resist damage from collisions. For president, Walton H. Holmes, president Metropol- Most of us who have been in the street railway business itan Street Railway Company, Kansas City, Mo. a good many years remember when our cars were only For vice-president, Herbert H. Vreeland, president Met- 10 ft. in length, and to-day we have them 46 ft. in length ropolitan Street Railway Company, New York, N. Y. then they weighed 4000 lbs., and now they weigh 40,000 For second vice-president, N. H. Heft, president Meri- lbs. Then we had only 1 hp, or 2 hp, and now we have den Electric Railroad Company, Meriden, Conn.

268 hp. We did not consider the question of power at all, For third vice-president, J. B. McClary, general manager nor the question of the strength of the car to withstand Birmingham Street Railway Company, Birmingham, Ala. shocks. We were considering how we should be able to For secretary and treasurer, T. C. Penington, treasurer carry more passengers, and how we could better please Chicago City Railway Company, Chicago, 111. the man who has the nickel. I do not think it is a question Executive committee, the president, vice-presidents and at all of whether we shall use a little more horse-power John M. Roach, Chicago ; F. L. Fuller, Wilkesbarre, Pa. or not if carry in greater safety the George W. Baumhoff, St. Louis, Mo. R. Graham, we can passengers ; John who are in our cars, and we can carry a larger number of Ouincy, Mass., and John Harris, Cincinnati, Ohio. passengers. We can very well afford to burn an additional The following resolution was unanimously passed by the bushel of coal if we can carry a few more passengers to committee pay for it. Resolved, That the next meeting of the American As to the collisions which have been referred to, and the Street Railway Association be limited to three days instead construction of the cars to withstand the shocks, I suppose of four, and that the day set apart for the personal examina- the only way to prevent collisions is to run the road with tion, by members, of the supply men's exhibit be the middle only one car. When we have a collision we do not consider day of the interval. Very respectfully submitted, what has become of the car, whether its transverse section John A. Rigg, Chairman. is weak, or how much it will cost to repair it. What we do Robert McCulloch. is to institute inquiries to find out whether there was some E. G. Connette. woman in the car whose transverse section was weak, E. C. Foster. and we shall have to pay for it. (Laughter.) D. B. Dyer,

President Roach.-—Gentlemen, you have heard tin- President Roach.—Gentlemen : The election of officers paper read and the full discussion which has been had is by ballot, and I will select Mr. McCulloch, of Chicago, upon it. What is your further pleasure in regard to the and Mr. Beggs, of Milwaukee, to act as tellers. paper ? Mr. Bean, St. Joseph.—I move that the secretary be Mr. McCulloch.—I move that the paper be received authorized to pass the unanimous ballot of the meeting and placed on file, with the thanks of the association to for the gentlemen nominated. Carried.

Colonel Heft for having written it. The secretary duly passed the ballot and the president The secretary announced that the members of the asso- declared the gentlemen nominated to be duly elected as offi- ciation were cordially invited to visit the plant and park cers of the association for the ensuing year. ot the East Side Electric Railway Company. An invitation President Roach.—There will be no further meeting was also read from the Country Club, of Kansas City, Mo., of the association, but we will adjourn until to-morrow night extending the privileges of the club to the members of the at 7 o'clock, to meet at the Coates House for the annual association. A further invitation from the American Stoker dinner. Company was read, inviting the members to visit a power I desire to thank the members of this association for plant equipped by that company. their kind consideration while I have been your president, President Roach.—Gentlemen, the next order before and if there is anything I can do at any time to help the the convention is the report of the committee on nomina- association, I will be pleased to have you call upon me while tions. This committee will also include in its report a rec- here and at home. (Applause.) ommendation as to the next place of meeting. I will state, in reference to the paper which was to have Mr. McCulloch.—With the consent of Mr. Rigg, the been presented by Nicholas S. Hill, Jr., general manager chairman of the committee on nominations, I would like of the Charleston Gas & Electric Company of Charleston, to make a statement. In suggesting those who shall be S. C, on "The Storeroom and Storeroom Accounts," that our officers for the coming year, some member of our nomi- Mr. Hill has been ill for a long time, and has been unable nating committee has guaranteed strict attention to the to prepare the paper, November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1061

Mr. Heft.— I move that the thanks of the members of posal by the Metropolitan Street Railway Company. this association be tendered to onr able and genial president Tickets were distributed by the secretary, and the theater and the other officers of the association, for the able manner was crowded. The performance was "The Runaway Girl," in which they have conducted the affairs of the association and several local hits were made which amused the audi- during the past year. ence greatly. At one point in the performance a reference The motion was carried by a rising vote. was made to the convention button, and as the heroine, Mr. Vreeland.—Before we adjourn, it would seem right Miss Jerome, complained that no button had been pro- along this line that it would be proper for this association vided for her, a large tin button the size of a dinner plate to express its appreciation of the entertainment that has and corresponding to that worn by the delegates was been extended to the members of this association by the handed over the footlights amid the laughter of the au- Metropolitan Street Railway Company of Kansas City, and dience. by the leading citizens of Kansas City, whose generosity While the delegates were at the convention hall in the has never been paralleled in my history in connection with morning, the visiting ladies were taken for a drive about associations of this character. the city in coaches. Parties were made up at the Baltimore The motion was put and unanimously carried. and the Coates and taken to the Midland, the general head- The meeting then adjourned. quarters, whence the entire party started. The regular ladies'' reception committee, Mrs. C. F. Holmes, chairman, had the party in charge, and three tally-hos were filled The Entertainments with sightseers. They were taken through Grand Avenue, East Eleventh, Locust and East Ninth Streets, the Paseo, the The entertainments provided for the attendants at Gladstone and Independence Boulevards, to Scarritt Point, Street convention were worthy of the traditions of the back to Fifteenth Street, out Troost Avenue and Warwick enjoyed. those Railway Association, and were heartily To Boulevard, through Westport and to the Country Club, who had never visited the city before, and they comprised where luncheon was served. From thence the party re- large portion of those in attendance, the excursions to a turned to the Midland, where all joined the crowd that the neighboring points of interest were particularly wel- went to Armour's. come. On Thursday afternoon a very interesting trip was made first beautiful reception The regular entertainment was a to Fort Leavenworth, and the National Soldiers' Home at given in the parlors of the Midland Hotel on Tuesdav Leavenworth. A start was made by special train over the evening by the officials and the Kansas City committee Missouri Pacific Railroad from the Union Depot, about 2 their the visitors. full suite of parlors and wives to The o'clock, and the fort was soon reached. This is an historic on the first floor and the grand stairway were utilized for structure established in 1827, at the time when it was this purpose, and were decorated by a profusion of palms needed to protect the early settlers against the Indians. and other potted plants, while over the hall mantel and While the conditions have changed entirely since that time, at various other places great bunches of American were it is still maintained as a large post, and is one of the most Beauties, with sheaves of carnations on the center tables. important home military stations in the country. Within An orchestra, screened behind palms under the stairway the grounds are also the United States penitentiary, also a landing, furnished music, and refreshments of punch, sand- new Federal prison, now being built by convict labor. The wiches and cakes were served from small tables. Many visitors were met on their arrival by Government officials Kansas City people were invited to be present, and they and escorted through all the buildings, after which a return and the visitors were well cared for by the reception com- was made to the train, which proceeded to the Soldiers' mittee, : made up as follows Mrs. C. F. Holmes, chairman ; Home. This is also a Government institution, some 8 miles Mrs. G. T. Stockham, Mrs. Chester Snider, Mrs. J. H. from Fort Leavenworth. A fine lunch awaited the visitors, Durkee, Mrs. W. E. Kirkpatrick, Mrs. W. A. Satterlee, after which they were escorted about the grounds by resi- Mrs. Walton H. Holmes, Mrs. A. M. Crow, C. F. Holmes, dent officials, and entertained by a fine band concert. The G. T. Brown, F. Taggert, Col. C. F. Stockham, John J. return was made to the hotels in Kansas City about 7.30. Morse, W. T. Osborn, Lathrop Karnes, Frank Peck, Henry Some of the visitors made the trip to Kansas City by the Evans. Besides the ones named, the Commercial Club sent trolley line of the Kansas City & Leavenworth Electric over a delegation headed by H. W. Evans and Secretary Railway, others by the train, while quite a considerable E. M. Clendenning. Most of the delegates to the two con- part went to Fort Leavenworth by trolley. ventions were present. During all of the three days a great many of the visitors During the afternoon many delegates spent their time improved the opportunity by making trips about Kansas at the Convention Hall inspecting the exhibits. Others City on the cable and electric cars. For this puprpose Mr. improved the opportunity to drive about the city or take Holmes generously placed at the disposal of the delegates trips through the residential portions or into the suburbs his own private car, and those who had the fortune to ride on the cars of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company. upon it greatly appreciated this act of courtesy. The As usual, the buttons of the association provided free trans- grounds of the Country Club, as well as its golf links, were portation on all the lines in the city and vicinity. thrown open to the delegates, many of whom improved On Wednesday evening a large party visited Armour's the opportunity of visiting these beautiful grounds. packing house, the largest establishment of its kind in the As mentioned in the proceedings, the Kansas City Club world. Fifteen special cars assembled about 2 o'clock at and the Elks' Club also extended the entree to their rooms the corner of Eighth Street and Grand Avenue, close to the to the visitors. Here also the official button was all that Midland Hotel, to transfer the visitors to the Armour was required to gain entrance. This courtesy was very establishment. Most of the attendants, including a large greatly appreciated, and many took advantage of the kind number of ladies, participated in the excursion, and as invitations, especially in the case of the Kansas City Club, many of them had never seen a packing house before, the whose fine clubhouse was located near the Convention sights they beheld were found of much interest. Hall, and was thus very accessible. In the evening:, the attendants were entertained at Coates On Friday afternoon the vaudeville entertainment pro- Theater, the entire house of which was placed at their dis- vided to the delegates by the supply men took place in the 1062 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44. convention hall. It was preceded by a parade starting from Walton H. Holmes the convention hall and passing through the downtown districts. The cavalcade, which followed a band, was led Walton R. Holmes, the new president of the American by a remarkable looking animal to which it would have Street Railway Association, comes of a family which has puzzled a professor of natural history to have given a long been directly associated with street railway properties. correct name. In 1 87 1 the first street railway to be opened in Kansas City The vaudeville show in itself was a great success, and was started by Nehemiah Holmes, father of the new presi- the fact that so much talent existed off the stage was a sur- dent. This road consisted of a horse car line between prise to many. In the evening occurred the banquet, which Kansas City and Westport, and in 1875 Walton Holmes, is described elsewhere. then only about twelve years old, entered the service of the company in a subordinate position. He has therefore been intimately connected with all the important developments The Banquet which have taken place in the growth of what is at present one of the largest and best operated systems in the West. The banquet at the Coates House Friday evening was Before he was twenty-one Mr. Holmes was made vice- the formal ending of the convention. It was unfortunate president of the road, and since that time, in connection that the calls of duty were too importunate for some of the with his brother, Conway F. Holmes, who has also re- delegates to enjoy the sumptuous repast provided, but there mained constantly prominent in the affairs of the company, were some 200 who remained and partook of the choice he has been identified with the management of the property viands and rare wines with which the board was spread. The banquet was served in the grand dining-room, the decorations of palms, ferns and great bunches of American beauty roses being most elaborate. At a long table across the east end, presided over by Vice-President John A. Rigg, toastmaster of the occasion, sat the officers and executive committeemen and the speakers of the evening. There were several substitutes among the latter, and the. members of the entertainment and banquet committee are to be congratulated on the ability they displayed in obtain- ing such excellent alternates to those speakers who were prevented from attending. Even the president, John M. Roach, had received an important summons and had left for home earlier in the day, necessitating a change of toast- master. Vice-President Rigg, however, proved himself most efficient in this capacity, and about 11 o'clock, as he mounted the platform of a car front which formed part of the decorations, he was greeted with hearty applause by the diners. This car front was a unique representation of a Metropolitan car platform, complete with brake, con- troller, gong, etc. Mr. Rigg in a few well-chosen words of compliment introduced President-elect Holmes as motor- WALTON H. HOLMES man and incidentally the toastmaster of the occasion. Thus was the president new most gracefully installed, and the and largely responsible for its remarkable success. He is banquet proceeded with added gaiety. a man who does not believe in being "penny wise," but has After a short address the new toastmaster introduced the faculty of making business come to him by the judicious W. S. Gilbert, who responded to the toast, "Looking Back- expenditure of money in building new lines. This liberal ward," and brought out much laughter and applause bv policy of opening up undeveloped territory upon the out- his witty treatment of the history of railroading. Frank skirts of the city, supporting in every way the improve- Hagerman was down upon the programme for the toast, ment of the public parks, and giving the people what they "The Trial Lawyer," his but place was ably filled by Judge want before they have learned to ask for it, has reflected McAnany, who divided his remarks into four stories illus- upon the company the benefits merited and has placed trating four stages in the life of the average legal aspirant. Mr. Holmes, personally, among the leading citizens of the J. H. Stedman, of Rochester, responded to "Our Guests" town. His long familiarity with every detail of the opera- in place of Gardiner Lathrop, but he really took advantage tion, his love of the work and his ever ready help to his of the opportunity to thank the city for its entertainment. employees, make him extremely popular with the men, and Other toasts were most humorously handled by Frank B. it is not an uncommon sight when accidents or breakdowns Walsh and Chester Snider, and the merry-making lasted occur, as they will even in Kansas City, to see him directing far into the night. operations or occasionally lending a hand, with a knowl- It was evident to all the delegates and their friends edge of detail and a hearty good-will that only long years that the hospitality of Kansas City includes music which of experience can give. • deserves the name, and the orchestra, which kept in almost The present Metropolitan Company, of which Mr. constant tune during the banquet, was greatly appreciated. Holmes is now the president, was organized in 1886. With The only lulls were occupied by songs by the Virginia its organization may be said to have begun the modern quintette and others. The menu was most artistic, and the trolley regime in the city. The company now has about appropriate design of a Metropolitan trolley car with some 160 miles of road, of which 120 miles are electrical and 40 amusing side-lights created many a laugh. Altogether the miles cable. The transformation of many of the cable lines banquet a was most fitting climax to a most successful to electric is a matter of but a few months, however, as convention, and will leave a pleasant memory with all the they have already been condemned by the management and fortunate ones who attended. the work of installing a trolley system begun. ;;

1063 November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

Mr. Holmes is not only public-spirited in theory, but All of those who were instrumental in thinking of and ar- thanks, is largely interested in many important enterprises. He is ranging for this entertainment are deserving of president of the Kansas City Electric Company and has but especial mention should be made of Elmer P. Morris given his financial support to many other public service and V. C. Gilpin, who devoted a great deal of time to the properties. His well known services on the executive and undertaking. local committees guarantee the efficient fulfilment of his Telegraph, postal and express offices were opened in the presidential duties, and the convention of 1901 is assured of convention hall, and proved a great convenience to the an energetic, painstaking and satisfactory chairman. delegates and exhibitors. The different departments at the convention, including the registering department, were in charge of conductors of the lines of the Metropolitan Street Echoes of the Convention Railway Company, and their tasteful blue uniforms and attractive appearance spoke ably for the high class of men President Roach made an excellent presiding officer, and was one of the most conspicuous figures of the convention. employed on the system.

C. S. Palmer, president of the Bar Association of Kansas One of the pleasantest features of the convention is that City, and attorney for the Heim Line, was a regular attend- of meeting old friends. The street railway consolidations ant at the convention. of the past few years have made many changes in person- nel. In many cases old-time friends have been separated The display of blanks and forms made by the Account- and have taken up their residences in cities thousands of ants' Association attracted widespread comment and inter- miles apart. A street railway convention enables them to est among members of both associations. come together often for the only time during the year, and Many favorable comments were made upon our October this occasion was enjoyed fully. issue, and we wish to take this occasion to thank the many The address of John I. Beggs, of Milwaukee, before the who extended us their congratulations upon it. Accountants' Association, on "What Does the General T. M. Jenkins, general manager of the St. Louis Sc Sub- Manager Want to Know of the Accounting Department?" urban Railway Company, showed his great interest in the was generally considered as one of the clearest and most convention by bringing to it a large number of his staff. concise summaries ever made outlining the work of any John A. Rigg, of Reading, of whom one of the Kansas one department in street railway operation. Mr. Beggs is City papers said that he was president of no electric rail- a forceful speaker, and his long experience in electrical ways, was present and took an active part in the conven- work makes his opinions on any subject related to electrical tion. traction or lighting of great value.

The daily published on the four days at the convention The proposal of the supply men to relieve the local man- by our contemporary, the Street Railway Review, was agers, in future conventions, of the details connected with eagerly sought after, and was highly creditable to the pub- placing of exhibits, etc., through the action of a standing lishers. committee, seemed to meet with general favor. This is

H. H. Littell, who was president of the first convention, always an arduous task, and it hardly seems fair to impose held in Boston in 1882, was present at Kansas City and this work on an official of the street railway company had a host of friends. He was accompanied by his son, where the convention is to be held. In this connection it Clarence Littell. might be said that this work was most admirably carried out at the Kansas City convention, and reflected great Hon. E. P. Shaw, of Boston, was a prominent attendant credit on the Kansas City authorities. at the convention. Mr. Shaw has been State treasurer of Massachusettts for a number of terms, and is very influen- Many familiar faces were absent from this convention tial in electric railway circles in Boston. among them were Charles Clemenshaw, of Troy; C. T.

Yerkes, of Chicago ; E. S. Goodrich, of Hartford ; H. C. W. Worth Bean was present during the final days of Moore, of Trenton John McNamara, of Albany ; D. G. the convention, and was one of the very few there who had ; W. never missed a convention. Mr. Bean was absent during the Hamilton, of Chicago; C. Dl Wyman, now of Boston, and opening of the convention owing to sickness in his family. formerly of New Orleans ; A. E, Lang and Thomas H. McLean, of Toledo; W. F. Kelley, of Oakland; E. E. The visiting ladies were well entertained during the four Higgins, of the Street Railway Journal, and John A. days of the convention. The excursions and plans for them Brill, of Philadelphia. Others whom all would have been included several trips about the city, a visit to the Country glad to see were John B. Parsons, of Philadelphia, and Club in tally-hos, and a special luncheon on Friday after- F. A. Fuller, formerly of Chicago, but now of Wilkesbarre, noon tendered by Mrs. C. F. Hoimes. and who was elected to membership in the new executive Cleveland was well represented by Ira A. McCormack committee. and C. W. Wason. Both these gentlemen have the highest The Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company was well rep- reputation as street railway managers, and have done much resented at the convention by Clinton L. Rossiter, presi- to advance the interests of the properties with which they dent Eugene Chamberlain, superintendent of equipment are connected, as well as of the association. ; William Robbins, division superintendent, and Newton W. Many delegates participated in the special trip over the Bolen, division superintendent. Mr. Rossiter took an active Heim Line, tendered by the managers of that company to interest in all the proceedings and also made a most careful the association on Friday morning. On the same morning investigation of the exhibits. Mr. Chamberlain is a new- the accountants were the guests of the Metropolitan Com- comer in the street railway field, and made many friends on pany on a tally-ho drive. They were shown about the city the special train and at the convention. He was formerly system, by J. A. Harder, auditor of the who was elected connected with the New York Central & Hudson River vice-president of the Accountants' Association. Railroad Company, and is one of the many steam railroad The vaudeville show given at the convention hall on the men who have been selected to control the affairs of impor- afternoon of Friday was well attended and well presented. tant street railway systems. ,

1064 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

No better commentary can be afforded of the extension and growth of the electric railway industry than the fact that the large number of interurban railways, which are now pushing their way through all sections of the country as rivals of the existing steam railroad lines, more than make up in numbers the loss occasioned by the existing tendency to unite under one management the local lines

in each of our large cities. It is also significant that these large interurban properties, many of which correspond closely in operating conditions to the steam railroad lines NOVEMBER 3, 1900. to which they are contiguous, ally themselves naturally with a street railway association rather than one composed

Published the First Saturday of Every Month by of steam railroads only. There is more reason for this than THE STREET RAILWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY the use of the same motive power. That alone would not be a bar to uniting with the steam roads, as it is well known Main Office: that they also are making a careful study of as NEW YORK, Beard Building, 120 Liberty Street. a motive power for their branch lines. The real reason lies Chicago Office: Monadnock Block. in the fact that the modern city street railway system is Philadelphia Office: 929 Chestnut Street. no longer merely a tramway. It installs the heaviest track, Office: Hastings House, Norfolk St., Strand. employs nearly as long cars and runs them at speeds ap- proaching those used in the open country. Its conditions, Long Distance Telephone, "New York, 4044 Cortlandt." Cable Address, "Stryjourn, New York."— Lieber's Code used. therefore, approximate more and more closely those on interurban roads proper, and the problems presented on each are growing more continually alike. Even the steam TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. railroad companies themselves, which have gone into elec- In the United States and Canada $4.00 per annum $6.00 tric traction, like the New York, New Haven & Hartford ( In all Foreign Countries, per annum J 25/ Railroad Company, find, when investigating electric prob- Subscriptions payable always in advance, by check (preferred), money order lems, that the American Street Railway Association is the or postal note, to order of C. F,. Whittlesey, Treasurer. medium through which experience in this line can best be obtained. The conclusion inevitably reached by this tend-

NOTICE. ency is that the broad questions of electric traction, in.

Papers and correspondence on all subjects ofpractical interest to all its phases, will ultimately have to be solved by the our readers are cordially invited. Our columns are always open Jor American Street Railway Association, as the one best fitted the discussion of problems operation, construction, etigineering of to deal with the situation. That it is capable of doing this accounting, finance and invention. no one acquainted with it will for a moment doubt. It will Special effort will be made to answer promptly, and without electric charge, any reasonable requestfor information which may be received and must take in all branches of railroading, and, from, our readers and advertisers, answers being given through the living up to its best traditions, be the exponent of the wider columns of the Journal when ofgeneral interest, otherwise by tetter. field of electric traction, as it has been in the past of city Street railway news and all information regarding changes of transportation. officers, new equipment, extensions, financial changes, etc., will be greatly appreciatedfor use in our news columns. All matters intendedfor publication in the current issues mvs Although Kansas City is further west than any city se- be received at our office not later than Wednesday of each week. lected for a street railway convention in the past, the attend- Address all communications to ance was large and the exhibits were as interesting, taken The Street Railway Publishing Co., 1 a. - a whole, as at any previous convention. The long ride Beard Building, j 20 Liberty Street, blew York West undoubtedly did deter certain members who live in the East from attending the convention, and a number of

The Kansas City convention terminated with the banquet cities, particularly in New and the Eastern Middle at the Coates House, Oct. 19, and the American Street Rail- States, which have previously sent delegates, were not repre- way Association closed the nineteenth year of its history. sented at the convention. This deficiency was nearly made It is extremely gratifying to both the officers and members up, however, by a larger attendance from the cities in the of the association that, with the additions to its membership Middle West. It was the general hope that more managers announced at the Kansas City convention, the association is from the Pacific Coast would be able to attend than at now larger than at anytime during the past eightyears. This previous conventions, but this was not the case. While this i; all tbe more striking because the withdrawals have not was a disappointment, it must be remembered that Kansas

signified a lack of interest in the aims and purposes of the City is as far in distance, and further, reckoned by time, association, but, as stated by the secretary, are due in nearly from San Francisco than from New York, and while a every case to consolidations. Thus many of the large cities few companies in California sent delegates, the three States of the country, like New York, St. Louis, Kansas City, etc., bordering on the Pacific Coast, with their important street which sent to former conventions eight or ten delegates railway systems, were for the most part unrepresented. from many member companies, were represented at The striking feature of the convention, however, was not the convention which has just passed by one or at most those companies who were not present, but those who were,

two companies, which control all the lines in their respective and the fact that cities as far distant as Portland, Maine; Atlanta, Ga., and Birmingham, Ala., Boston Augusta, Ga. ; cities. ; November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. not to mention many others, sent three or four delegates of a paper should be present to answer questions which each to attend a four days' convention, is sufficient proof may be raised by the presentation of his paper and to eluci- that there is no lack of enthusiasm and desire for improve- date any points mentioned in it which may not be perfectly ment in the managers who control the operation of our plain to the members. It was also extremely unfortunate vast street railway systems. that there was practically no discussion on any of the papers * * * except one. We noticed in one of the Kansas City papers The weather was ideal and the association was royally that the statement was made that the meetings of the asso- entertained by its host, the Metropolitan Street Railway ciation were held principally for social intercourse. The Company, of Kansas City. Too much credit cannot be given editors thought that in saying this they were commending to the local committees who had the arrangements for the the convention and saying what would please the members convention in charge, but especial mention should be made most. The principal value of any large meeting of this kind, of the entertainment committee. Its members were inde- however, lies in the interchange of experience. While this fatigable in caring for the welfare and pleasure of the at- applies to the meetings of every trade or scientific body, it tendants at the convention and providing entertainment is particularly true of a business like that of electric rail- for them, and also for the ladies, while the others were roading, where such a large part of the work is experi- in attendance during the morning at the convention hall. mental, and in which the best methods of caring for different Many favorable comments were also passed on the system problems have not yet been determined. For this reason, of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, which was as we stated recently in discussing the proceedings of the inspected for the first time by many of the railway man- New York State Street Railway Association, every means agers present. The local conditions of the city have com- which will stimulate the discussion of the several points pelled the continuance there to a large extent of the cable brought out in the different papers should be used to in- roads, but both cable and electric lines were found main- crease and add to the general knowledge on those subjects. tained in an excellent condition, the track work and rolling At the same time, it is not always possible to depend upon stock compared favorably with those elsewhere, and the entirely extemporaneous discussion of a paper from mem- principal electric of the company, as is weil bers who have simply heard it read. It would certainly known, is one of the most economical of any railway sys- seem as if the experience of other bodies on this subject tem. The grades surmounted by the electric as well as the would be of value. While there are some differences in cable cars, the attractive appearance of the cars, the high procedure, nearly every other large body holding annual giade of employees and the efficiency of the service, all conventions prints its papers in advance and distributes called for high encomiums, and words of praise were un- them to the members. Then if they are long they are read stinted as to the character and equipment of the lines in by abstract only. Again, arrangements are made beforehand Kansas City. to have certain members commence the discussion, give * * * their own methods on the subject treated, and approve or

The exhibits equaled in interest, if they did not exceed, criticise the methods suggested in the paper. This plan, as those of past conventions. The electric railway business stated in these columns recently, not only tends to produce is such a recent development that a railway manager, to the end sought in bringing out a full discussion, but in the secure the greatest efficiency from his service, must keep case of a long paper will often economize considerable time. posted on the improvements in apparatus made from year As a result, an association like the American Society of to year, and there is no better or quicker way of doing this Mechanical Engineers will often have presented to it dur- than by a careful inspection of the new apparatus shown ing a four days' session from twenty to thirty papers in- at- the annual conventions of the American Street Railway stead of four, as in Kansas City. With the International

Association. In fact, these exhibits are now generally re- Tramway Association the practice is not only to print the garded as one of the most important instructive features papers before the meeting for distribution among the mem- of the convention, and receive careful attention. One prom- bers, but also to publish a full appendix with each paper, inent Eastern manager remarked to us that he made it a giving in detail the opinions and practice of the other mem- point to visit every exhibit at every street railway conven- bers of the association on the subject under discussion. tion which he attended, and that he had never left a con- This, of course, widens considerably the opportunity of vention without placing at least one important order as debate. a result of the examinations he had made of the apparatus * * * shown. No sample cars were exhibited either inside or out- The meetings of the association should also commence side at the convention hall, and in this respect the exhibit promptly. The Accountants' Association at Kansas City differed from any which has been held for a long time. was notably better in this respect, as it was in the discus- Another feature of difference was in the fact that the ex- sions, than was the American Street Railway Association. hibits all meant something. There was a notable absence of We should be glad, too, to see a renewal of the early prac- a tendency to show simply piles and pyramids of the tice of incorporating in the report of the executive commit- different appliances exposed, but the samples presented had tee a resume of the progress made in the street railway each a bearing on its desirability in railway operation. industry during the past year and such pertinent reference * * * to present problems as might be of assistance to the mem- It was a source of regret to many that more results were bers. These reports used formerly to be of great value, not accomplished in the actual proceedings. Of the five and we believe that they would be helpful in pointing out papers on the programme four only were presented, and lines of investigation in which the member companies could of these two only were read by the authors. This was ex- devote their energies to the benefit of themselves individ- tremely unfortunate, as to secure the best results the author ually and of the association as a body. io66 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

Cincinnati extended, through its mayor and also through No more popular selection for a president for the asso- Mr. Kilgour, president of the Cincinnati Street Railway ciation was ever made than that of Walton H. Holmes, Company, a most cordial invitation to visit that city in who, with his brother, Conway, gained the immediate favor 1 90 1. New York, however, seemed to be the popular choice of all the attendants at the convention by his good fellow- of the delegates, who evidently believed that the association ship and assiduous devotion to the comfort of all. should come East next year. This puts Cincinnati in line, * * *

however, for the convention in 1902. There are many who Mr. Holmes will be associated in his work in the associa- would be very glad to see the convention go there in that tion next year by a particularly strong executive com-

year, and the city, as well as the Cincinnati Street Railway mittee. The first vice-president, Mr. Vreeland, is generally Company, received well deserved recognition by the elec- recognized as one of the leading street railway managers tion of John Harris as a member of the executive com- of the country, being conversant alike with the mechanical mittee. and financial conditions surrounding street railway proper- * * * ties, and possessing in a very marked degree the high respect The decision to hold the convention in New York next and enthusiastic loyalty of his employees. Mr. Vreeland year met the unanimous and enthusiastic approbation of has taken a great interest in the welfare of the American the delegates to the convention. The invitation, which was Street Railway Association since his connection with street extended in the name of all the companies in New York and railroading, and was one of the vice-presidents of the asso- Brooklyn, was most cordially appreciated, and there was ciation during the past year. Colonel Heft, of Meriden, no dissenting voice to the decision as announced. New who was elected to the office of second vice-president, is York will have much to show the members of the associa- at the same time president of several city systems and the tion during their visit to that city in 1901. In addition to chief of the electrical department of one of our largest the gigantic power station at Ninety-Sixth Street, which steam railroad corporations. To him more than to anyone is now practically completed and then will be entirely so, else is due the credit for the successful development of the the delegates will probably be able to see electric trains on third rail for interurban lines, and his papers before several the Manhattan Elevated Railroad. The power station ot conventions have been marked by great thought and origi- this company will probably not be entirely finished by next nality, and have been of much value to the street railway October, but the work ought to be so far advanced that fraternity. Mr. McClary, the new third vice-president of an excellent idea can be obtained of the immense 11,000-hp the association, is an excellent representative of the South- units which will be used. New York City, of course, con- ern street railway manager. His system, which includes tains the best possible facilities for hotel accommodation both city and interurban lines, is one of the largest in the and exhibition room in its magnificent hostelries and in the South, and he has always taken a great interest in the asso-

Madison Square Garden. Just what arrangement will be ciation and in attending its meetings. The association was made for hotel headquarters and exhibit space, of course, fortunate also in retaining the services on the executive will not be known until the ground is gone over carefully committee of ex-President Roach, of Chicago. Mr. Roach by the committee and the merits of all possible plans are has been most loyal to the association during the term of considered. It is needless to say, however, that the asso- his office as president, and although an extremely busy ciation will be well cared for in New York, and it could man, has given his time freely to advancing the interests not be in better hands than in those of Messrs. Vreeland, of that body. The other members of the executive commit- Rossiter, Maher and Beetem. tee, Messrs. "Fuller, of Wilkesbarre and formerly of Chi- cago Baumhoff, of St. Louis Graham, of Quincy, Mass., * * * ; ; and Harris, of Cincinnati, are all very well known, and no The proposition to limit the meetings of the convention better selections could have been made. The excellent to three days instead of four also met with hearty com- financial showing of Secretary and Treasurer Penington is mendation. We believe this a wise step, as three days a high testimonial to the care with which he managed the should be ample for the business of the association. It is business end of the association. Mr. Penington added to proposed to make the time for the inspection of exhibits his already great popularity by the uniform courtesy with the middle day of the three instead of the last day of the which he treated all in attendance at the convention, and his four. This plan also seems a wise one. It is important, how- re-election met with hearty approval. ever, that the exhibits should all be ready for inspection by the morning of the first day, and exhibitors should be Many favorable comments were passed upon the work more prompt in this respect than at the convention ust j and enthusiasm of the Accountants' Association. Under the held. There, the proceedings of the association were dis- able presidency of Mr. Duffy, the association has done a turbed to a considerable extent on Tuesday morning by great deal of valuable work. The meetings were well at- the noise occasioned in putting on some of the finishing tended, the papers were able and well received, and the touches to the belated exhibits. discussions were pointed. The department of blanks and * * * forms, which is under the personal charge of Secretary

While the meeting hall of the association was not all that Brockway, made a most interesting display. These forms could be desired, we understand that the local committee were shown in sixteen blank books, which were shown for was not responsible for its defects. It would have been exhibition on a long table 96 ft. in length, located in the possible, of course, to have secured much more comfortable gallery between the meeting halls of the two associations. and commodious quarters elsewhere outside of the conven- An interesting addition to the collection of forms made the tion hall, but the advantage of having the meetings held in during the year was a complete set of blanks used by the same building with the exhibits was too well recognized Glasgow Tramways, of Glasgow, Scotland. As these dif- to have sanctioned any change from past customs in this fered in so many particulars from those used on our Ameri- in a respect. can roads, it was considered advisable to place them November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1067

separate book rather than to try to classify them with the The paper by Col. Heft on "Double-Truck Cars: How American forms. The collection was inspected not only by to Equip Them to Obtain Maximum Efficiency Under the accountants, but by most of the delegates of the Ameri- Varying Conditions," contained the description of an en- can Street Railway convention. is In this connection it tirely new type of car as well as of a very novel truck. interesting to note that the Accountants' Association in- While some doubt was expressed by the delegates present cludes in its membership a number of foreign tramwav as to the rigidity and transverse strength of a car supported companies. at the center, too much praise cannot be given to the author * * * for the pioneer work which his company is doing under The first paper read at the convention, by D. B. Holmes, his direction in the development of a lighter car than is now on "The Consolidation of the Street Railways and Its Ef- being generally employed. Pioneer work is always expen- fect Upon the Public," was an able treatise on one of the sive work, in the benefits of which, however, all the mem- most marked recent developments in railway organization bers of an industry participate ; and whether the con- methods. It is a popular doctrine in some quarters now to struction as described by Col. Heft shall be entirely success- decry of every kind, and particularly street ful, or whether experience with it will dictate certain railway monopolies, but Mr. Holmes showed that all mon- modifications, the company with which he is connected cer- opolies are not undesirable and that a street railway con- tainly deserves the thanks of all those engaged in electric solidation brings benefits to the public which could not be railway operations. The discussion which followed the conferred by a number of independent systems operating reading of this paper was more upon the question of em- iu the same city. ploying two motors or four motors on a double-truck car * * * than upon the actual construction of the car described by Mr. Bancroft's paper on "A Comparison of the Various Col. Heft. This is a very important subject, and our dis- Systems of Electrical Distribution for Street Railways" cussion on it will be found below. outlined clearly the six methods at present in more or less general use for this purpose, viz., the 500-volt continuous Four-Motor Car Equipments current system, the alternating-direct current system, the There seems to be no question from the practical stand- booster system, the three-wire system, the purely alternat- point that four-motor car equipments have come into the ing system, the storage battery system ; and the advantages art to stay, and that they form a very useful means for ac- and the disadvantages of each were outlined. The subject complishing certain satisfactory results. A four-motor is an important one in electric railroading, particularly car equipment means that every axle on the car is a driv- when the problem of power distribution for interurban ing axle, and that all of the weight of the car is directly traffic is considered, because these lines are, so to speak, available for traction. This implies a better grip on the on the border line, certainly so far as alternating power track than can be secured where only part of the total distribution is concerned. We should have been glad if weight is available for traction. The development of the Mr. Bancroft had discussed several concrete examples, cit- motor-car equipment in this line is strictly in accordance ing some installation and operating costs for each of the with modern railway practice, which puts, where traction two or three methods most applicable for the case under conditions are heavy—as in grade climbing over the consideration. Again, if he had enlarged upon some of the mountains as much weight as is possible on the drivers problems which have arisen in the practical operation of — of the . Where the service conditions in electric the newer systems of power distribution, and described the railroading are such that quick acceleration is a matter methods by which these troubles have been overcome, it of fundamental importance, the four-motor car equipments would have been of great value. This would undoubtedly, have a most material practical advantage. The equipment, however, have increased the scope of the paper beyond however, is more costly for the same output, and somewhat that which was originally intended by the executive com- more complicated than the more common two-motor car mittee, but might well be taken up in a second paper next equipment, and the general consensus of opinion among year. the practical street railway managers who have carefully * * * considered the question seems to be that for the same The subject of repainting and maintenance of street car service the four-motor equipments require about 15 per bodies was treated in a paper by Mr. Brydges, superin- cent to 25 per cent more energy than the corresponding tendent of car shops of the Chicago Traction Company. two-motor equipments. Supposing, in each case, that the It was a thorough, practical description of the methods em- motors are of similarly good design, the causes of this dif- ployed by his company, which has given a great deal of ference in power required forms an interesting subject of thought to the subject, and as such was of great value to study. An increase of 20 per cent to 25 per cent in power the other members of the association. Our only suggestion demanded means a very material loss of efficiency at some on the paper is that if figures could have been given as to point, a loss which assuredly must be located to obtain a the cost of the different operations described, it would proper comprehension of the results. Now, it has long have afforded a measure of comparison for the other dele- been known among steam railway experts that the wear gates present. The paper brought out clearly the advantage of the track depends more on the engines than on the cars of simplicity in lettering and ornamentation, not only as for equal weights in the respective cases. Likewise it has regards first cost, but especially maintenance. This, it is appeared in numerous experiments with electric trains generally recognized, is most important. Not only the composed both of motor cars and trailers that the power design of the lettering and the ornamentation, but the colors per ton required to drive a motor car, after making the as well should be selected so as to insure the longest life fullest allowance for the loss of efficiency in the motors and and involve the least expense in maintenance and repairs. gears, is very considerably greater than the power required

v io68 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44. per ton to pull a trail car. The experiments, being made extension of street railway practice which is now going on. under widely differing conditions, have not been very con- On the facts set forth up to the present, we are rather dis- cordant as to the exact amount of this increase in power, posed to doubt any intrinsic advantage in the matter of but as nearly as can be ascertained it may range from 25 depreciation to be gained by the use of four motors. There per cent to even as high as 50 per cent. are two causes which would tend to produce this impres- We think the key to the situation will be found in this sion without proving the case in any general way. As a difference between the track friction of the driving wheel matter of fact, most four-motor equipments are materi- and the rolling wheel of the trailer. There is every reason ally greater in power capacity than the corresponding two-motor to expect, in case of a driving wheel—particularly when equipments with which comparison would have working during rapid acceleration very near to its limit to be made. That is, assuming the two-motor equipment of adhesion—a grinding friction on the rail, which is quite to consist of two 40-hp (nominal) motors, one is very much distinct from the rolling friction of the wheels on the more likely to find four 40-hp motors on the four-motor trailer, or the wheels not driven on the motor car, and very equipment, than four 20-hp motors. Now, assuming the considerably greater in amount. In other words, there maximum continued power demanded from the car to be may be material slipping of the driving wheel, and even 100 hp, in the one case we would have two motors work- when the slipping does not rise to any considerable amount, ing on 20 per cent over-load, while with four 40-hp motors there is a tendency to grind wheel and rail together, which we would have an equipment working far below its rated ought to consume, and from the experiments does con- capacity. It, therefore, would work somewhat less effi- sume, a considerable amount of power. ciently at light loads, but would suffer much less at maxi- Mr. MacCormack made in this connection a most in- mum load conditions. In other words, taking two-motor teresting contribution to the discussion. On the Cleve- and four-motor car equipments, not as they might be, but land system he undertook the investigation of possible slip, as they generally are found in practice, the conditions by putting cyclometers on the wheels so as to count the which lead to a desire for the advantages in acceleration to relative revolutions of the driving wheels and the rolling be gained by the four-motor equipment, indicate that the wheels on the same car in a given run. Not only did he two-motor equipment is being hard pushed in one way or find most unmistakable evidence of slip of the driving another. It therefore seems more likely that on an aver- wheels, but in some cases found this slip rising to very age the four-motor equipments are run less frequently at considerable amounts. Of course, the nearer to the limit over-load and more steadily at loads well within their of adhesion one is working the more probability of getting powers. The comparison thus does not directly involve grinding action between the driving wheels and the track the presence of two motors or four motors per car equip-

This cause alone is sufficient to account for the difference ment, but the relative merits of over-loaded and moder- which has been observed between the power required for ately loaded motors in point of resisting wear and tear. four-motor and two-motor equipments. In addition to Under these circumstances the favorable results in depre- this, the four-motor equipment generally is more liberal ciation which seem to be generally reached with four- in its capacity than the two-motor equipment, so that there motor equipments, are very readily understood. must be some little difference in the average efficiency of Another fact which may have its bearing on this ques- the motors while in service, a difference probably not large, tion is the comparatively recent development of four-motor but perhaps enough to accentuate the difference between equipments. When a company undertakes comparison driving two and four axles, to which we have just referred. between the repairs of its two-motor and four-motor equip- And this brings us to the second important point in the ments, it will in most cases be comparing four-motor cars discussion, and that is, the relative repairs in the case of recently put on with two-motor cars which have been some two-motor and four-motor equipments. In spite of the time in use. Now, depreciation in such apparatus is not fact that the four-motor equipment is more expensive and a constant quantity per year, but usually an increasing more complicated than the two-motor equipment, the dis- quantity with the age of the equipment. Hence, unless cussion conveyed a pretty definite impression that the de- great care be taken in such a comparison to valuate the preciation actually found in the four-motor equipments was repairs on two-motor and four-motor cars which have been materiallv less than in the case of two-motor equipments, in service about the same length of time, the results will enough less in the opinion of some experienced managers decidedly favor, at the present time, the four-motor cars, to offset the difference in cost of the two forms of car which, on the average, have not been in use so long. These

equipment. This statement, if borne out by further in- two causes probably furnish a sufficient explanation of the

vestigation, is most important, giving a strong additional facts brought out in the discussion, so far as it related to reason for the employment of the four-motor equipments. depreciation of equipments.

It is, however, very difficult to see why there should be a As regards the matter of power consumed, it would be difference in wear and tear in favor of four motors rather worth while for some company, or better yet, a committee than two, assuming the motors to be of equally good con- of the association, to investigate carefully the cause of the struction. In the one case there are four commutators extra power which seems to be required with the four- and a doubly complicated set of connections, as against two motor equipments, with the purpose of finding out how

commutators and the ordinary controller in the other case. much of this extra power is due to the increased number On form, as our sporting friends would say, there would of driving wheels, and how much may be chargeable to dif- be every reason to expect a greater depreciation with the ferences in efficiency of the motors or in other service con- greater number of motors. It is a subject which would be ditions. As we have already indicated, both of these worth careful investigation at the hands of the Street Rail- causes are probably involved, although we are inclined to

way Association, for it is one of vital importance in the attach by far the greater importance to the former. In November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1069

any event, the extra power required must not be considered assist him in overcoming many of the knotty problems in the light of a general argument against the use of the with which he is now confronted. Informal discussions on four-motor equipments. The manager who employs them pertinent subjects connected with street railway conditions employs them for a specific purpose which he accom- could also be introduced to advantage. This method was plishes, and which frequently he could not accomplish by introduced several years ago by the New York State Street any other means, and the extra power required is merely Railway Association, and was found to be productive of part of the price paid for the useful result. the best results. — But it is not only in the literary work at the convention itself that the association could assist the everyday labors The Future of the American Street Railway Association of the street railway management. Where special informa- tion is required committees could be appointed made up of representatives from the leading companies to carry on We believe that the American Street Railway Association tests through the year, the results of which could be report- has reached a critical period of its existence. No one appre- ed the association at its next annual meeting. this ciates more than the Street Railway Journal the valua- to In way a basis could be arrived at for intelligent action on the ble services which it has rendered in the past to its members care and selection of appurtenances used in the street rail- and to the street railway industry as a whole. This paper way service. Other organizations are conspicuous in this and the American Street Railway Association were started united work for the good, and their activity is at nearly the same time, and have grown together with common the industry which they both represent. The association fruitful of results. Oftentimes these committee reports are the valuable features of the convention. It is not always has, and always will, receive our heartiest and most most loyal support, for we believe in united action and consider necessary that such reports should be laid before the gen- the association the most potent agent in securing those eral public; some of the most necessary work may be upon ends which can only be gained by the co-operation of all topics only suited for executive session. But the vital the members of an industry. The question is whether the thing is united, persistent effort for mutual benefit. The association will rise to the emergency which now confronts American Street Railway Association is probably freer

it. It cannot stand still, and if it is to advance, as it has from commercial rivalry among its members than any sim-

in the past, it must face the situation as it exists to-day. ilar organization, and by so much the more should there There has been no time in the history of the industry when be only free interchange of opinion and experience. Above

more problems which require immediate attention have all, if it has chanced that a certain member has been thrown been presented to the electric railway manager; problems in the way of securing unusual information on some par-

of management, of relations with employees, of construc- ticular point, he should be induced to give it to the asso- tion and of operation, which must be solved. Most of ciation. these demand more attention and more knowledge than There is no lack of suitable topics for study. Two most

can be commanded by any one railway company. If all pertinent ones we have already noted in commenting upon are to participate in the benefits, all should contribute to the question of four-motor z>s. two-motor equipments, the end sought. questions which could with advantage be turned over to We do not wish to appear captious in considering the a committee to investigate. A general discussion of the work of the association. The Kansas City convention was brake question or of the grounded circuit would be of im-

successful, and we do not believe that any person who mense value if the members could be allowed or coerced went to Kansas City returned with any feeling except that into telling their experiences. It might have to be held in he was repaid and more than repaid for the time and ex- executive session for the sake of* peace, but that is one pense of making the trip. The association is performing advantage of such sessions. Free and full discussion is an important service to its members and the street railway the important thing, and the hardest to attain. Once in industry in general. The only question is whether it cannot a while some one gets up and bluntly states the facts, be of more benefit to the immense capital which is invested whether they are palatable to his auditors or not, and a in street railroading in this country, and consequently to single such statement in a discussion is worth half a dozen the many employees and others who are directly and in- smoothed and edited reviews on the same subject. Aside directly connected with the electric railways of this country. from these technical matters, there are even graver mat- Even with the sessions of the association reduced to three ters of concern. Just now street railways, in passing instead of four, or two working days instead of three, as in through their evolution from urban to interurban roads, the past, an ample opportunity is given to treat a large are, in their public relations, between the devil and the deep variety of subjects which interest vitally the railway man- sea! There is an altogether unfortunate tendency, merely agers of to-day. The sessions should commence promptly because a road is doing interurban service to the great at 10 o'clock certainly, and if possible, earlier. Additional convenience of the public, to thrust upon it the responsi- time can be secured by publishing the papers beforehand, bilities and inhibitions that belong to great trunk lines. It and by reading them in the abstract in the case of long is the proper function of interurban roads to afford a de- papers, as suggested elsewhere. In this way three or four gree of cheap and facile rapid transit that has never been

times as many papers could be presented as is now the reached by any other means, and the road is ill requited case, and an ample time could be had for a thorough dis- by hampering its progress. The relations between inter- cussion of them all. These discussions would bring out the urban roads, as well as city roads, and the public, with

practices of other companies besides the one described in means for their betterment, is a subject which is well worth the paper proper, and in this way the sum of the experience the most careful attention of the ablest committee which of the entire body would be presented to the manager to the association could organize. STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

Again, the three-cent-fare craze takes occasional pos- impression they made upon various men prominent in session of the political under world by spells of unhappily what is familiarly called the regular convention. Viewed standpoint, it seem that the ac- increasing frequency. A standing committee to undertake from my distant would countant's convention was specially characterized by a campaign of common sense and education would go far promptness in getting to work on each of the several days, toward averting the need of combating such attacks by by businesslike methods throughout all the sessions, and costly and disquieting litigation. These and many topics, particularly by the lively and interesting discussion which such as wages, hours of labor, and others which readily followed each of the several papers that were presented.

suggest themselves, might properly be made part of the S|S ' sfs s(* 5(» active life of the association. If I may believe the reports that reach me—and certainly no one is interested in anything else than stating the exact truth President Duffy acquitted himself presiding Notes and Comments on the Street Railway Account- — as officer with even more grace and dignity at this convention ants' Convention than on any previous occasion. His reputation in this

BY A. O. KITTREDGE, F. I. A., C. P. A. regard was already very high. The accountants are to be congratulated in having had so able a presiding officer, which a convention There are at least two plans upon one who is so thoroughly in touch with everything that is present in person, listen may be discussed: One is to be to up for discussion, who is sympathetic with the audience, that follows, taking to the papers read and the discussion and who personally knows the rank and file of the members copious notes meanwhile, and then to reduce to writing of the association so well. Mr. Duffy not only retires with one's conception of the affair, pointing out those features high honors, but has set the pace for his successor, who has that are most striking and interesting, and making such been his co-worker in this organization from the very comments as the occasion may seem to warrant. The start. Mr. Ham will no doubt be equal to the occasion, distance, to read other is to observe the convention from a for in a sense he has long been in training. Nor is the in cold type the carefully prepared papers that were sub- association likely to lose the energetic and intelligent work mitted and the discussions which followed, and then to of Mr. Duffy, for as chairman of the executive committee write out one's impressions. Both plans have advantages. he is likely not only to find plenty to do, but also to be In the one case the commentator is liable to be carried able to exercise a potent influence for good upon the along, as it were, by the current of argument, and thus in affairs of the organization. a sense becomes a part of the convention—that is, a par- sK % sfc tisan disqualified for impartial discussion. In the other he I hear many words of praise for Secretary and Treasurer remains entirely dispassionate, and is in an excellent posi- W. B. Brockway, formerly of Toledo, and now of the tion to assume the semi-judicial point of view so desirable New Orleans & Carrollton Railway Company, New to occupy, weighing carefully the arguments pro and con, Orleans. His businesslike methods, his indefatigable in- to the end that he may point out conclusions and clearly dustry, his modest and unobtrusive ways, the thoroughness indicate the trend of events. It is not every convention with which his reports are made up and his exhibits ar- that knows which way it is drifting, to say nothing about ranged, together with numerous other high qualities, en- the course it is trying to steer. dear him to the officers of the association, as well as to the * * * * rank and file of the members. In many respects Mr. At the last moment I found it impossible to attend the Brockway is an ideal secretary. The association is to be convention of the Street Railway Accountants' Associa- congratulated on having found him, in the first place, and, tion, assembled at Kansas City on Oct. 16, although I had in the second place, in being able to retain him in office expected to be present. It was a disappointment to me, year after year. because my attendance upon the previous conventions of ¥ 4* *H the organization, together with more or less special com- The new officers which the association has chosen are mittee work, in which I had the pleasure of co-operating, men who are likely to infuse new life and energy into the has made me many pleasant acquaintances among the various parts of the work. The association will gain by members of the organization whom it would greatly please the change that has been made, not because the old officers me to greet once more. I know that I should have greatly were inefficient—quite the contrary—but because "a new enjoyed all the exercises of the occasion. Notwithstand- broom sweeps clean," and because there is enthusiasm and ing that I was not present, the editor of the Street Rail- inspiration among new leaders. Each of the officers in way Journal tells me that my comments on the proceed- whose hands will be the work of the organization for the ings of the convention are desired, and therefore he urges ensuing year has had a long and special experience or in the light of a careful reading of the papers which training. Each is in a responsible position in the field of me, ^ were submitted and a perusal of a verbatim report of the practical street railway work. Each has clear-cut ideas discussion, to present running comments, very much the of what he would like to see the association accomplish, same as I have done for several years past in the issues and each has a clear conception of the good- that the asso- following the conventions. I am somewhat reluctant to ciation can do in the field in which it is working. The do this, but can scarcely decline so hearty an invitation, Street Railway Accountants' Association, under the man-

and if, as he says, the accountants are at all interested in agement of Messrs. Ham, Harder, Smith, McDole and what I have to say on this matter, I am sure I have no good Brockway, assisted by the executive committee headed reason for withholding my remarks. In addition to read- by Mr. Duffy, is in most excellent shape for a larger and ing the proceedings of the convention, I have had the op- broader and more useful service than it has ever before portunity of conversing with some of those who were achieved. * * * * present, and in the light of all that is before me, I shall attempt to reflect in these long-distance notes some of The keynote of the usefulness of the association was very the impressions made upon my mind by what was done. happily expressed in the brief remarks of Mr. Ham, when * * * * Mr. Duffy called him to the platform, and, in his own The accountants are to be congratulated upon the good language, "turned the chair over to him." Modesty is November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

Mr. Ham's besetting fault, and therefore he was not ex- not the word to express the idea. It is as though the pected to say as much as he might. However, what he said boundary line were represented by an elastic cord. Those was right to the point. I quote: "If I have done any- who happily jump over the cord, thus passing from the thing for the association, it has done tenfold more for me. realm of bookkeeping and routine detail into the realm of I believe that any man who comes to the convention of our accounting principles, find themselves in a new world, association is greatly benefited, and that his company is while others, who, instead of jumping over the cord, push also benefited. It is by coming in contact with other men against it, apparently make progress into what would in the same line of work that we are enabled to free our- seem to be the new territory, but which is obscured to them selves from the dust and cobwebs which accumulate in our because they have insensibly carried along with them the brains." The "tenfold more" that the association has done fog of their old location. Such persons, further, are all the for Mr. Ham means, I take it, the advantages which it has time restrained by the cord, elastic though it be, against afforded him in the way of coming in contact with his fel- which they are pressing. They are never released from its lows and benefiting from the attrition of minds. Mr. Ham confinement until they are able to leap over it, until they on this occasion very clearly expressed his conception of experience a new life. If the distinction between book- the future of the association. It is that the work of the keeping and accounting is so hard to perceive by those organization from year to year will come to be more special who are in active work, it evidently must be harder to de- and that the members will come into closer and closer scribe in an article of this kind. Therefore, I shall not touch with the operating department, thereby being made attempt it. I merely point out that the association in this more valuable to street railway work, and that in time the regard apparently still stands just where it did one, two "position of the accounting officer will become more digni- and three years ago. fied and more honorable than at present." This is an object well worth working for. I notice particularly that One more thought, however, in passing, and that is that Mr. Ham puts first in order the use that the members perhaps the time will come when some one out of the may be to the industry with which they are associated, ranks of the organization will rise up with a paper on the and last, the advancement which is to come to the indi- theory of street railway accounts, that shall be so clear that vidual worker. his hearers will at once see the new light. Perhaps he will ?P ¥ H* *(* see his way clear to a discussion of principles entirely The only criticism that I can justly offer at this time con- divorced from blanks and forms, cash books, ledgers, state- cerning the work of the association is virtually one that ments and reports, and be able to lead his hearers into a has been repeated in these columns on several occasions in consideration of street railway accounting in the abstract, the past. The organization is styled an accountants' asso- thus indicating what it is the object to produce by means of ciation. Its object ostensibly is a standard system of ac- the details attendant upon daily work, but leaving out of counts. The methods discussed and the real work so far consideration for the moment all methods whatsoever. If done, however, are in the realm of bookkeeping, lather the officers and members of the Street Railway Account- than in that of accounting. No one can quarrel with the ants' Association were able to agree upon such a theory members of this association for styling themselves ac- and were to succeed in getting it properly charted, they countants rather than bookkeepers, for they are in fact the would find their differences disappearing one by one, and accounting officers of the companies that they represent. each particular idea that is advanced taking its proper Under them, as their employees, for whom they are re- place. In saying this I do not mean to intimate that there sponsible and whom they are directing, are bookkeepers are essential differences between the members at the pres- and cashiers, voucher clerks, ledger clerks, and so on to ent time, but that in the presentation of ideas and sugges- the end of all the classes of help that their offices require. tions there is no scheme of classification in vogue in the They are accountants, and are entitled to the name. But organization that serves to show where they belong. I the time of the association so far has been largely devoted wish for the good of the association there were more dif- to a discussion of mere account classification, or, to be ferences of opinion than there are at present. The fact that more particular, to expense account classification, and not there are so few differences and that the majority of the to real accounting. They have given attention to book- members are apparently satisfied with things as they are keeping details rather than to real accounting. There has is opposed to the best interests of the association rather been lacking in the work of the association a definition of than an indication of work completed. accounting principles applied to street railway work which To sum it up, the agreement upon a theory properly would serve as the logical foundation for the expense charted as above suggested, would help wonderfully in classification that has been adopted. The absence of a discussing such questions as units of comparisons, depart- declaration of the accounting principles to which the mem- mental accounts, materials and supply accounts, etc. There bers could subscribe—in other words, the absence of a is a variety to the discussion at present, because each man formulated accounting creed, if I may use the term—has proceeds with his work from his own particular point of been the reason for various misunderstandings that have view, without anyregard to limits andwithout any definition occurred, and is the cause of a certain amount of bewilder- of fundamentals. By the new plan each man would be ment at present. With a skeleton exhibit of the account- confronted by what may be likened to a pigeon-hole ing system of a street railway, worked out and adopted, system, with the suggestion that at the outset he indicate being something to which, as before stated, all could sub- in what divisions it properly belongs. This preliminary scribe, there would be very little opportunity for the dif- agreed upon, the discussion could proceed to advantage. ferences in opinion which now exist concerning certain Some one should have taken the idea from Mr. Beggs' points. It would be the ready key to the solution of paper entitled "What Does the General Manager Want to various problems which the association has yet to meet. Know from the Accounting Department ?" and have risen * * * * to the occasion at once. What the general manager wants The line that divides bookkeeping from accounting, or to know, as Mr. Beggs pointed out, is easily reduced to a that distinguishes the interpretation of details from the formula. It is something constantly recurring, and it is principles upon which those details are based, is so subtle something for which there must be a scientific reason in that many persons fail to perceive it. Perhaps subtle is every detail. A theory of street railway accounts, properly —

1072 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44. declared and defined and expressed in a chart, would be the much as a ledger account, being that into which items will best exemplification of an answer to Mr. Beggs' question. be posted in natural course from properly designed posting * # * * mediums. I have very little sympathy with the statement The exhibit of blanks and forms, which has been a lead- form that requires the abandonment of all the regular ing feature of the association's annual convention for sev- bookkeeping work of the office and a digging after facts eral years past, received more attention, I am told, this time along original lines of investigation for the purpose of than on any other occasion. As time goes by, the collec- finding it out. Yet there are many such forms in use. tion becomes more and more complete, and in the sense To the student of accounting systems—using the term of a mere display is of greater interest each succeeding "system" now in the sense of a complete working plan year. I am told that the blanks contributed by the Glas- the library of blanks accumulated by the accountants' asso- gow Tramways, an enterprise, by the way, that is owned ciation is of great value. To the so-called "practical," but by the municipality, excited special interest. Various incomplete man, who, without scientific basis for his members, I am informed, claim to have got new and val- selection, is disposed to pick up various fragments and uable ideas from their study of the blanks on this occa- attempt to put them into practice in his own office, the col- sion. No doubt every one who examined the blanks, if lection may prove a veritable stumbling-block. It all de- questioned, would admit more or less advantage in this pends upon the use that is made of it. respect. I have always regarded the effort of the asso- * * * * however, as of very limited utility, ciation in this particular, The recommendation of President Duffy that a com- that a blank, to be of any real value, for it seems to me mittee should be appointed, charged with the work of pre- defined part of a complete system. In must be a clearly paring model blanks and forms general in their adaptability well as in almost every other line of street railway work, as to use, with such explanations and instructions as may be investigated, I find in use many business that I have ever necessary and desirable, shows that he, for one, appreciates of systems and the blanks in general curious fragments what may be derived from the collection of blanks now in of a comprehensive system. characterized by the absence the possession of the association that will be of advantage us back to the fundamental need in all the work This brings to all the members. It also indicates that he is aware of namely, a skeleton of an that the association is doing— the danger that comes from the indiscriminate use of bright which the blanks shown would be accounting system of and attractive looking fragments. And yet, without know- merely the working parts. ing more of the idea that was in Mr. Duffy's mind than * * * * can be derived from the report that is before me of his of a blank in street railway work, as well as The genesis annual address, it would seem that he has not gone to the business, is something of interest. in any other branch of root of the matter. As above said, before the blank can be at some time or other, for some particular Some person intelligently devised, whether it is to be general in its ap- special item of information. There- reason, wants some plication or specific, there must be present the skeleton or personally or at the hands of an assistant, he upon, either outline of the accounting system of which it is to be a part. secure the information produces a form that is calculated to The standard accounting system—using the term "ac- of that form to the whole ac- desired. The relationship counting" now in the sense of defined theory and applica- blanks which are already in counting system, or to other tion of principles, rather than in the sense of classification of than the immediate use, is, as a rule, far less thought of accounts and applied bookkeeping, and the word "sys- information it is to satisfy. Accordingly, very often want tem" in the sense of something complete—is the one thing perhaps changed in form of pre- is duplicated, although that as yet the association has not seriously inquired into. in filling out the report is sentation. The work required The proceedings of each annual convention, however, but in many cases quadrupled, simply not only duplicated, show that gradually this subject is being approached, and conflicting forms of blanks in use and the by reason of the there is reason for hoping that before long it will not only the work of filling them out. conflicting requirements in be reached, but taken in hand and ultimately settled to the a house rooms for the accommo- It is like adding on to satisfaction of both the managers standing for the capital ideas, the work proceeding dation of people of peculiar invested and the accountants responsible for the detail architect, but under the man- not under the charge of an work of their departments. of the persons who are to occupy them, and who, agement * * * * build- as a fact, are inexperienced in both designing and of To the ordinary layman, who for the first time inquires ing. It would be a very peculiar looking house and into the affairs of the Street Railway Accountants' Asso- doubtful sanitary qualities. * * * ciation, it must be a matter of astonishment that the mem- bership at the end of four years is less than one hundred. It is plain to see, therefore, that blanks and forms, to be When the number of street railways in operation through- of the greatest possible use, must be devised as working out the United States, Canada and other parts of the parts of a carefully designed system, each particular blank world is considered, and it is right that we should take in being considered with reference to all the others, to the other parts of the world, in view of the foreign membership end, first, that the information sought to be conveyed which the association already has, one would imagine that shall be presented in the best and simplest form, and sec- this organization would be very much stronger numerically ond, that for no reason whatsoever shall clerical work be than it is at present. Looked at from another point of duplicated. There are very few forms and blanks in use, view, the membership is perhaps quite as large as could be save only those which have been designed upon the expected, for in street railways, as in other industries, there principle above laid down, that do not embody features are many persons engaged who have neither the capacity which make them expensive in preparation and cumber- nor the ambition, the leisure time nor the inclination to some in use. The ideal blank is simple in form, and is so co-operate in a movement calculated to advance the in- related to the general system as to receive the special in- the dustry. It is only the leading, the more progressive and formation it is to present to the management without the really aggressive men in any branch of business that requirement of extra labor in searching for the information. particularly get together for the good of that business broadly. I like to regard the blank—using the term now very Continued.) in the sense of a blank for a statement of results— (To be :

November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

CONVENTION PAPERS AND REPORTS

mands of the public without involving Consolidation of Street Railways and Its Effect Upon the company in irretriev- able financial ruin. the Public In most instances the consolidation of street railway properties creates opportunities for marked reduction in the cost of gener- BY DANIEL B. HOLMES ating motive power. Location is a most important consideration as regards the power station. Unless the power station is so situ- It is no part of the purpose of this paper to enter into an ex- ated that both fuel and water can be delivered to it at minimum tended discussion of street railway consolidations from a legal cost, the highest degree of economy in developing motive power point of view. It is assumed that no considerable number of those is altogether impossible. This is greatly facilitated by the union present would be particularly interested in that branch of the sub- of properties, since the car lines are so situated in most cities that ject. Suffice it to say that the laws of nearly, if not quite, all of but few of them, if independent, could operate from power sta- the States of the Union are in such condition that practical street tions located near steam railroad switches and water courses. A railway consolidation may be brought about and made effective by greater or less number of high-priced employees are always neces- union of companies as a technical consolidation, or by purchase sary around every power station, whether large or small, and this and sale of the corporate property or capital stock or by common is an expense which is greatly curtailed by generating as much ownership of the corporate shares of several companies, or in power as is practicable to handle from one station. A company other ways which might be mentioned. Whenever consolidation possessed of an extensive system with large mileage has thus pre- is desired by the parties in interest, it may be safely assumed that sented to it the opportunity of producing power at the minimum counsel learned in the law will find little or no difficulty in point- cost, a thing altogether impossible on a short-line railway. ing out the way in which that end may be legally accomplished. But perhaps the most important result from consolidating street Street railway companies may be properly classified as public railway lines is the great stimulus it affords to street railway traffic. service corporations, and whenever a union takes place of several Outside of a few of the very large cities, where the problem is not such companies, it at once becomes obvious that the interests of how to get business, but how to successfully handle that business, the capital invested and of the traveling public may, and probably which, of necessity, must come to the car lines, the street railway will, be positively affected thereby. Therefore, these two interests companies are quite generally engaged in efforts of all kinds to will form the chief basis of what I have thought proper to lay be- create travel on the lines artificially by offering to the public at- fore this convention of practical street railway men, whose calling tractions of various and sundry kinds. This is all well enough, but is such that they never feel at liberty to disregard either the best one of the most effective means to this end is the consolidation of interests of their stockholders or the welfare of the dear public, the street car lines. I believe it is the uniform experience that the whose constant servants they are. And I may be permitted to ask, aggregate travel on the united lines exceeds by a large percentage in the light of an experience and intimate association with street the business formerly done by the separate properties. This is railway managers extending over a period of upward of twenty partially accounted for by the fact that short distances are now rid- years, that no class of men with whom I have come in contact in den which were formerly walked, because two fares were then the active practice of a profession which brings about the most necessary in order to ride, and this was considered too great an intimate relations with all sorts of men, are so constantly mindful outlay for the accommodation afforded. of the best interests of the public they serve by night and by day But how stands the case with the public? I am altogether sure as the street railway men. I am the more pleased to make this it is no different. Indeed, the immediate benefit to those who acknowledgment because the street railway man has so many im- ride upon the cars far exceeds the increased returns to the con- patient masters among the traveling public that he is much more solidated company. Where, before the union, two and even three often the subject of unjust criticism than of the well deserved fares in some instances had to be paid in order to convey the encomiums he would surely receive if the difficulties of his situa- passenger to his destination, he may now take the same journey tion and his conscientious efforts to faithfully discharge his com- for a single fare by means of transfers and through cars, which pany's duty to the public were even half-way understood. Above was previously impossible. Taking Kansas City as an example all men it is his lot to bear the "whips and scorns of time," and if 50 per cent of all the passengers who ride on the cars make at he will but pin his faith to the teachings of the Good Book, he least one transfer in every journey, so that it may be truly said may expect to receive hereafter that reward which in but few cases, that 60,000 passengers save 5 cents each, and every day in the year I am sorry to say, comes in this life in the shape of an adequate in Kansas City alone, and this saving is due solely and directly to salary for so hard and thankless a job. the consolidation which took place only a few years ago. And who That the consolidation of street railway interests affords oppor- are the people thus benefited? It is chiefly the laboring classes tunities for the introduction of many various economics is a truth who can least afford to spend their hard-earned gains unnecessa- which is almost axiomatic, and this may be fairly said to have been rily. The sons of toil who were formerly compelled to shelter their the controlling consideration which has inspired and accomplished wives and rear their children in the polluted air and noise and the many consolidations which have taken place in various parts of smoke because unable to pay more than a single fare in going to the country. By this process the managerial force is greatly re- and from their avocations, can, and do now, dwell in the neat little duced and the salary list largely diminished. Where three or four cottage in the suburbs, where loved ones breathe the pure air of presidents, managers or superintendents were required for the suc- heaven and bask in the sunshine of life all the day long, and when cessful management of the separate properties, but one officer of eventide comes, smiles and mirth and joy are the companions who each kind is needed in their united state, and while he receives have taken the place of sickness, suffering and grief. Who can more salary than any one of his predecessors, as of right he ought, estimate the value of blessings like these? If the public welfare is because of enlarged duties and more weighty responsibilities, still the first and highest duty of the State, who can gainsay the im- there is substantial saving over what was previously paid. mense value to the public of street railway consolidations, and But there is, in this connection, a still more important considera- who can say that the State ought to throw any obstacles in their tion. As is the case with any other calling in life, the supply of way? really first-class street railway managers is more or less limited, But it is said that competition is the life of trade, and that and the larger salary offered by the consolidated interests naturally monopolies are odious. Accepting these as general truths, let us commands, and in all probability secures, a higher order of talent see how it is with the street railways. Except to a very limited than the separate properties could retain even where it had been and unimportant degree, there is no such thing as competition in fortunately possessed. In this way, the consolidated properties in street railways, and their consolidation is entirely devoid of any nearly every instance are managed with greater ability than was objectionable feature of a . In the very nature of things shown by the management of the disconnected parts, and this is a street railways are seldom competitors in business. They were positive gain, the value and importance of which can scarcely be never known to compete in rates, and can only be laid on such estimated. This successful manager, you may be sure, is truly a public highways as the authorities may determine. The necessity remarkable man. The relations existing between street car com- for keeping some streets open for ordinary vehicle traffic keeps the panies on the one hand, and the municipality or its citizens on the street railways sufficiently far apart, as a rule, as to eliminate any other, are the fruitful source of jealousies and complications con- matter of choice on the part of the intending passenger. Each line stantly arising which can be successfully disposed of by nothing supplies and accommodates its own peculiar territory, and there short of the possession of genius for diplomacy, and for affairs and is no real choice, and hence no real competition. As to rates, these finance all at the same time, in order to be able to satisfy the de- are universally fixed by the franchise ordinances. They are the io74 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

same on all roads, so that the intending passenger is moved in his generated and the capacity of the generating apparatus with refer- choice solely by consideration of convenience to himself. In short, ence to the average output required. Under ordinary operative he simply takes the line that carries him to his destination with the conditions, with the same power factor, that is, the same ratio of least inconvenience. Monopolies are only odious when of a char- output to capacity, the cost of power per kw-hour from stations of acter that they do or have the power to fix their own price for what less than 500-kw capacity increases very rapidly as the station de- they alone can sell. Not so with the consolidated street railway. creases in size. With from 500-kw to 1500-kw capacity, the cost of So far from having the power to increase the cost of travel, con- power per kw-hour decreases slowly as the size of the station in- solidation always results in a practical reduction of cost by giving creases. From 1500-kw to 2500-kw capacity the cost per kw-hour to the passenger the right to ride for the same single fare the in- decreases very little as the output increases, and above 2500-kw creased distance brought about by the consolidation. No thought- station capacity the cost of power per kw-hour becomes nearly ful man would condemn a street railway consolidation, because it uniform. This is due to the fact that in small plants the labor item neither stifles competition nor increases cost of travel, nor creates is disproportionately large, and the general efficiency less than in a monopoly, as that term is generally understood. larger ones, while in plants of 1500-kw output and larger the cost There can be no doubt that consolidations of this character are of labor remains proportionately nearly the same as the plant in- greatly beneficial, both to invested capital and to the public at creases in size. It follows from this that there is often very little large. And, happily, this is so, because the public is never so likely or nothing to be gained from an economical standpoint by substi- to have its wants provided for as when it is to the interest of capital tuting one station of 5000-kw capacity for two of 2500-kw capacity to do so. There is no tie so strong as common and mutual interest. each, provided the local conditions, as regards cost of coal, water, This is a principle which would render many conflicts and con- etc., are the same. troversies impossible, if kept always in mind and strictly adhered The system of distribution most suitable to a particular road de- to in all dealings between public service corporations and the pends to a great extent on the location of the power station or sta- municipality in which they dwell. I commend it to the thoughtful tions and the nature of the load. It is always expensive to trans- consideration of all who are assembled in this convention as the mit power, the expense being either in interest on copper invest- firm foundation on which aggregations of capital may safely rest, ment or in fuel or both; and, therefore, other things being equal, the Gibraltar of justice and right, garrisoned by an always sound the location of the power station or stations should be as near the and healthy public sentiment, against which the assaults of preju- load center of distribution as possible. The location of the station

dice, passion and demagogy would be hurled in vain. is, however, usually governed to a considerable extent by local conditions as regards cost of fuel, water and real estate. On a large system, requiring an average output of 12,000 kw, Comparisons of the Various Systems of Electrical Dis- even though the load be distributed within a 5-mile radius of a tribution for Street Railways practical station location, it will usually be found economical to generate this power at several smaller stations rather than at one BY C. F. BANCROFT large station, provided the conditions as regard cost of fuel, water and real estate are about the same, as the cost of power station In preparing a paper on "Comparisons of the Various Systems buildings and machinery per kilowatt of capacity and the cost of of Electrical Distribution for Street Railways," I find that the generating power per kw-hour, with a station of 5000-kw capacity, conditions to be met in the numerous localities where the various is about the same as at a station of 10,000-kw capacity. The in- systems are in use are so widely different, and each system so gen- terest on the saving in cost of feed wire by having several sta- erally satisfactory under certain conditions, and so completely tions, each located near its load, would more than offset the slight unsatisfactory for meeting other conditions, that comparisons are saving in cost per kw-hour due to the generation of power at one

altogether impossible, except in a very general way. large station, and it also has the advantage that in case of fire or There are six systems of electrical distribution for street railways accident to one station the other can usually be so interconnected at present in more or less general use. as to temporarily carry the entire load, and thereby avoid much First, what may be called the standard 500-volt continuous cur- of the stoppage of traffic which would occur if the road was sup- rent system, where the current is generated at from 500 volts to 600 plied entirely from one station. volts and delivered direct to the car motors, usually by means of a For an example of what was called the first or standard 500-volt feed wire and trolley, third rail or underground conduit. continuous-current system of distribution, a city may be cited in Second, what may be called the alternating, direct-current sys- which the street railway lines radiate west from the center of the tem, where the power is generated as , usually city like the spokes of a half-wheel, with a radius of about 5 miles. at high voltages of from 5000 volts to 15,000 volts, and transmitted Instead of having one large station at the hub of the wheel, the to sub-stations, where the voltage is usually reduced by means of road is supplied with power from seven stations, distributed static transformers, transformed into direct current by rotary con- throughout the system, having an aggregate capacity of over 26,- verters, and delivered to the lines at about 500 volts continuous 000 kw. current. The generating and distributing system in use in one of our Third, the "booster" system, where the current is generated usu- most densely populated cities may be taken as an example of the ally at about 550 volts, and where, by means of an auxiliary gener- way in which the system of distribution adopted is governed by ator, usually series-wound, called a "booster," additional voltage conditions outside of those indicated for the most economical is generated and compensates for that lost on the line. generation and distribution of power to the car motors. Although Fourth, the so-called three-wire system, where the current is this system is compact and will probably require an average station generated at about 1000 volts, usually by means of two 500-volt output of over 30,000 kw, which it would seem to the outside en- generators connected in series, and is delivered to two motors or gineer could be more economically distributed and almost as two groups of motors in series. economically generated at several stations, the street railway com- Fifth, the alternating-current system, where the power is gener- pany is installing a high-tension alternating, direct-current system ated as alternating current, usually at high voltage, and trans- of distribution with a main station of 45,000-kw ultimate capacity, formed down to about 500 volts at the trolley wires by means of and five rotary converter sub-stations of from 3000-kw to 6000-kw static transformers which may be located on the poles supporting capacity each. It is probable in this case that the location of the the feed wire and trolleys, the cars being equipped with alternating- power station and the system of distribution was governed almost current motors. entirely by the great cost of real estate at points suitable for sep- Sixth, the storage battery system, where the batteries are carried arate power stations. on the car and charged at the power house or at special points on It frequently happens that several miles distant from a street rail- the line. Storage batteries can also be used to advantage in con- way system much cheaper power is obtainable than at or near the nection with any of the above systems under certain conditions, center of the system. This may be due to an available water and, in fact, combinations can be made of any or all of the above power, or to a difference in the cost of fuel, etc., at two points. In systems. cases of this kind the second, or what may be called the alternating, For any given conditions as to speed, traffic and length of line, direct-current system, is usually the most applicable. To transmit some one of the above systems is likely to be much better fitted and power at 500 volts in any quantity from a distance of 16 miles, or more efficient than any of the others; therefore, it seems to me that even less, is very expensive, owing to the large amount of copper a comparison of the various systems can best be made by consider- required and the great loss. For instance, to deliver 500 amps, at ing the particular conditions most favorable to each. In the distri- 10 miles distance will require about 150 tons of copper, allowing a bution of power for street railways the result to be aimed at is loss of about 30 per cent in the line. This same amount of power usually the maintenance, at variable loads, of an approximately could be transmitted at 5000 volts by an alternating, direct-current constant pressure of 500 volts on the trolley wire at a minimum system with about 5 tons of copper and with a loss of less than 10 total cost for power. per cent in the line. The cost of generating electric power under the same conditions, The weight of copper required to transmit power a given dis- as regards fuel, depends to a great extent on the amount of power tance, other things being equal, is inversely as the square of the November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

voltage, that is to say, if it takes 100 lbs. of copper to transmit a third wire, and tends to equalize the voltage should there be more certain amount of power a given distance at 500 volts, it will only cars on one side of the system than on the other. This method of take 25 lbs. of copper to transmit the same amount of power the distribution is usually capable of saving from 20 per cent to 40 per same distance with the same loss at 1000 volts. It is owing to this cent in copper, according to the character of the track return. If fact that the alternating, direct-current system is so applicable well balanced, it also greatly reduces the electrolytic action on where the power has to be transmitted for any considerable dis- buried conductors, such as water pipes, etc., and is most applicable tance, as it allows of the use of very high voltages on the line, 10,- where there are excessive track losses with fair opportunities for a 000 volts or more being in general use, which, by means of trans- balanced load. formers and rotary converters, can be reduced to 500 volts direct There are few roads in this country using the three-wire system current for the trolley wire at points where the power is required. of distribution, although it is used almost universally by lighting For an example of this system of distribution, a street railway sys- companies. This is probably due to the complications introduced tem may be cited which derives its power from a waterfall. Here in railway systems by the high voltage, usually about 1000 volts, the power is generated at a pressure of 2200 volts, and is stepped between the trolley wire and feeders on different sides of the sys- up to 11,000 volts for the line. About 6000 hp is transmitted at this tem and the difficulty of balancing the load. The saving in copper, voltage for a distance of about 21 miles. The voltage is then re- while not as great as in the three-wire lighting system, is still duced to 500 volts, direct current, by means of static transformers enough to warrant the extra complication, and under favorable and rotary converters at five sub-stations, located at or near the conditions may prove very valuable. points where the power is required. I am only familiar with one example of this system of distribu- The third system mentioned, the "booster" system, is chiefly tion. In this case there is very heavy traffic over a double-track applicable on lines where there is a light average load, but where, line to a park, about 6 miles from the power station. It was found for short periods, an extra heavy load has to be taken care of. It impossible to handle the increased traffic on the ordinary 500-volt would seldom be economical to supply an entire road with power system with the existing feed wire. By reinsulating the line and by means of a booster system, as the greater part of the power operating it on the three-wire system, the efficiency of the dis- generated by the booster represents wasted energy, which is usu- tributing system was very much improved, and they were enabled ally generated in an extravagant way, as the power required to to easily handle the increased traffic with the existing feed wire. drive the booster varies as the square of the current in the feeder, The fifth system mentioned, or the alternating-current system, is that is to say, if it requires 50 hp to drive the booster with a load practically untried in this country. It seems peculiarly adapted to of 100 amps., it will require 200 hp to drive it if the load is increased lines having long runs at uniform speed with few stops, such as to 200 amps. Line losses which necessitate the continuous waste lines connecting cities, rather than for ordinary street railway serv- of more energy than could be compensated for by an ordinary ice. The alternating-current motors at present in general use are compound-wound railway generator are seldom economical, even of the polyphase type, and require at least three working con- on a portion of a system, but there are many cases where there is ductors, which is a serious objection in many cases for railway sufficient copper installed to take care of the average load economi- work, as it necessitates the use of two trolley wires in addition to cally, but where for a short time each day, or for a few weeks in the track as conductors. The disadvantages of this system appear the year, owing to local conditions, the traffic is unusually heavy. to be the necessity for at least two trolley wires and the probable In cases like the above, where the heavy traffic is of short dura- difficulty in building alternating-current motors suitable for rail- tion, a well designed booster system may save a large investment way work which will have a good power factor. in copper at a total cost of much less than would be required to The main advantage of the alternating-current system is the pay the interest on the copper investment. For an example of this possibility of feeding lines with stationary transformers which need method of distribution I might cite a street railway company no supervision, but which can be considered simply as a part of the which supplies power to its own lines by means of a standard 500- feeder, thereby multiplying many times the length of line which volt direct-current system, and which also supplies power to a can economically be supplied with power from one station. The smaller road about 13 miles distant by means of a three-phase alternating-current motor also has the advantage of running at alternating-current system, using 5500 volts on the line. Here fairly constant speed independent of the load. It will not race go- the booster system is used in connection with the high-tension sys- ing down hill if the power is left on, but will return power to the tem. When it became necessary to repair the high-tension line, it line, nor will it slow down much in going up hill. There are four was found expensive and inconvenient to do the work between the or five railway companies abroad using this system, and judging hours of 12 midnight and 4 a. m., the only time when the power from the reports that appear from time to time in the railway was off, and as it was not considered safe to work on the line when journals it is giving very satisfactory results. it was in operation, a booster system was arranged to supply power The sixth system referred to, or storage battery system, is de- to the distant road for short periods at times of light load. A 200- cidedly more expensive than the usual methods of electrical dis- kw booster was installed at the generating station and was de- tribution, owing to the great first cost and the short life of the signed to raise the voltage 1 volt per amp. of current. Switches batteries. Lead is at present the only metal capable of resisting were installed at the sub-stations so that the high-tension line the attacks of sulphuric acid, and modern batteries consist largely could be connected directly with the 500-volt feeders, some 8 miles of lead, which is very undesirable from a mechanical point of view from generating station, and the booster was arranged so that it and is very heavy, so that unless the present type of storage bat- could be readily connected to the high-tension feeders. tery is substantially improved, this system is only likely to be used When it was necessary to replace broken insulators or make where other systems are not practicable owing to peculiar local other repairs on the line the attendants were notified at the gener- conditions or restrictions. The storage battery, however, has a ating station and at the sub-stations, and at a prearranged signal, large field in connection with the other systems of electrical dis- made by varying the voltage on the line, the alternators were tribution for street railways, and under favorable conditions may thrown out and the booster thrown on in such a way that the considerably increase the station capacity and reduce the fuel con- power was only off from the trolley wire for a fraction of a min- sumption; and when used on the line may greatly improve the ute. It was thus found quite practicable to make repairs on the regulation and increase the copper efficiency. line while the booster was in operation, and the system proved From this brief outline of the various systems it will be seen very satisfactory for supplying power at times of light load, while that each has its peculiar advantages and that no one is suitable repairs were being made; the load on the booster frequently run- under all conditions. It will generally be found that where the ning as high as 500 amps., at which time the voltage generated by traffic is heavy and the distance short, the standard 500-volt sys- the booster was about 500, which in addition to the 575 volts of the tem is most applicable. For suburban work, where the distances direct-current system gave 1075 volts at the generating end of the are greater and the traffic less congested, or where it is necessary line; the voltage at the sub-station averaging about 450. While it to transmit the power for some distance, the polyphase alternating would have been very expensive to run this booster for any great direct-current system will usually be found more economical. In length of time, for the short time it was used the total cost was special cases, where, for short periods of time, an unusually large much less than the interest on the copper investment required to amount of power is required, the "booster" system will often prove build a duplicate line. very valuable, while for high-speed, long distance, interurban work The fourth system mentioned, or three-wire system, is most ap- the three-phase alternating-current system may be attractive. The plicable to double-track lines, where one trolley is made positive cars on this system, however, would have the great disadvantage and the other negative, there being about 1000 volts potential dif- of not being able to run over the ordinary direct-current street ference between the two, the current flowing from the positive railway lines. trolley wire through the car motors to the rail and from the rail There can be no general rule given that will determine the most through the car motors and the other track to the negative trolley. advantageous system of distribution to use under the varying con- The track is usually cross-bonded and also connected to the con- ditions to be met in street railway work. Each case must be con- ductor or connecting the two generators, which are operated in sidered as a separate problem and that method selected which will series in the station. This connection with the track forms the best meet the peculiar conditions involved. 1076 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

Painting, Repainting and Maintenance of Street Car No. o sandpaper and apply the third coat of varnish. We use no shellac on our soft- or hardwood finish. We object absolutely to Bodies the use of shellac in connection with car finish. We prefer to have the first coat of varnish applied on the wood next to the hardwood BY F. T. C. BRYDGES filler or applied on the soft wood. The backs of the panels are finished with two or three coats of good standard paint, applied on In giving my views as to the proper manner in which to paint, the canvas and other unfinished woodwork. repaint and maintain street car bodies, I thoroughly realize that it Roofs. All roofs are painted with three coats of standard paint, is a subject of the greatest interest to street railway men; and as — or a good brand of white lead, tinted as desired. it is a part of my daily duty to supervise this class of work, the Floors. All floors are painted with two coats of standard floor subject is of the greatest interest to me, and I will endeavor to — paint or Prince's mineral paint. give my views on the three topics separately. Trucks. All trucks are painted with one coat of Prince's mineral Our object in painting a street car is two-fold: Maintenance — paint and one coat of standard truck color, striped to some extent and durability of structure, and appearance. It is needless for me if desired on trail cars. to go into the question of the increased life and dui ability of a Time Required for Painting Cars. following the methods de- street car, when properly painted, repainted or revarnished as —By scribed, cars, open or closed, can be painted and finished ready for often as necessity may require to keep it up and maintain it in service within eight days. good condition, as it is an admitted fact that painting, repainting REPAINTING or revarnishing, as necessity may require, adds to the life and dur- ability of street cars. Our system for repainting cars, so far as the painted surface is Our methods of painting new cars are simple, and, we think, concerned, is about the same as described above. When their condition requires that the old paint be removed from the wood, very efficient. We apply our first, or priming coat, on all wood- off all old paint. then scrape the work to be painted, then putty all nail holes and other imperfec- we do so by burning the We tions, and then sandpaper the priming coat. In place of applying surface smooth to receive the priming coat, and then proceed in glaze coat, color, orna- four or five coats of rough stuff to produce a surface, we apply one the same manner as described above with lettering. finish with the number of coat of glaze, or scrape-in coat, as I am of the opinion that the mentation and We then same If, the old least number of coats of paint applied to produce a surface for coats of varnish as in the case of new work. however, the surface has sufficient life painting the better. There is not so much danger then of the fin- paint is not cracked too much, and entire thoroughly ished surface cracking and checking as when four or five coats of to receive new paint, we clean up the car by Japan or quick drying material are used to produce a surface with washing, then sandpaper the surface smooth and apply two coats coat of varnish color, on which apply our rough stuff, which, as a rule, is dry, brittle and non-elastic, and of body color and a we then finish with one coat of owing to the thickness of the four or five coats, is almost sure to lettering and ornamentation. We finishing varnish. revarnish the in- check more or less within a short time after the work is finished. rubbing and one coat of We terior with coat of finishing varnish, except the seats and After the glaze, or scrape-in coat, is thoroughly dry, the same is one cars, which we revarnish with one sandpapered down close. The iron sill plates, in the case of open other hardwood surfaces of open cars, are scraped in with the same quality of material, and then coat of varnish, one-half rubbing and one-half finishing. Two condition of the sandpapered in the same manner as the woodwork surface, the coats may be applied in the same manner if the iron plates and all other iron work being thoroughly painted with car requires it. MAINTENANCE OF CAR BODIES best quality of Prince's mineral, mixed with raw oil, turpentine and Japan, as the first coat, to prevent rusting of iron. After the glaze Under this head I am of the opinion that the best manner to coat has been thoroughly sandpapered to a smooth surface, we maintain the life of street car bodies is: apply the first coat of body color, consisting of 10 lbs. of bleached First.—At the car station from which the cars are run, have white lead, 5 lbs. of Japan body color, and one pint of raw oil. them properly and thoroughly washed every day with cold water We then apply the second coat of pure Japan body color and one and a good quality of pure non-alkali soap, prepared ready for use coat of color varnish, sandpapering slightly with one-half or No. in liquid form at the paint shop of the company, or elsewhere. o sandpaper each coat of color before applying the next coat of In all cases the use of warm water should be avoided, as if the color. Dashes and all iron work are painted with Prince's mineral, water is too warm it will damage the life and appearance of the as above described, as the first coat, to prevent rust, and are then varnish. After the car has been thoroughly washed, all the brought up in the same manner as the woodwork, except the varnished surfaces should be thoroughly rubbed dry to prevent glaze or scrape-in coat, which is omitted on all iron work. This water remaining on the varnished surfaces, and thereby causing exception, however, does not apply to sill plates or any part that damage thereto and shortening the life of the varnish. is to be finished in connection with the body or wood work. After Second.—I am of the opinion that all street cars, closed or open, an application of a coat of varnish color, which is the last coat of should pass through the car shops once each year for general re- color, the ornamentation and lettering are put on. We believe our pairs. At this time they should be thoroughly cleaned, touched up style of ornamentation and lettering simple, and yet very neat in and revarnished with one coat of varnish, interior and exterior, design. It consists of a fine line, a broad line and a small corner or with two coats of varnish if their condition requires it, and the ornament worked into the fine line, making the ornamentation roof should be painted with two good coats of white lead or not expensive, but very neat in appearance. We are of the opinion standard roof paint. Floors, platforms and all canvas and un- that expensive and elaborate ornamentation on street cars is need- finished interior woodwork should also be painted with two coats less, a waste of money, and does not appear as well on the cars of paint, and the trucks and all iron work should be repainted with as a less expensive design. The great objection to expensive de- at least one coat of good standard paint.

signs for ornamentation is not only their original cost, but it is more difficult to touch them up when damaged in service by some careless teamster who has punched a hole in the panel with the pole Cost of Car Painting on the Camden & Suburban of his wagon, or scratched the entire length of the body and thereby Railway Company, Camden, N. J. damaged the side of the car. This class of car damage is a very frequent occurrence in large, crowded cities, and is much increased Schedule submitted by W. H. Harrington, of Camden, in the by careless teamsters. After the lettering and ornamentation are discussion on car painting. complete, we finish the entire surface with two or three coats of First class operation $28.00 contract varnish of standard quality, the first coat being rubbing varnish if 18-ft. body 10 bonus two-coat work, and the second coat being rubbing varnish if three- 1. burning off old paint. coat work, the last coat being finishing varnish. We do no rub- Outside, " bing with pumice stone on the rubbing varnish, as with street car 2. sandpapering. " coats of priming. surfaces we consider it unnecessary to waste time and money in 3. two " or rough stuff. rubbing down finishing varnish. We object to rubbing with 4. four (4) coats of surfacer " 5. rub to a smooth surface. pumice stone, as, in our opinion, it reduces to a certain amount the " life of the varnish. 6. first coat of color. " 7. second coat of color. INTERIOR FINISH ON OPEN OR CLOSED CARS 8. " color and varnish. " Our rules for this class of work are as follows: Apply one coat 9. striping and lettering. " of good wood filler for hard woodwork. Stain all soft woodwork 10. one coat rubbing varnish. for molding or otherwise to such tint as desired; clean up with 11. " one coat finishing varnish. " fine sandpaper and apply a very thin coat of varnish, allowing it 12. blacking off iron work. to stand about twenty-four hours. Then sandpaper and apply a 13. Roof, one coat of paint. second coat of coach rubbing varnish; then sandpaper lightly with 14. Inside dashers, one coat paint. ,

November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1077

15. Floors and platforms, one coat paint. MATERIAL 16. Inside, one coat rubbing varnish. 4 lbs. special red at $ .46 $1.84 " 17. Inside, one coat finishing varnish. 8 lbs. cream color .06 .48 2.y2 books gold leaf " .35 .88 MATERIAL y2 spool Coe's ribbon gold " .87 .44 *4 lb. golden ochre " .25 .07 .03 6 sheets No. iy2 sandpaper at $ .04-10 $ y, lb. sizing " .48 .12 " l 6 sheets 2 . .03 No. sandpaper /2 y lb. white paint " .08 .02 lbs. priming color " 1-63 25 .06^2 y lb. drop black " .32 .08 gal. Coralline, stuff " 1.25 y2 or rough 2.50 54 lb. Venetian red " .25 .19 i6y lbs. cream color " .06 -99 " 2 1 qt. black iron varnish .19 .19 6*4 lbs. special red " .46 2.99 " 1 54 Qts. rubbing varnish 3.50 gallon 1.54 books gold leaf " 1.40 4 .35 2 gals, red rubber paint " 1.17 2.34 " .18 ij4 books aluminum leaf .12 2 qts. outside finishing varnish " 4.04 2.02 " 2y2 spools Coe's ribbon gold .87 2.18 " y lb. golden ochre .25 .07 $10.21 " y2 lb. sizing .48 .24 Labor, $12.38; bonus, $1.62 14.00 y$ lb. white paint " .08 .02 " .08 y<\ lb. drop black .32 $24.21 54 lb. Venetian red " .25 .19 t-. .1 1 .. $8.50 contract " 2.20 fourth class operation , 2}4 qts. rubbing varnish 3.50 gallon v 1.42 bonus 2 qts. finishing varnish " 1.76 inside 3.50 1. Outside, painting vestibules and cutting in dashers. " 1 qt. black iron varnish .75 .19 2. " touching up main body. gals, " " 2 red rubber paint 1.17 2.34 3. blacking off iron work. 2 " 2.02 qts. outside finishing varnish 4.04 4. " one coat finishing varnish.

5. Roof, one coat paint. $19.79 6. Inside dashers, one coat paint. Material, $19.79; labor, $27.90; bonus, 10c 47-79 7. Floors and platforms, one coat paint. Second class operation $22.50 contract 8. Inside, one coat finishing varnish. 16-ft. body 2.41 bonus MATERIAL 1. Burning off. 234 lbs. special red at $ .46 $1.15 2. Outside, sandpapering. 2 lbs. cream color " .06 .12 3. " one coat of priming. " y2 lb. Venetian red .25 .13 " three coats of surfacer or rough stuff. 4. " 1 qt. black iron varnish .75 gallon .19 " a surface. 5. rub to smooth " 2 gals, red rubber paint 1.17 2.34 6. " first coat of color. " " 2 qts. outside finishing varnish 4.04 2.02 7. second coat of color. 2 qts. inside finishing varnish " 3.50 1.76 8. " color and varnish.

9. " striping and lettering. $7-71 10. " one coat rubbing varnish. Labor, $8.50 8.50 11. " one coat finishing varnish. 12. " blacking off iron work. $16.21 13. Roof, one coat paint.

r, 1 , $4.00 contract 14. Inside dashers, one coat paint. rifth class operation u * .00^ bonus 15. Floors and platforms, one coat paint. 1. Outside, touching up dashers and main body of car. 16. Inside, one coat finishing varnish. 2. " blacking of iron work. " one coat finishing varnish. MATERIAL 3. 4. Roof, one coat paint. Inside dashers, 4 sheets No. Ij4 sandpaper at $ .04-10 $ .02 5. one coat paint. 4 sheets No. 2 sandpaper .y .02 6. Floors and platform, one coat paint. 14 lbs. priming oey 91 MATERIAL pints Coralline, or stuff. 3 rough 2.50 •94 \y2 lbs. white paint at $ .08 $ .12 16*4 lbs. cream color. .06 99 1 lb. special red " .46 .46 : " 6 /2 lbs. special red .46 2.99 1 qt. black iron varnish .75 .19 4 books gold leaf 35 1.40 2 gals, red rubber paint " 1.17 gallon 2.34 iy2 books aluminum leaf .12 .18 2 qts. outside finishing varnish " 4.04 2.02 2.y2 spools Coe's ribbon gold.... .87 2.18 54 lb. golden ochre 25 .07 $5-13 y2 lb. sizing .48 .24 Labor 4.00 y lb. white paint .08 .02 y lb. drop black 32 .08 13 54 lb. Venetian red •25 .19 1 54 qts. rubbing varnish 3-50 gallon 1-54 Address of President of Street Railway Accountants' 2 qts. inside finishing varnish. . . , 3-50 1- 7S 1 qt. black iron varnish •75 19 Association of America 2 gals, red rubber paint 1.17 2- 34 BY C. N. DUFFY 2 qts. outside finishing varnish. . 4.04 2.02 Gentlemen of the Association: In welcoming you to the fourth $18.07 annual convention of the Street Railway Accountants' Association this progressive, hospitable city, Labor, $17.08; bonus, $2.41. 19.49 of America in Western per nit me to refer briefly, and with great pride, to the present standing $37-56 of the association, what it has accomplished, and what it should accomplish. . $14.00 contract Third class operation 1.62 bonus The association is now on a solid foundation. The membership Outside, painting vestibule and dashers. embraces the representative companies of the United States, Can- in addition to companies representing " cutting in all painted work. ada and Mexico, England " relettering and striping dashers. and Scotland. Whatever may be the political faith or opinions that " blacking off iron work. of the accountants, there can be no doubt they are thorough " one coat rubbing varnish, "expansionists" on the question of membership in this association. one coat finishing varnish. Notwithstanding the fact that the annual dues have this year been to and that Roof, one coat paint. increased from $10 $20, numerous consolidations have Inside dashers, one coat paint. been effected in the year 1900, I am glad to say that our member- Floor and platforms, one coat paint. ship has not been materially affected. The deficit in the treasury, last convention, has been Inside, one coat finishing varnish. reported at the more than wiped out by 1078 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

the voluntary subscriptions of the members; we have a substantial Our first and most important duty is to increase the member- cash balance on hand and no unpaid bills or other obligations ship. There are some large companies and many small ones not outstanding. represented on our membership roll which should be with us. For the fourth time we are holding our annual convention in An earnest, determined effort should be made, in a systematic the same city, in the same building, at the same time as the way, to see that every company is solicited to join the associa- American Street Railway Association. We are under many ob- tion, and that they are made acquainted with the advantages and ligations to that association for the hearty support and earnest benefits to be derived from being members. This effort should cc -operation it has extended to us, for the privilege of attend- not only be made by the association as a body, but each member ing its meetings, and for other courtesies that we have enjoyed individually should take up the work, as a personal canvass is at its hands. Unquestionably, the attitude of the older associa- often successful where other measures fail. The life and success tion toward this association has brought the operating and ac- of this association depend upon its membership. counting departments of street railways in closer touch with each I earnestly recommend that this association consider the ques- other, to the mutual advantage and benefit of both departments, tion of formulating a standard system of accounting and a stand- as well as the good of the companies represented. To the Ameri- ard unit of comparison applicable to the lighting and power busi- can Street Railway Association we owe much, and I take advan- ness. The growing importance of this industry, owing to the tage of this opportunity to express our appreciation of what it introduction of modern electrical machinery, making it possible has done for us. to generate current at one central power plant, economically trans- The Standard System of Street Railway Accounting of this mit and distribute it at long distances, the increased consumption association, strongly indorsed and unanimously adopted by the of current for commercial and domestic purposes and the tendency Convention of Railroad Commissioners of the United States, is of the present day to combine the railway, lighting and power now the standard of that body. All reports to State boards of business, demand that we give this subject immediate attention. railroad commissioners (who are members of the national associa- There are a number of our membership companies now engaged tion) for the fiscal year beginning July I, 1900, will be made in in the railway, power, electric lighting and gas business. I would accordance with the standard system, thus placing it in the same suggest that a committee be appointed, charged with the responsi- position with reference to street railways that the Interstate Com- bility of this work, and that they be instructed to make their merce classification of accounts occupies with reference to steam first report to this association at its annual convention in 1901. railroads. I would advise that this committee confer and co-operate with The department of blanks and forms is now firmly and per- a similar committee of the National Electric Light Association, manently established and in successful operation. This valua- to whom has been delegated the same work for that association. ble collection of thousands of blanks and forms, securely bound I am pleased to announce that our William F. Ham has been in books, perfectly arranged and classified, thanks to the genius appointed a member of the National Electric Light Association of our worthy secretary, Mr. Brockway, forms a library of rare committee. This is a compliment to Mr. Ham, a recognition and valued books, of which each member is privileged to make of the valuable work he has performed for this organization, and use. This feature is of special value and assistance to all mem- an honor to our association of which we may well feel proud. bers of the association. The exhibit of the Llanks and forms at It would not be amiss to state that the committee on a standard the annual conventions is one of the most interesting and in- system of accounting, at the suggestion of Mr. Brockway, gave structive features of our meetings. A valuable addition to our the question of a classification of accounts for lighting and power library is the "Railway Officials' Private Report and Reference companies some consideration prior to the annual convention of Book," published by an enterprising supply firm and distributed 1899, but decided not to present it to the 1899 convention, as there

by it gratuitously. The first copy of this book issued, with the were other matters of more direct importance to this association name of the association stamped on the cover, was presented to to be considered at that convention. This accounts for our asso- the association by the publishers. In publishing this book, which ciation not taking the initiative. is pocket size, admirably arranged and a marvel of the printer's Accounting is one of the vital elements of business. This is skill, the publishers have recognized the growing importance and being recognized more and more every day. In reading the value of accounting work in street railways and paid our associa- proceedings of the conventions of different organizations held tion a graceful tribute by dedicating the book to it. during the current year, I was so impressed with this fact that, In connection with the use of the Standard System of Account- with your permission, I will present for your consideration some ing of this association, we have a strong committee at work, of the more important points which were brought out with refer- charged with the responsibility of determining a standard unit ence to accounting, as I feel we should take advantage of every of comparison. The members who attended the Chicago conven- opportunity to study this broad subject in all its phases. At the tion one year ago will remember the valuable paper on this sub- convention of the New York Street Railway Association, held ject presented by Mr. H. C. Mackay, the able and energetic chair- in Buffalo, Sept. 18-19, 1900, Mr. G. Tracy Rogers, the president man of the committee, and will recall the animated and interesting of the association, in his annual address said: "Much has been discussion that followed the reading of the paper. The committee accomplished in the standardization of our accounts, which will will present another report to this convention; it is hoped you will work out untold benefit to the roads; besides strengthening our give the subject the earnest, thoughtful consideration its impor- securities, it will give confidence to the public, and afford us tance demands, that there will be a thorough discussion, in which material for comparison." every member present will participate, and that we will agree In discussing a paper before the Southwestern Gas, Electric and on a standard unit of comparison which will be acceptable from Street Railway Association, the president of a railway and lighting every standpoint and go hand in hand with the Standard System company said in part: "The point of a comprehensive set of of Accounting. accounts to be kept so that the condition of business can at all The advantages of membership in the Accountants' Association, times be understood is a great deal more important than we to those engaged in the street railway business, are many and imagine until we go into it, and the more you get into it the more varied. No man could ever hope to accomplish, single-handed, information you will get. We are trying to be able to tell the de- what the association can accomplish as a body. The annual con- tails of the cost of producing a kw-hour from the time the ventions give the members an opportunity of meeting each other, coal leaves the car until the consumer pays for it. This looks at interchanging ideas, learning from each other, and acquiring first as if it was uncalled for, and I have had the question raised knowledge and experience which could not be obtained in any that it took too much time. After you have once got into it, it other way. The classification of accounts of the association is a does not take any more time than it did a year ago to make out self-instructing text-book; the department of blanks and forms your monthly report, with a detailed statement, and you can see

is a valuable library of reference. Where, outside of the associa- any little difference as to where your expenses are increasing or tion, could the street railway worker find such advantages? To decreasing." those of us who struggled through the disadvantages of an un- In appointing a committee to formulate a uniform system of systematic accounting system, incident to street railways prior to accounting, the National Electric Light Association recognized the advent of modern transportation methods, going through the advantages of a uniform system that would be a standard for the evolution of horse, cable and electric railways, construction all to conform to. At the convention of this association, held in and operation, these advantages appeal strongly. What would we Chicago, May, 1900, Mr. J. B. Cahoon presented a paper on not have given to have had then what we have now? The work "Uniform Accounting." He pointed out the necessity of a system of the association, chiefly educational in its character, has only of accounting that would show "true costs," not by single com- begun. panies, but by a great body, all of whom would follow the same Having thus referred briefly to the present standing of the method and use the same system of account in determining the association and what it has accomplished, I will now draw your cost of production. attention to the more important question of what it should accom- In discussing this paper, Mr. Samuel Insull, president of the plish. Chicago Edison Company, said in substance: "The first step in November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

this matter is to have our own members, if we can educate them system of such scope and extent that the grasp of the affairs of to a uniform system of accounting, state in their accounts what the company, as well as the operation of the property, is at all their cost is, and stop them, as far as moral suasion will stop them, times within the hands of the accounting officer in charge; a sys- from working their construction accounts. If moral suasion will tem that will furnish any information that may be required or not stop them, if we can get copies of their reports, kept on desired, promptly; a system that will make it possible to answer a uniform system of accounting, we should bring them up here any question which may be asked. in the convention and ask them to explain their accounts, when There are two propositions that enter into the work of the some company shows an abnormal profit as the result of immoral accounting department; though different, they are intimately con- accounting." nected with each other. One is "accounting," the other is "rail- "The question of publicity of accounts of corporations, especially roading." Mr. H. H. Vreeland, president of the Metropolitan companies engaged in operating public utilities, is receiving close Street Railway Company, of New York, at our last annual con- attention. At the twelfth annual convention of railroad commis- vention said this about the calling here represented: "I, from sioners, held in Milwaukee in May, 1900, to which this association my experience, have always looked upon the auditor or accounting was invited and officially represented, the president advocated the officer of a railway as the most important lieutenant and aid of the enactment of legislation that would compel street railways in all president or managing officer of the road. I look upon the man States to make reports to the railroad commissioners, as steam at the head of the accounting department as the confidential ac- railroads now do. At the convention of the National Electric counting adviser of the head of the property." Light Association the point was brought out in Mr. Cahoon's The papers to be presented to this convention deal with prac- paper on "Uniform Accounting" that there was no objection to tical accounting questions and are along the lines of the work tha 1 publicity of accounts if "true costs" were shown. this association should now take up. The subjects of the papers

At the last convention of this association it was suggested that were selected and the programme of the convention was arranged we should have not only a standard unit of comparison, in con- with this special purpose in view. To the gentlemen who have nection with the standard system of accounting, but a standard responded to the demands of this convention we are under many form of report, full and complete in every particular, a standard obligations. I desire to express our most sincere thanks and system of blanks and forms, and a standard system of accounting appreciation for their hearty co-operation. methods. I most heartily indorse and approve this proposition Special mention is due our able and energetic secretary, Mr. in all that it embodies. Now that we have adopted a uniform W. B. Brockway, for the valuable work he has performed for this system of accounts, we should bear in mind one of the funda- organization. To Mr. Brockway's efforts the association owes mental objects of the association, as set forth in Article II. of much of its success. the constitution, namely, "To improve the work of the accounting To the Street Railway Review and the Street Railway Jour- department." On the principle that he who does not go forward nal, and our good friends and honorary members, Wind- goes backward, it should be the fixed purpose of this association sor and Higgins. we are under many obligations for courtesies to broaden and perfect the standard system of accounting in every extended. The columns of the Review and Journal have always feature of its practical working application, so that the best re- been open for the publication of anything that would further the sults possible from every standpoint may be attained. How shall interests of this association. we do this? The question of a standard unit of comparison has Formal notice has been given, as required by the by-laws, that already received careful consideration from the committee to a change is proposed in Article VII. of the by-laws. This means whom it was referred, and they will report to this convention. that the question of changing the time and place of holding our As to a standard form of report, I will say that the matter has annual conventions is to be voted on at this convention. I ear- received attention and will be submitted for your consideration nestly hope that the question will be fully and thoroughly dis- later. cussed from every standpoint, and that every member present With reference to, a standard system of blanks and forms and will express his opinion as to what he thinks is best for this asso- a standard system of accounting methods, I would recommend ciation to do, before the matter is put to a vote. that a committee be appointed, charged with the work of pre- With reference to the next convention, I am reminded of a ques- paring model blanks and forms, general in their adaptability and tion of the utmost importance to the association, and one that use, with such explanations and instructions as may be necessary has given your present officers much concern. I refer to the as- or desirable. These blanks and forms should cover the accounting signment of papers. The success of our meetings depends in a work of every department. T would suggest that the Dest form large measure on the selection of proper subjects for papers and for each specific purpose could be selected from the library of the having the papers prepared and presented to the convention. Any association, and in that way a book of model forms could be pre- member of this association, when asked to prepare a paper, or pared. The necessary explanations and instructions concerning perform any other duty assigned to him, should appreciate the the use of forms should include in a general way suggestions honor sufficiently and have the interest of the association at heart as to the methods to be pursued in gathering the figures and data in such a degree that he would gladly respond when called on and that are to be compiled in each specific form. These suggestions give the association the benefit of his best efforts. This is a duty must of necessity be general in their application. Special local that every member owes to his fellow-members and the calling conditions will require special study and treatment. he represents, a duty that should not under any circumstances In connection with what this association should do as a body, be disregarded or shirked. "to improve the work of the accounting department," each mem- In conclusion, permit me to express ray appreciation of the ber individually, for himself, for the association, and especially for honor you have conferred on me, that makes it at once my duty the company he represents, should take up this work and devote and privilege to preside over the deliberations of the fourth to it all the energy, ability and application that he may have. annual convention of this body. To be president of the Account- We should be thoroughly posted on the affairs of the company ants' Association is an honor I esteem more than words can ex- we are connected with, and have a general knowleoge of the press. I thank you for the honor bestowed and for the many acts operation of the road in all departments, or our sphere of useful- of kindness and courtesy that I have received from your hands, ness and the value of our work will necessarily be limited. as well as your valued assistance in many ways. Let me bespeak We should closely study the special local conditions which are from you faithful attendance and close attention to the proceed- a part of the operation of every road, so that the accounting prob- ings of the meeting, and especially full discussion on all subjects. lem involved may be correctly solved and the conditions of opera- I earnestly hope that this convention will be a fruitful source of tion clearly and comprehensively set forth. information and education, as well as a pleasant reunion for us all We should aim to make our system of accounting practical, Gentlemen, I commit the business of the convention into your complete, thorough and economical. The advantages of modern hands. methods in commercial business, and the introduction of labor- saving devices, should be thoroughly investigated and made use of the Secretary and Treasurer of the of if they can be used to advantage. We cannot be producers of Report Street "gross earnings," but we should be increasers of "net earnings." Railway Accountants' Association We should be careful not to duplicate work or expend labor that is unnecessary or yields no return. We should not be carried away BY W. B. BROCKWAY with a mass of figures and statistics that have no practical value or serve no good purpose, neither should he go to the other The report of the work done in this office for a year has become extreme of dismissing as useless and valueless much that may a rather large undertaking, caused by the three divisions into be of vital importance, simply because it increases the work of the which the office has resolved itself, viz., secretary, treasurer and accounting department or necessitates the expense of additional the department of blanks. Tn each there has been so much accom- clerk hire, when results may be produced which would more than plished that it seems better to divide the report so as to cover repay the work and expense involved. I believe in an accounting each section of the work separately. This is without any desire on io8o STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44. my part to imitate the well known Pooh-Bah, but if any such made that this effort seems necessary as it is to make the associa- charge should be made, I would promptly lay it upon the happy tion so representative that its deliberations may carry the positive- faculty the association has of being successful and busy, and keep- ness which comes from such a larger point of view. ing the secretary busy, too. During the year furniture has been added to the equipment of In reporting the membership as it is to-day, the prophecy made this office, including a second-hand typewriter, a bookcase, a copy- in last year's report as to the effect of consolidation has been press, etc., costing less than $60.00. All of this was very much to a large extent verified; but the applications for membership needed. that have been presented have neutralized the loss, so that from The financial statement is interesting, showing as it does that a numerical standpoint we are but very little worse off than a the increase in dues has been well received by the membership, year ago. and that the necessity of a larger income is appreciated. Applications have been received from the following twenty-one The receipts have been as follows: companies: In bank, Oct. 14, 1899 $19.28 Indianapolis Street Railway Company, Indianapolis, Ind. Donated account 1899 deficit 160.00 Charleston Consolidated Railway, Gas & Electric Company, Dues for 1900 1,570.00 Charleston, S. C. Dues for 1899 10.00 Louisville Railway Company, Louisville, Ky. Applications 310.00 St. Joseph & Benton Harbor Electric Railway & Light Com- Interest on deposits 7.65 pany, St. Joseph, Mich. Union Traction Company of Indiana, Anderson, Ind. Total $2,076.93 Chicago Consolidated Traction Company, Chicago, 111. The expenses have been as follows: Manchester Corporation Tramways, Manchester, England. Salary, secretary $200.00 St. Louis Transit Company, St. Louis, Mo. Secretary, office expenses Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway Company, Ports- 75-90 Postage mouth, N. H. 62.00 Office furniture San Antonio Street Railway Company, San Antonio, Tex. 59-25 Printing 1899 Report 260.65 Conestoga Traction Company, Columbia, Pa. Stenographer, Chicago Report 1 10.00 Chicago Union Traction Company, Chicago, 111. Printing 58.05 Washington Traction & Electric Company, Washington, D. C. Department of blanks Winchester Avenue Railroad Company, West Haven, Conn. 12.75 Printing 1899 Standard Report 129.50 Cleveland & Eastern Railroad Company, Cleveland, O. Note paid 125.00 Connecticut Lighting & Power Company, New York, N. Y. Miscellaneous Consolidated Traction Company, Pittsburgh. 88.59 Bridgeport Traction Company, Bridgeport, Conn. Total $1,181.69 Seattle Electric Company, Seattle, Wash. Buffalo Railway Company, Buffalo, N. Y. Balance in bank, October, 1900 895.24 Erie Transit Company, Erie, Pa. the Resignations have been received from the following twenty-five Had dues remained at $10, and expenses for this year as companies: they are—and it is difficult to see how they can be reduced—the result would have been an income of and a deficit of $61.69. Southern Electric Company, St. Louis, Mo. $1,120, This Nassau Electric Railway Company, Brooklyn, N. Y. income includes $160 contributed at the last convention; without it, the deficit would have been $221.69. To take into ac- City & Suburban Railway Company, Washington, D. C. Brooklyn, Queens County & Suburban Railway Company, count that the expenses are $210.05 less than last year will make Brooklyn, N. Y. the wisdom of the increase in dues more clear. At this point I wish to explain that, with his customary liberal- Citizens' Railway Company, St. Louis. Mo. ity, President Duffy has refused to receive his People's Railway Company, St. Louis. Mo. expenses to New Orleans to confer with the secretary in of this year, Lindell Railway Company, St. Louis, Mo. March or to Milwaukee to attend the meeting of the national convention of Missouri Railroad Company, St. Louis, Mo. railroad Kokomo City Street Railway Company, Kokomo, Ind. commissioners. In the latter trip F. E. Smith, auditor of the Columbia Railway Company, Washington, D. C. Chicago Union Traction Company, took the same action; Hamilton Street Railway Company, Hamilton, Ont. and it is through the kindness of these gentlemen that the treas- Columbus Central Railway, Columbus. O. urer is enabled to report a decrease in operating expenses and so large a in Metropolitan Railroad, Washington, D. C. balance bank. the is Union Depot Company, St. Louis, Mo. For department of blanks and forms there to report a considerable increase in the blanks filed by the addition of the West Chicago Street Railway Company, Chicago, 111. issue of twelve companies and the refiling of a number of reissued Cicero & Proviso Street Railway Company, Chicago, 111. forms. All of these add to the interest and value of the collection, Hawaiian Tramways Company, Honolulu, H. I. Oakland Transit Company, Oakland, Cal. which has reached such large proportions though your co-opera- Fair Haven & Westville Railway Company, New Haven, Conn. tion. Milwaukee, Racine & Kenosha Railway Company, Racine, Wis. Among the new blanks received is a large set from the Glasgow Syracuse Rapid Transit Company, Syracuse, N. Y. Corporation Tramways, which, on account of the differences in practice, were rather difficult to fit to our classification of blanks, North Chicago Street Railway Company, Chicago, 111. and filed in separate Brightwood Railroad Company, Washington, D. C. have been a book numbered 15. An examina- Central London Railroad Company, London, England. tion of this set will be found very interesting. Lowell, Lawrence & Haverhill Street Railway Company, Low- Owing to economy of space, instances will be noticed where ell, Mass. blanks have been filed on top of others, in all cases showing the full size and composition of each; but at times, by a similarity of The statement of growth in membership is: papers, the dividing line could not always be easily distinguished. Charter members, Cleveland, March, 1897 25 To remedy this, a light black line has been ruled around every Additions reported at Niagara Falls, October, 1897. 12 blank, giving a result very noticeable to those who examined the Additions reported at Boston. September, 1898. ... 32 collection at Chicago; and at a glance, rather than by close scru- Additions reported at Chicago, October, 1899 34 tiny, the blanks are separated and compared. The new collection of rubber impressions, while not Additions reported at Kansas City, October, 1900. . zv stamp representative, is an interesting addition, and assists to the result Total applied 124 aimed at by the department. Withdrawn 28 Some changes are contemplated in the arrangement of the per- manent set and the sets used for requests, all helping in what Membership Oct. 16, 1900 96 experience has shown is needed to make the collection a positive benefit, and not let it become merely a curiosity. This shows a net loss of but four members. But the average It is a pleasure to state that the friendship and help heretofore of number applications received per year has been thirty-four, shown by the officers of the American Street Railway Association while 1900 shows but twenty-one, a drop of thirteen in the average. and the street railway papers has been continued unwaveringly, These figures show plainly the need of definite action on the part and the most cordial thanks are again expressed to them and the of the present members toward the gathering in of every company many others who have assisted in bringing the association to the within reach. It is not so much that a larger showing may be position it now occupies. November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1081

Address on 44 What Does the General Manager Want an honest practice in the making up of either the daily, the month- ly or the annual statements. to Know from the Accounting Department }** As I said at the outset, the general manager wishes to know that the head of the accounting department is in sympathy with BY I. BEGGS JOHN and believes in his policy, because a general manager should lay down the policy for his corporation. He is put there for that pur- I must apologize for not having given more time and thought pose. Now he must know that his associate who is in charge of to the subject which you expected to hear discussed by Mr. Wy- the figures believes in that general policy, will help him carry it man. It was only a few days ago, or possibly a week ago, when out, will in every manner co-operate with him, will watch and see I was requested by your executive officers to prepare a paper upon that there is consistency throughout every department of the com- this subject. I have never prepared a paper in my life, and am al- pany's business. most too old to learn new tricks. Therefore what I shall say upon Some of our properties are in a little more complex condition this subject will be simply the thoughts that are suggested to than others. Take the property with which I am associated; we me as the manager of one of these public utilities. conduct a very large electric lighting business in three or four What the general manager wishes to know from the accounting different cities, some part of it under our main company, some department, I should narrow and say, "What does the general under a traction company which we operate. Consequently, it is manager wish to know from the head of the accounting depart- very difficult at times to feel thac the same general practice is ment?" I would not be presumptuous enough to think that I, observed in each one of the co-ordinate companies, possiuly under in the few minutes that I shall occupy, could stand here and tell the name of one, and that the head of each particular department to you what the general manager wants to know from the ac- observes the same methods as are observed in every other. counting department, when so much time has been so well ex- In the street railway business it is highly important that the pended by your association for several years past developing and general manager shall have confidence in the integrity, in the vigi- demonstrating just what he should know. The system of blank lance and discrimination and keen perception of the head of the forms and accounts that you have developed is highly creditable accounting department, and know that he will watch that there to your association. It will do much to save the" industry in which is no injustice permitted even to the humblest employee of the we all are so vitally interested. The first thing the general man- company, and that the trainmen are held to strict account. The ager wants to know from the accounting department, in my judg- idea should not get abroad among your force of conductors that ment, is that the accounting department believes in the general there are too many shortages being reported, or that there manager's policy. He wants to know that he has loyal, enthusias- is too much carelessness in the accounting department. We make tic, energetic supporters in carrying out what may be the general it a rule to have the accounting of the trip sheets and the returns manager's policy, and that they will aid it conscientiously and of the various conductors directly under the head of our account- fearlessly; and when the head of the accounting department can- ing department. We have but one head of "figure wrestlers," as T not subscribe to the general manager's policy he had better tender call them. We do not have it divided into transportation depart- his resignation. As a rule the general manager stands for the ment, and so on, but all is under one head. I am a great believer board of directors, and they are supposed to stand for the stock- in centralizing responsibility, and in having one head responsible, holders, which is the capital. Unfortunately, they have not always and giving him the highest degree of confidence. One of the most done it, but they should do it, and I think that the executive important things in dealing with the conductors on street railwavs managements of these public utilities are year by year giving a is that they have absolute confidence in those who pass upon their stricter account to the great body of stockholders. In order to do daily returns. They should not, every day or two, be brought face this we must have conscientious, earnest work both on the part to face with the charge, "You have a shortage to-dav of a dollar." of the general manager and of the accounting department. Unfor- or fifty cents, whatever it may be; that creates distrust, and it tunately, the general manager is not always a trained accountant; soon permeates the whole mass of men. They begin to distrust he is too often not competent to analyze and determine whether the accounting departments, and to believe that their methods are or not the accounts and the various statements that come to him not accurate. That comes back; it works almost incalculable harm are made up intelligently, or to analyze and determine whether or among our men. and we who are managing these properties to-day not they have been properly kept. And that, in days gone by, has are carefully studying that there shall be no cause of unrest, of been responsible for the failure of some of these public utilities, dissatisfaction, among our trainmen. You have seen a number of and caused them to be re-financed. They have run aground without serious labor troubles among that class of men during the past knowing it; like the mariner whose compass has become dis- vear. We went through it, four and one-half vears ago, one of the arranged or does not know how to read it, they are cast ashore; first large railway strikes. We have watched it carefullv ever since. they run against the breakers, and it is the easiest thing in the It very often comes from the accumulation of a multitude of these world, because too often it is to the interest of the general man- trivial matters, that give good cause at times for unrest. ager and the board of directors to make too glowing a statement These are some of the things we want from the head of the of what they are doing, and this is particularly the case during the accounting deoartment. I am ignoring your system of blanks years of construction or development when they have a capital entirely. I did not conceive that was what vou wanted to hear account to be drawn upon. about, or that it would be a thing of particular value to you, Capital account has covered multitudes of managerial blunders because you are giving labor and conscientious thought .to that and extravagances. Therefore I always take the position that it subject. The blanks are being perfected from year to year, and is best to close up the construction account as quickly as possible. developing in greater detail. I thoroughly understand that in I f there is going to be any error made in your accounting depart- different corporations there are varying conditions that do not ments, gentlemen, let it be on the other side. Have a little more apply to all. Consequently there must be. with your system of property than you think you have. When a man puts his hand accounts, provisions for some flexibility that may suit the peculiar in his pocket and expects to find seventy-five cents, but finds conditions of various corporations, many of which are interested instead a dollar, he feels very good. It is not a very large amount, in a variety of things, and have more than one interest to provide but nevertheless it is on the right side. He has just a little more for. They must likewise be sufficiently flexible to permit some- than he expected. But if he puts his hand in his pocket and finds times of what may be the peculiar or unreasonable notions of the he has only fifty cents, he is disappointed; he says. "I certainlv treneral manager. He may have an idea that he wants injected into thought I had more than that," and such is the case with manv of them certain additional features, or possibly a very good reason these properties, that they go on deluding themselves ; because there from his standpoint, which is not always recognized, perhaps, by is a construction account, they charge into that many things that the head of the accounting department. The general manager should have gone into operation. It is one of the reasons why should have the confidence and command the respect of the head many new enterprises seem to show such phenomenal results. I of the accounting department to such an extent that notwithstand- have seen a statement very recently of a certain line running ing it may cause some additional labor to provide these auxiliary into the city of Chicago, or nearly so, showing the expenses to accounts, as we might call them, for his information, the work- be down to somewhere about 30 per cent. Now, we will be cheerfully done. The manager may have better reason for all know how that is produced. Of course, that is not done in asking for them than appears on the surface, and it may entail, order to show what the actual results are. It is produced in order as the head of our .own accounting department has sometimes to unload a promoter's property upon an unsuspecting investing found, a considerable amount of additional labor; but it is not use- public. I only refer to that because that statement has been less; it is for some good cause. I am well aware that all managers brought to my attention within a few weeks, being on the market. have ideas that are different possibly from those of the heads But very often our properties get into the same condition, because of their accounting departments because of some previous experi- of a lack of intelligence. Therefore the general manager wishes to ence they themselves had in the science of accounting. T use the know from the head of his accounting department—and I shall word "science" advisedly, because accounting is a science, and if deal with the head—that there is an intelligent understanding and the broad, fundamental, underlying science of accounting is thor- 1082 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

oughly understood by the head of the accounting department, it use of this uniformity, if you are going to close it up or lock it will be much easier for those charged with the operating of the up in a safe? I want any company, the head of any accounting properties. department, allied to this association, or to the Street Railway As- I had something to say when this association was being organ- sociation, to feel that it can send to the Milwaukee Electric Rail- ized as to what should be included, having given considerable way & Light Company, or any other company in which I am in attention to the various forms of accounting of this and its kin- an influential position, and obtain any data that we have. dred industry, electric lighting, for a great many years. In fact, We do not consider it a burden to give information to I was one of a committee some fifteen years ago to standardize you; if we have to put on a clerk to copy the reports, we will a system of accounting for electric lighting plants in that early do it. I want, likewise, to feel that if we wish to have some in- day. They had done more, I think, in the line of standardizing formation from any member of this association, or of the Street their accounts, or at least one branch, electric lighting. I speak Railway Association, that they will not feel that we are burdening more particularly of the old Edison Association of Illumination them when we ask for it. In our practical operation I many times Companies, which was a close corporation and still is, I be'ieve, take time that I could not command for myself, but I do take it, but I was the president of -it for seven or eight years, and we to go over our system and show its various phases to gentlemen had a very carefully devised system of accounting whereby we who come from a distance to see what we are doing, and I take could, with a great degree of accuracy, compare the results of pleasure in doing it. The exchange of ideas is valuable, and un- various companies throughout the United States. Though more less these various statements, these various reports and results limited than this association, we demonstrated, at that early day that are being realized by the various companies are going lo iti the electric lighting industry, the great advantage of being able b; interchangeable, of what use is this uniformity of accounts? to compare accounts. That is highly advantageous, absolutely It is for some purpose. It is for the purpose of being able to essential even, in the street railway business. The general manager make fair, intelligent comparisons, that we may know what we wants to be assured that the head of his accounting department are doing. Above all, have the head of your accounting depart- is watching his expenditures from day to day, watching that the ment keep his accounts in such a way that you do not need to estimates made of construction, or of some piece of reconstruction, fear if at any time your State railroad commissioner, or if per- do not seriously exceed the requirements, or if they do, that chance there should be a national railroad commission, should the fact will be brought to the attention of the general manager order your books closed. Let your accounts be upon the same in order that a proper remedy may be applied; that the practice basis as is adopted by the national banking department at Wash- throughout the various departments of the corporation is uniform, ington; when an order is given for a statement oi accounts, it so he may not have, as is sometimes the case, an employee in is not of some day in the future, but always some time in the one department asking to be transferred to some other department past, so that there is no opportunity to fix up the books. So our in the business of the same corporation for the reason that the accounts should be. We want particularly to know, or at least practice is different. Such a condition should not exist, and yet it I want to know, that if the head of our accounting department may exist if the comptroller, or the auditor, or the head of the and all of his assistants are called hence, that a new set of account- accounting department, by whatever name he may be known offi- ants can go to their desks in the morning and find nothing to cially, does not bring to the attention of the executive head the clean up for yesterday—that the work is kept up day by day. facts that exist. Take it in our own corporations, where at times That is highly essential, and if that were always done, it would our employees number anywhere from two to three thousand men; not take so long for many managers to get a statement of what it is impossible for the general manager to attempt to know what their actual condition is. It is highly important to know that every specific rate of pay is throughout all departments, and that there is promptitude with all these accounts, that the work is there is uniformity in the pay-rolls and uniformity in the hours always right up to date. It will save many errors and blunders. put in in the various departments. All these things come directly It is one of the besetting shortcomings of many accounting de- under the eye of the head of the accounting department, and partments that they are always going to do something, going to where irregularities exist it is highly important that he should prepare some statement some time in the future. The future is report them in order that a remedy may be applied. not theirs. Consequently it is highly important that accounts shall It is furthermore important that he keep the general manager be always up; that if the general manager wants to know some- advised as to how the receipts are on the various lines. While thing he can send with assurance to the head of the accounting some general managers try to follow those things, they do not department for such and such a statement and it will be forth- all do so. They would not all be competent, because of a lack of coming as soon as it can be transcribed from the books, or from early training in the science of accounting, of determining whether some other statement, or that he can send the original. Two of the matter was accurately compiled and put in shape. The man- the most important things that a general manager wants from the ager should see that the various lines are being operated with the accounting department are accuracy and promptitude. smallest number of cars in order to produce given results. If on As I said at the outset, I have to apologize for not having pre- one line a car is earning two dollars per car-hour—you notice, pared an address such as would no doubt have been prepared by gentlemen, that I said "car-hour" — and on some other my friend, C. D. Wyman. I am substituting for him this morning. line a car is earning only one dollar per car-hour, and that going I have been substituting for him for four years. I along month after month, there is some reason for it. It may be a desire, on behalf of the managers of street railways, to extend to good one, but nevertheless it is the duty of the accounting depart- this association my earnest, heartfelt appreciation of the good ment to bring the matter to the attention of the general manager. work your association has done, still is doing, and which I hope The accountant may be conversant with the reasons why certain it will continue to do. I think no higher compliment could be paid things are so, but as these matters are coming under his eye day to your association than the co-operation asked for by the steam after day, if discrepancies exist he should promptly bring them roads and by other organizations of this kind in their efforts to to the attention of the general manager. perfect a standard system of accounts and of forms. This matter The general manager desires, furthermore, to know that the of standardizing the forms on which the accounts pass from the head of the accounting department is taking occasion to cor- various heads of departments into the accounting department i.i respond with other roads of similar size operated under practica'ly as important as the standardization of accounts. Much of the same conditions, in obtaining copies of their reports, compar- the accuracy of the accounting department will depend upon the ing them and bringing to the attention of the general manager comprehensiveness of the forms that go out from the storerooms, features in them which would seem to show that as regards cer- from the heads of the various departments, from the man in the tain features the other lines were being operated more economi- shop, as showing the cost of a certain piece of work, and so on cally than his own. The points wherein we are operating better down the line. There is quite as much necessity for making these than the others I do not care to know about. I arrange to have various blanks uniform throughout as there is for the accounts the heads of departments go away two or three times a year to themselves, because if these various blanks are not fairly uniform some other city where perhaps there is a very good system of it will be much more difficult to make uniform the accounts based operation and management and a good system of accounting; I upon them. I do not know just what forms the association am very glau indeed to have the head of my accounting depart- has adopted. I think in our own practice we subdivide to a some- ment take two or three short trips during the year, to go to differ- what greater extent than is provided for in the standard forms ent cities, and observe their methods, and I always say: "I don't of your association. However, we keep the various heads so thor- want you to come back and tell me a single thing that we are oughly in accord with the standard system of accounts of this doing better than they are. J. don't want to know that. That will association that they are practically the same, with the exception take care of itself. But go and find something that they are doing that I subdivide to a greater extent some of the expenses of main- better than we are, and we will try to copy that, and, if possible, taining equipment. I have the cost of all labor and all material improve on it just a little." The managers want to know, and subdivided. they do not always have the time to investigate for themselves, I can keep the cost of material in my mind. When I see a state- that this comparison of accounts is made; otherwise, what is the ment that material costs so much, I can check whetner or not November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. that is about right, without asking any additional figures; but they Report of Committee on Standard System of Accounting can cover up a ' multitude of sins, omissions and mistakes in the item of labor. In all work, my BY C. N. DUFFY, CHAIRMAN suggestion would be that you subdivide and differen- tiate between the cost of labor entering into any piece of work No changes in the present classification of accounts or in the and the cost of the material entering into it, because the general forms of monthly and annual reports suggest themselves to the manager, if he is familiar with his business, knows about the committee; none have been suggested, therefore we recommend amount of material. If it is putting a set of wheels under a car, that the classification stand as it was adopted at the Chicago con- I know what those wheels cost. I do not know if the thing comes vention in 1899, unless this convention directs otherwise. to me bulked, called wheels and labor; I cannot tell whether the Your committee received very few queries from members re- labor has cost $1.50, which would be about the cost of putting garding the classification of accounts. These queries were prompt- on a pair of wheels, or whether it is $2.50 or $3, if it is all covered ly answered. It is assumed that the classification as it stands, in up in one item. Therefore I urge upon the Accountants' Associa- the absence of any information to the contrary, is satisfactory to tion the advisability of subdividing the cost of materials as against all. Your committee would be pleased to hear from the members the cost of labor that is necessary to put that material into use. regarding this question. We subdivide in our own practice. For car bodies, for instance, With reference to the classification of material and supplies, we keep carefully the cost of painting, etc., as an item by itself. submitted by this committee to the 1899 convention, in a supple- LiKewise, the cost of heating, the cost of lighting cars. Many of mentary report, no official action was taken by the association. these things that are coming to him in that way the general man- Your committee, in referring to this matter now, desires to ex- ager wants to know, in order that he may be able the better to plain that the classification submitted was not intended for any- analyze and determine whether these various items are being kept thing more than a suggestion to the convention that would possibly down to the lowest point consistent with the highest degree of aid in dealing with the important subject of material and supply perfection in the maintenance of his construction. accounts. Above all, urge upon your municipality and legislative bodies The Standard System of Accounting is now in general use, that they shall call for the publication of your accounts. I for one recognized and accepted as the standard for street railways. One believe you owe it to them. You are simply trustees for certain of the most valuable features of the system is that it admits of rights which they give you in the municipalities. You will quiet comparisons between companies. This feature is especially appre- much of the criticism we hear regarding public utilities when you ciated. make public your accounts. We have had a pretty lively time in At the convention of the National Electric Light Association, the city of Milwaukee for several years, as some of you no doubt held in Chicago, May, 1900, a paper on "Uniform Accounting" know. We have finally got them harmonized to a certain extent was presented. This paper criticised the Accountants' Association by having had passed by our municipal legislature, or Common for treating taxes as a deduction from income, stating taxes should Council, so called, last winter, an extension of our franchise and be considered a part of operating expenses. This position was the straightening out of certain questions in connection with it. indorsed in the discussion of the paper, following its reading. up to Dec. 31, 1935. We are here to-day with a decision from the Stuyvesant Fish, president of the Illinois Central Railroad Com- Supreme Court of Wisconsin, handed down on Friday last, affirm- pany, in an article published in the Street Railway Review. ing that franchise and quieting all these various questions. It was was quoted as saying that the inter-state commerce classification claimed that we were suppressing our accounts, that our profits of accounts did the railroads an injustice and caused them to were mucn greater than they ever were, and the Municipal League make misleading reports, because taxes were not treated as a and other associations went before the Legislature some eighteen part of operating expenses. All of this is very interesting in view months ago, at the biennial session, last winter a year ago, 10 of the action taken by this association on the question of the present a bill requiring us to file our accounts and annual state- classification of taxes. Your committee does not care to provoke ment with the officers of the State. They expected that we would any further discussion regarding this matter, but begs leave to antagonize and oppose them, and possibly by underhand means refer to its position as it explained and sustained it and was sus- defeat it; instead of this I urged the passage of that act. Our tained by this association at the conventions in 1897. 1898 and 1899. accounts should be kept, as I said before, in such a manner that The paper presented to the National Electric Light Association you do not fear the closest possible scrutiny, either as to the not only classified "taxes" as an operating expense, but "interest underlying policy of the corporation or as to the methods em- on investment," "interest on current liabilities," "investment in- ployed in working them out. Once be honest and you will quiet surance" (depreciation), and "reserve for sinking fund." These much of the criticism in the various localities in which you are five accounts are all classified as operating expenses, grouped operating. Under the law of Wisconsin to-day, every street rail- under the heading of "capital accounts." The reason for doing way and electric lighting company must file a statement giving in this was, that it was held these accounts should all be included as a great detail the results of its operation every year, and we have part of operating expenses and not as deductions from income, no hesitation in doing so. We believe that it will do much in order that the "true cost" of production could be determined. to bring about a better state of feeling beween the general public Your committee does not wish to do anything more than present and the corporation that is serving it. I believe in the broad, this matter for your information and consideration, without com- general underlying principle that a street railway company is, ment, further than to refer to the grouping of these five accounts of all corporations, one in which the general public is most vitally under a heading entitled, "capital accounts." The gentleman who interested, anu it has a right to be informed as to your methods presented the paper frankly stated that his stand was open to criti- of operation and of management. We are public servants, and cism; for that reason, and because your committee believes that we are the one class of public servants with whom everyone in this association should not criticise the position taken by other the community must come in contact. He may escape everv- associations on questions of accounting, it is desired that the tmng else, he may escape the tax-gatherer, except once a year, matter should not be discussed by this convention. the undertaker, except once in a lifetime, but the street railway This association was invited to attend the convention of rail- company he is coming intimately in contact with several times road commissioners of the United States, held in Milwaukee. a day. In our own city we are carrying at the present time an May, 1900. H. C. Mackay, F. E. Smith and the chairman of this average of one-half of the entire population every twenty-four committee attended the convention, responding to the roll-ca'l hours. They are vitally interested, gentlemen. Do not attempt when our association was called. We were officially recorded in to deny it, but proceed upon the broad, general principle that the minutes of the meeting as having been present and represent- they have a right to Know that the property is being conscien- ing this association. Nothing transpired at the convention of any tiously operated so as to afford them the greatest possible degree direct importance or interest to this organization, except that of convenience, of comfort, of safety and of reliability, and to this Ashley W. Cole, chairman of the board of railroad commissioners end the heads of our accounting departments can do much to of the State of New York, a member of the committee on classifi- assist the general manager and relieve him of many of the details cation of construction and operating expenses of electric railways, of the complex position in which he is placed. reported for the committee that the 1899 convention adopted the

I thank you, gentleman, for your patience; I thank you for committee's report (this report was the classification of accounts the courtesy of calling upon me to fill the gap left in your pro- adopted by the Accountants' Association.) Mr. Cole stated that gramme. I only regret that time has not permitted me to have some of the States recommended that report to the corporations given to the subject more analytical thought, that I might have within their jurisdiction, and the State of New York has had that presented these views .n possibly briefer form, and possibly in report printed in pamphlet form and is now sending it to all the form that would have produced what I wish to produce, the making electric railway corporations in the State. oi your organization more valuable, if that is possible, to the great Your committee has made a strong effort to induce the Federal interests that we represent. Census Bureau to use the Standard System of Accounting of this ——

STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

association in the work of compiling statistics concerning street book. With this form of ledger it is not necessary to keep a railways, in connection with the census report of 1900. We hope collection list, as the accounts are compact enough if posted to succeed in this undertaking, and feel encouraged from the fol- regularly every day, from which the collector makes his delinquent lowing statement of the director of the census, made in a letter list. We use the card system in connection with the changes; dated July 24, 1900: "The subject of street railways is a special one, that is, one side of the card is used as an order to the electrician which will not be taken up for about a year. I will have the (Form 10); the other side (Form n) shows the work done on letters placed so that they will have full consideration when the the order, and from this entry is made on the light register. At proper time comes. I am glad to receive suggestions at any time." the end of each month a recapitulation is made of the changes to show the loss or gain in any part of the service. The names of customers are kept in both register and ledger, and in the order of the vowels. When transfer is The Routine of a Railway, Electric and Gas Lighting alphabetically made to new books at the end of six months, we do not give a Company numbered place in the ledger to accounts that show balance only,

/ but on one of the back pages of the ledger we keep these de- BY C. O. SIMPSON linquent accounts under the heading of "balances," the total be- ing carried under the same heading and given a number in the In this paper upon the routine of a railway, electric and gas front of ledger, until finally paid or written off. Advance cus- light company, no attempt has been made to go outside of our tomers are treated in a similar manner, except that they are given own office, but I will touch briefly on some points which have a number preceded by the letter "A." I also wish to add that come under my observation in the past ten years, or while in the all churches and Chinamen are put together under letter "C," but street railway line. I do not, however, confine myself to the are given a regular number. street railway business alone, as there are a great many com- The gas books are similar to the electric light books, except panies like the one with which I am associated that have the the register or load book, which only shows the meter reading electric light as well as the gas business of the cities in which past, present and consumption for both lighting and fuel at the they are located. different prices per thousand feet. The gas bill is almost a copy First the railway, starting with the report from the conductor of the register book, but, in addition, is ruled to show discount to the accounting department. The office furnishes the train dis- for prompt payment before the 10th of the month, following con- patcher the night before with the "portable" registers, and a list sumption. The reading of gas meters are recorded in a book showing number of same, and the register readings. The dis- printed and ruled for that purpose. The routes are divided into patcher gives out registers only to the daylight and six-hour men, what we call the uptown and downtown routes, and are read by as they start out in the morning. All other registers are given two men, who alternate every other month. The bookkeeper out at the office. This list (Form 1) is returned to the office by takes these readings direct to the register or load book. The the dispatcher, not later than 9 a. m., with the name of conductor recapitulation of the register or load book compared with the filled in and certified to by him. This goes to the young man in register of output at plant will show the leakage. charge of the car earnings record (Form 2) ; also the trip sheets We use the "addressograph" in connection with both electric (Form 3) and envelopes (Form 4) containing the conductors' re- light and gas bills. This machine prints the number, name, ad- mittances after they pass through the cashier's hands. The cash dress and date of bill in one-tenth the time it formerly took our is handled by only one person and goes directly from the conductor bookkeepers to do the same work. to him and from there to bank, which furnishes a duplicate deposit We use a bill register (Form 12) in which is recorded all bills slip which is turned over to the chief clerk for entry on general due the company for material sold or labor performed. One line cash book, after a comparison with the earnings record. is used for each bill, and the book is ruled as follows: Date of All money, when ready for bank, is put in such shape that it bill, number of bill, against whom item, date rendered, amount, will be accepted by the teller without counting bills or wrapped date paid, account credited and remarks. Each bill is numbered. silver at time of deposit. Currency is put up in $50, $100 and $250 All bills and accounts against the company are paid by voucher packages; on wrapper is marked company's name, date and (Form 13), which gives all the details. There is provision made amount. Silver is also wrapped and marked accordingly; small for inserting a description of each bill, and in addition to the change to make up balance of deposit is put in envelope. description on each voucher, the original approved bill is attached, Cash tickets are checked up with earning book by auditor every but the latter never leaves the office. If the voucher is paid month and burned. Transfers are counted, and after comparing through the mail, all bills are attched to a slip, the same size as with trip sheet are destroyed. that of a folded voucher, called a "tracer" (Form 14), and remains Conductors' reports are filed daily; that is, each day is fastened there until voucher is returned and receipted; all papers are then together and kept in a convenient place in office until end of attached to voucher and filed away. month; they are then filed in store room. Vouchers are numbered consecutively, commencing with num- A small ledger with index is kept of over and short account. An ber one each month. The voucher record (Form 15) is ruled to account is opened with each conductor ; the Dr. side is short, and show first voucher number, month, in whose favor, amount pay the Cr. side is over. This book is kept where conductors can see roll or voucher, account charged, store stock, operating expenses, it every day, and if they find a shortage they make their remittance sundries account, etc. The recording of a voucher will occupy that much more, or vice versa, to balance the account, as shown as many lines as there are accounts to be charged in the distribu- by said ledger. tion, and are charged on the record direct to the operating, con- The cashier also handles all collections of the electric light struction or other accounts affected. No bill for sundries or ma- and gas departments, keeping a separate petty cash book for each, terial, etc.. is vouchered until approved by the purchasing agent giving as much detail as possible to the bookkeepers in charge of and superintendent. It is then made up by the chief clerk, and the different department ledgers, and general cash book (Form 5) goes to the auditor and president for their approval before record- into which it is condensed, as the ledger is ruled, so that only the ing or payment. The pay-roll voucher (Form 16) is made up amounts are necessary, except in the sundry column. from reports of time (Form 17) from the heads of departments. The electric light register (Form 6) is used entirely as a load The distribution is made, and it is entered in the record and filed book; that is, it shows the number of each candle-power light, as a regular voucher. motor power, fans, and if on meter, meter readings in kilowatt- Unclaimed wages—that is, wages uncalled for after six months hours. The reading of electric meters are recorded on cards are credited back to the account as charged on pay roll, and (Form 7). These cards are turned over to bookkeeper on the record made on pay roll accordingly. completion of each route for entry on register. General journal entries are made from a manuscript statement, Bills (Form 8) are made from the register and are then carried which is a recapitulation of the several books, such as cash, bills to the light ledger; each account is numbered, having the same and vouchers, and these statements become a part of the per- number in both books. The light ledger (Form 9) shows the manent file; therefore it is not entered in detail in the journal. balance forward each month, if any; amount of bill for the month; The traffic statement (Form 17) is made from the car earnings total column, rebate, amount paid and date of payment. These book, and gives all data necessary to make up statistics as to the books are made to run six months; with the addition of a short traffic on the road for the month, but only that portion pertaining leaf they can be made to run twelve months, but, owing to the to the revenue and how earned is journalized. A recapitulation accumulation of dead accounts and new business, this is hardly is also made of the bill book, and the entry made charging bills satisfactory. for collection with the total amount of bills and crediting the The light ledger contains forty-two accounts or lines to a page, different accounts, as shown. The recapitulation of the voucher and the register only fourteen, which equals three pages to the record is made in a little more detail. The operating accounts ledger, making it easier to balance and check as you go along. of the railway and electric light departments are separated, as well The cash column in the ledger is balanced with the general cash as the construction and sundry accounts, and gives the voucher November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. number and amount of each voucher charged to that particular name, address and any other information as to the payment of account. The entry is then made charging each operation, con- dividends, etc. The balance of the ruling shows first date, trans- struction and sundry account with the total for the month, and ferred from, or to; certificate number, Dr. shares, Cr. shares, Cr. crediting vouchers and pay rolls their respective amounts. The balance. All stock certificates when canceled have written across recapitulations of the cash book and light ledger is similar to the the face to whom issued and number of new certificate. This others, but more attention is given to the cash book, as it em- certificate is then attached to the stub bearing the corresponding braces the particulars of receipts and disbursements, and clearness number. in entering transactions is of great importance even in the general As is well understood in this association, a frank discussion cash book. is invited of the methods and forms I have explained. Any sys- There are a number of what we call "regular journal entries," tem adopted by a company is more or less a growth evolved such as the transportation of letter carriers. An entry is made from emergencies and circumstances, and side-lights thrown by charging the United States Post Office Department (which is opinions from different points of view are always valuable. an open account on the ledger) and crediting the earnings ac- count with one-twelfth of our yearly contract, and when the quarterly payment is made by the Post Office Department it is Report of Committee on a Standard Unit of Comparison credited direct to this account on the cash book. Similar entries are made for the rent of power for the operation of a short line H. C. Mackay, Chairman, F. E. Smith and A. H. Ford, Committee running from Augusta over the Savannah River into South Caro- lina, which we do not control. Chartered cars are usually paid At the last annual convention of this association, the Unit of for in advance, or the day following their use, and are credited Comparison, as treated in the paper presented by H. C. Mackay, direct to the account through the cash book; if not, they are billed was referred to this committee to report at this convention, action and so pass through the bill register. Interest the on bonded having been deferred for the lack of sufficient time to discuss the indebtedness is charged to "interest on bonds," and crediting matter properly and to admit of further unbiased investigation. "accrued interest on bonds." Semi-annually an entry is made It is a matter that, since the adoption of electricity as a motive charging the latter account with the semi-annual interest, and power, had received very little serious thought; and the discarding crediting interest-coupon account. When remittances are made of a unit that had for years been recognized as the standard, nat- for this interest to our Eastern representatives, it is charged to urally brought up questions requiring more study and investigation their open account, and it so stands on the ledger until the than could then be given them. It is but fair to say that this coupons are returned to the company, as they are very seldom committee's opinion was divided as to the merits of the different all paid and returned at one time, or within thirty or sixty days units advocated, but, after studying the matter in all its bearings, after due. The journal entry then made, or made from time to we are convinced that the motor car-hour is the best unit yet ad- time as they are returned, is necessarily in detail, giving the vocated; and, being the same on all systems, large or small, it can- series and numbers of each, charging to interest-coupon account not be otherwise than practicable. Since that time, it has been and crediting our Eastern representatives. put to practical tests, having been adopted by some of the largest have also an account called We "advanced expenses," into systems; viz., Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., and Milwaukee, which we charge direct from voucher when payment is made for Wis. This test has demonstrated that the motor car-hour is a such items as taxes, coal, water for power, etc., which are paid stable and correct unit, and it has further conclusively shown that quarterly and annually: or extraordinary heavy purchases of the car-mile is an unreliable unit, even between lines of the same material. entry is An made each month to the respective operat- system. To illustrate, we submit the following figures taken from ing accounts, charging out approximately what would be, or has actual service and applied here to comparison of earnings: been used in that month. Speed Earnings The balance of many accounts, as shown by the balance sheet Line. per hour Per car-mile Motor car-hour the first of each month, for instance the amount in the debit No. 1 8.3 33-25 cents $2.76 column to gross electric lieht and power account, will be the No. 2 16.2 28.57 cents 4.63 same as the total of the balance sheet of the light ledger which No. 3 10.7 26.79 cents 2.86 comprises something like 1500 individual accounts. The balance The supposition was (up to the time of comparison on the of bills for collection consists of the unpaid bills, as shown by the basis of motor car-hours) that line No. 1 was proportionately the bill register; the balance to vouchers shows those unpaid at that best earning line of the three, but the truth is, it is the poorest. time: also the pay-roll account. This erroneous result was made to appear true on the basis of We use the ordinary check book, as everything is paid by car-miles, simply because this line was operated at a lower rate of vouchers, the stub of which shows the name and number of speed, the smaller divisor naturally leaving a greater quotient: vouchers covered by corresponding check, which is all that is As applied to operating expenses, we submit other figures: necessary for entry in the cash book. Separate check books are Car mileage 3,653.00 used, one for the railway and electric company, and the other for Motor car-hours 350.00 the gas light company, as they are at present separate corpora- Earnings per day $1,367.50 tions, but are handled as one as much as possible, to reduce Operating expenses per day (50 per cent). . 683.75 expenses. Earnings per car-mile -3743 Monthly statements include the railway and electric lighting Earnings per motor car-hour 3.91 department on one statement, but the earnings and operating Operating expenses per car-mile .1871 accounts of each are shown separate. . The gas light company's Operating expenses per motor car-hour. . . 1-955 statements are made separate, but the form and accounts cor- Reducing the speed of this line 25 per cent, retaining the same respond with those of the railway and electric company as much equipment and running the same length of day, what is the result? as possible. We have, without changing the cost of operation, reduced the mile- The most valuable of all papers, T consider the real estate, deeds age made from 3653 to 2740. and plates representing all the realty of the company, whether The expense per car-mile was $.1871, and is now $.2495, an ap- used in the operation of the road or not. A separate book is used parent increase of $.0624. ("size. 10 ins. x 14 ins.), called real estate book, on the left-hand The expense per motor car-hour was $1,955, and is now $1,955, page of which is a plat of the ground, and on the right hand, or showing no change, as none exists. as manv pages following as is necessary, is a description of same. Speed, then, is shown to be the factor that prevents the car-mile The index to this book is complete, indexing, perhaps, under six from being used as a correct basis. Speed does not enter into or seven headings, as the property is referred to a great many the motor car-hour. The absence of this variable quantity of speed, time, as the tract of some of its former owners or by the company together with the fact that labor, the principal item of expense, is as the "Power House property," "Sand Pit," "East Station." or computed on the basis of the hour, or multiple of the hour, sus- "West Station." The deeds are kept in a bankers' file and given tains our position. the same number as per folio in book. It is interesting to note the conclusions of the steam railroads

Contracts are also filed in an ordinary bankers' file. regarding the use of the car-mile as a unit. The following figures Ordinances are usually published in the daily papers, a copy were taken from the report of the thirty-third annual convention of which is pasted in a scrap book; if not printed, a written copy of the American Railway Master Mechanics' Association. The takes its place. committee emphasized the unreliability of the car-mile by the fol- Tetters are filed in the ordinary files, but, in addition to copy- lowing comparisons, showing the cost of operating a simple or ing, the stenographer makes a carbon copy of the answer, which ordinary engine to be $ 2449 per car-mile, and the cost of a com- is attached to the letter before filing. pound engine to be $.2883 per car-mile, an apparent difference of The stock ledger and the transferring of stock is very simple. 17 per cent in favor of the simple or ordinary type of engine. Yet, The ledger is ruled, first giving the top of the page space for the by reason of the greater capacity of the compound engine, the io86 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

cost per 10,000 ton-miles was $3.23, as compared with $4.03 for the sisted on my sticking to this title. If I was only sure that a book ordinary engine, thus showing an actual gain of 24 per cent in the of this kind would have as large a circulation as the one he men- work performed in favor of the compound. tioned, I would give up accounting and go into the publishing For special comparisons, it is recognized that special units are business. required, as for example, the output of a power station would be I will try, however, to give simply a rough outline of the sys- based on the kw-hour, this being more closely relative to the tem that we have adopted as the best method of handling labor 'work, but for all general comparisons of earnings or operating, the and material accounts so as to have the maximum amount of motor car-hour is advocated. quickly available information with the minimum amount of clerical As to the question whether a standard unit is practicable or not, help and expense, and trust that the members present will ask any it would seem that, given a unit of comparison, which is admitted questions that may suggest themselves, and in that way bring out to be identical in every case, the question is not debatable. If the any important points that may have been overlooked, as this is not unit is correct, the result or comparison must be correct, as the submitted as any pet scheme, but simply as the best method that component parts of all accounts have already been standardized experience has suggested up to the present time. by this association. It has been claimed that the variation in cost In the first place I am strongly in favor of having all accounting, of operating, between a high and low-speed line, affects the value so far as possible, done in the main office of the auditor, rather of the motor car-hour as a unit. The high-speed line certainly than at the shops or department headquarters. There are several requires more current, and its repairs to electrical equipment are reasons for this, prominent among which are: That there must greater, but we are at a loss to understand how this can affect always be a responsible head to properly direct the efforts of the unit. We could as consistently question the value of the yard others, and if it is all done in one place a really bright chief clerk as a unit of measurement because one kind of cloth cost 10 cents may be employed, to whom a proper salary may be paid, who can and another kind 12 cents per yard. have a supervision of all details, and any questions that arise can If a manager was shown that the cost of maintenance of elec- at once be referred to the auditor for his personal attention. Again trical equipment of cars was 25 per cent more on his system than there are times when the entire force can be put on some special on another, it would certainly be to his interest to investigate, to and important piece of work that it is necessary to have completed determine whether more improved motors were being used, or if at once; there are other times during the month when the pres- greater care was not being taken in the use of them. Very true, sure of work is such that some of the clerks can be engaged in the investigation might develop that the difference in cost was due collecting together the less important matters that have been wholly to greater grades or to excess of travel on his lines, but it allowed to accumulate during the busy time. would show him the facts, and wherever a difference did exist, Another and very important reason is that th'ere may be in- would advise him of it. This would be a practical use of a stand- stances where estimates have been given "of what certain work ard unit. would cost, where the expenditures have greatly exceeded the esti- It was contended that the cost of ascertaining the number of mo- mate, and where it might be thought advisable by the head of the tor car-hours would be such as to preclude its use on a large sys- department to make transfers to other and improper accounts in tem. As a matter of fact, it is so much more easily determined order to substantiate the original figures. than is car-mileage, that the cost is naturally less, and the readi- When information is desired a question can as well be asked in ness with which it is ascertained is one of the strong arguments in one place as another, and certainly a more prompt and probably a favor of its adoption. Especially is this the case in cities where more intelligent answer can be obtained from the place where all large numbers of cars are run without reference to schedule time, accounting is done than it would be possible to get by consulting but wherever and whenever deemed necessary. Experience has several separate departments. shown that reports of mileage made by trainmen are only ap- If, as is the case of the Boston Elevated Railway Company, there proximately correct, but the record of the time of the starting and are several departments, any one of which may do certain work pulling in of a car at the station can be accurately kept and verified properly chargeable to another, it simplifies the accounting to be by the time of the motormen. The unit of comparison as applied able to post the details to the proper account direct, and avoid the to electric street railways has not kept pace with the rapid changes trouble of making charges and credits back and forth, which would which have been made in every feature of this industry during be necessary if the accounting of the departments was done at the past decade. The unit adopted by the steam railroads, the separate places. passenger-mile, was adopted by the street railways, but. owing The four departments into which the construction, equipment to the impossibility of determining the distance each passenger and maintenance forces are divided are as follows: was carried, that element was discarded, and, though its usefulness Department of Motive Power and Machinery. as a unit was impaired, it has continued to do duty as a standard Department of Wires and Conduits. unit to the present time. It applied very well to the old horse Department of Buildings. car, where the variation in speed was an unimportant factor, but Department of Maintenance of Way.

time has wrought its changes, and a new unit to fit up-to-date con- No claim is made that the system as it is at present arranged is ditions is deemed necessary. applicable as a whole to all companies, but the fundamental prin- With the past few years, a new problem has arisen owing to the ciple, which is the order number system, can certainly be applied construction and operation of high-speed electrical suburban and to any road. interurban lines. These are but the forerunners of what will shortly The method of issuing order numbers varies somewhat in the be in active and aggressive competition with the steam railroads. different departments. These lines will, doubtless, be controlled and operated by the street In the shops the method is to have the superintendent or fore- railway systems of the large cities, or at least in conjunction there- man give each class, and in many instances each piece of work with; hence, creating a necessity for a unit of comparison appli- performed, an individual number. The first order is numbered cable to both high and low-speed lines. one and then they run along consecutively for two or three years We believe that the objections raised to the car-mile as a stand- or until there is no chance that by beginning over again the num- ard unit in the paper presented at the last meeting of this associa- bers will any way conflict. tion are logical, and that the motor car-hour meets all conditions When an order is issued a copy of it is sent to the Bureau of better than any other unit yet advocated. Audit so that the auditor may determine from the nature of the We herewith offer the following resolution for your considera- work the account to which it should be charged, entry is then tion: "Resolved, That this association recommends the adop- made upon cards provided for this purpose which have headings tion of the motor car-hour as the Standard Unit of Comparison." for the Order Number, Account Charged, Date Issued, Date Com- — pleted and Description of the work. Below are printed spaces for the Month, for Labor, for Material and Invoices, for Shop Ex- Departmental Accounts pense and for a Total of the above charges. These cards are made double or folded over at the top, so that BY H. L. WILSON. AUDITOR. BOSTON ELEVATED RAILWAY COMPANY, BOSTON, MASS. by using a small carbon sheet a duplicate can be made with only the labor of one entry. The advantage of this system is that by In an unguarded moment I yielded to the request of our worthy separating the card when the order is completed you have an op- president and agreed to prepare a paper on what he has seen fit to portunity of making any number of separate and complete lists call Departmental Accounting. Three weeks ago the task was without in any way interfering with the original files which can taken up for the first time, and it at once occurred to me that it still be kept in their numerical order. was too broad a subject to attempt to cover in the limited time If you want to know what the charges have been to any ac- that should be devoted to a convention paper, and I so informed count, what kind of work has been done for any department, an of this it re- him and begged to be allowed to change it, but while he acknowl- alphabetical list of all work or anything kind, only to have the information in edged it would be a difficult matter to digest, and as he put it, quires a new deal of this extra pack could be extended to the "length of the Holy Bible," he still in- such shape that it can be quickly utilized. November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1087

The labor is reported weekly on sheets which have a heading for This lease stipulated that the Elevated company should build no the Name, for the Date, for the Rate of Pay and for the Occupa- surface lines of its own, but that all additions to the surface lines or tion; below are provided columns for the Order Number, for the their equipment should be charged to and become the property of Days of the Week, for the Total Hours and for the Amount. This the West End Street Railway Company, and that credit should be sheet has some thirty-five lines, and provides in this way for a man given to the latter for any removals that were made. who may work on thirty-five different order numbers during any It was, therefore, necessary to have a very complete and exhaust- one week. ive record of all property, that could be quickly referred to and The pay roll, of course, can be made by simply taking the total easily handled, and books of all kinds were considered, but none of hours from the bottom of the sheet, while the charges to the order them seemed to cover both of the above desirable elements. numbers are made by taking the amounts from the Amount Cards were then taken under consideration, and the great elas- column. These labor charges are abstracted on sheets of the same ticity of this system at once recommended itself. size as the time blanks, and all are then bound together in book First index cards were prepared having for headings the names form with these abstract sheets as the front pages, and the entries of each street, car house, bridge, etc., on the entire system. made upon the cards from this form. The advantage of this is at The Electric Line Equipment had always been divided under five once plain; you have the card which shows you the date and you general headings: These were Poles and Setting, Overhead Feeder

can quickly refer to the abstract, and if necessary by referring to Lines, Overhead Trolley Lines, Underground Cables and Con- the following pages you can at once tell the names of the men who duits, and Submarine Cables. worked upon the order as well as the days of the week and the Cards were next provided for each separate kind of line equip- hours each day that they devoted to this particular order. ment, and it was found that to give a complete analysis of the The material used each month is reported on a sheet which has above five accounts would require the use of forty different forms provision made in the printed heading to put in the Order Num- of cards, and for quick reference it was decided to use several col- ber, and below spaces for Quantity, Kind of Material, Price and ors, as well as number each card on a small tab or projection from Amount. These sheets are abstracted and bound in the same man- the top. ner as the time sheets mentioned above. For Poles and Setting thirteen buff cards were used, which are We require all parties of whom we purchase supplies to use bill numbered from 1 to 13 consecutively. The first four are used only heads which we provide. These have spaces at the bottom in for the four sizes of iron poles, which are the sole property of the which to place all approvals and a space for a notation of the ac- West End Company. The next six are used for wooden poles, count to which the goods should be charged. Before adopting this which are owned jointly by the West End Company and some idea, bills frequently reached my office in such a condition that it other company. No. 11 is used for wooden poles owned exclusively was difficult to read them, they being pretty well covered with rub- by the company, No. 12 for special poles and bases, and No. 13 ber stamp impressions and signatures. for span attachments to buildings. When charges apply to any department the bill is entered upon For Overhead Feeder Lines eight cards were provided. They an invoice book which has spaces in which to make a copy of the are blue in color, with tabs numbered from 14 to 21. invoice and enter the total amount, and separate spaces headed The first five of these cards are used to designate the amount and with the name of each department. These last spaces are subdi- size of different kinds of feed and return wire. No. 19 is used for vided into columns for Amount and Account to Charge. feed taps, No. 20 for switch boxes, and No. 21 for track connec- By abstracting each of these columns you have all the informa- tions. tion necessary to make your entries to the proper accounts, and For Overhead Trolley Lines three cards are used, being salmon the totals of all will prove the total of the invoice book. in color, numbered, 22 which is used for bracket construction, 23 Any general expenses of the shops are charged to an account which is used for insulating joints, and 24 which is used for trolley called shop expense, and this is divided each month among the wire. different order numbers under which work is being done. For Underground Cables and Conduits eight cards were pro- The Department of Motive Power and Machinery has several vided. They are buff in color, and are numbered from 31 to 38. subdivisions, such as Machine Shop, Car Equipment Shops, Car The first two numbers are used for Feeder Cables, the next three Repair Shops, Armature and Field Winding Shops, seven Power for Return Cables, the next for Feeder Cable Connection, the next Stations, and has also charge of small maintenance crews in each for record of Conduit and Manholes, and the last for Conduit Con- of the thirty car houses. nections. I have explained the system of reporting all labor, material, etc., The next eight cards are used tor records of Submarine Cable consumed at the shops, and the methods of making returns from for return wires; the first four, numbered from 51 up, are used for the other places are so similar that I will not occupy your time the Feeder Cables, the next four are used for Return Cables, and with a description of the minor differences. the last for Cable Houses, Switch Boxes, etc. Blanks vary somewhat in the headings, but the idea that we have In order that the Wire and Conduit Department should report attempted to carry out is to have them all of a nearly uniform its expenditures in such a way that the Accounting Department size so that they may be bound in the little booklets before referred could make the charges to the proper locations, a system of order to. numbers was devised to be used whenever additions to or removals A large number of them are arranged in manifold books so that from existing construction were made. there is always an exact copy of what has been sent to the main First each kind of equipment called for by the cards was given a office, and as each blank is numbered we at once know that some- number which corresponds with that on the tab of the card, and thing has gone astray if they do not run along consecutively. each street, car house and bridge on the entire system was given By having a large cabinet with drawers arranged for each kind an individual number, commencing with 100. By preceding the of report, ready reference can be made to any or all original time number designating the street by the number designating the kind or material sheets. of equipment you at once have all the information necessary to tell

In order to make a monthly report of the expenditures, it is of to what location and to what account the labor and material should course necessary to compile the information you have on all these be charged. abstracts. This method furnishes many thousands of outstanding order This is done on separate sheets for each shop, power station, numbers, any one of which can be readily selected from the printed etc. By having these sheets graduated in size so that the upper list containing less than 600 numbers.

one is the narrowest, and each ;succeeding sheet just one column The labor is reported on the same form as that previously men- wider, you have all the totals together in a horizontal line, and a tioned for shops, but the material sheet is somewhat different. grand total is easily and quickly obtained by simply adding across. It is impossible for a foreman to always know exactly how much The widest or bottom sheet has on the right-hand side a sufficient material will be used on any one job, and frequently he is called space for the Names of the Accounts and a place for the ledger upon to work on several locations without going back to the folio. In this manner the necessity of writing the title more than stock room, and thus it is necessary to provide some form by once is obviated and all necessity of journalizing is done away which he can draw stock and report what he uses. with, as these sheets bound together make a more complete and This is provided by a manifest, on the face of which is entered readily accessible journal than is possible to have by any other the material drawn. The back of this sheet provides for a report method. of the material used and a report of the material returned. The For the Department of Wires and Conduits a different system "Note" printed on the front side of the sheet reads as follows, of order numbers is used. It might be well to here call the atten- and explains its use: tion to the fact that the company with which I am connected owns "Note.—This manifest is to be retained by the person re- no surface tracks or their equipment, yet has in its immediate con- sponsible for the material issued upon it until every article is ac- trol and operates all the surface lines in the city of Boston and counted for on the opposite side of this form. nearby suburbs under a lease for a term of years from the West "All material issued upon this manifest which is unused on the End Street Railway Company. last day of the month must be returned to the storekeeper for in- io88 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

spection. The storekeeper will receipt for it, remanifest it or Next we take the Material Taken Up or Returned abstract, and stamp this manifest 'Inspected,' as occasion requires." with red ink enter under the proper material heading and opposite These manifests are made in duplicate by the manifold system, the proper account all these items. and a correct copy of the original issue of stock is always in the Next we take the labor abstract and enter in red ink under the keeping of the storekeeper. proper material headings the charges for labor on account of each At the end of the month the reports of the material used are stock account, and then enter in black ink in the column headed abstracted on the same form mentioned for shop orders and are Labor and opposite the proper account all other charges. bound in the same manner. There is one other column on the report sheet of which no men- The Department of Buildings is chiefly occupied with the repairs tion has yet been made; this is the first one on the left-hand side, and renewals of buildings, and in order to answer all questions and is headed Approved Entries. This was provided to take care propounded by the management and by the Bureau of Real Estate of journal entries, as the use of this report obviates the use of a system of order numbers was gotten up for its use. The prin- the customary journal. ciple here employed is similar to that of the Department of Wires Any entries necessary to transfer one account to another are and Conduits; each kind of work has a classification number, and made on journal blanks, and these are dated, numbered, bound each building has one or more numbers which designate the build- together and abstracted, and from this abstract entry is made upon ing, and in some instances the different portions of the building. the report sheet. The method of reporting labor and material is the same as that By now footing these sheets across, you get the total charges used for the shops. and credits to each account, the black figures being debits and the The Department of Maintenance of Way, as its name implies, red figures credits, and by footing the columns of material up and has charge of the repair maintenance, inspection and construction down you get all the debits and all the credits to each kind of ma- of track and paving. terial account; in this instance, however, the red figures are debits Order numbers are issued for any new work or for any exten- and the black figures credits. sive renewal or repairs by the civil engineer, who sends a notice Only one section has the accounts printed down the right hand to the head of the department and also to the bureau of audit. side of the sheets; the others all leave off with the column headed The department is divided into eight divisions, called sections, Total Charges and Credits, and by placing these sheets side by side and each carries a supply of the material they are continually you have all debits and credits from all sections opposite the ac- using. count, and the net debit or credit can at once be ascertained by Each section's stock is carried under the following thirteen ac- adding these amounts together, and by carrying the net result into counts: the column headed Net Charges or Credit you have only one Gravel. amount for each account. Paving Stone and Flagging. All items appearing in this column are then posted to their Lumber and Ties. ledger accounts, and the footings of all material columns are deb- Nails and Spikes. ited and credited to their proper ledger accounts, and the sheets Rail Fastenings. are the most complete and compact journal it is possible to have, Tie-Rods and Buttons. as you can tell at a glance every item that went to make up the New Rail. total of any account, and what section furnished the labor or ma- Old Rail. terial. Special Track Work, Frogs and Switches. When any work of this kind is completed the superintendent of Miscellaneous Material. tracks sends a report to the auditor, giving the date that the track Track-Welding Material. was finished. Scrap Material. A detailed statement of all labor and material charged is then Track Wiring Material. made up, and this is sent to the civil engineer, who can at once When material is received at a section which is to be included tell from this report whether or not the proper amount of material in any of the above stock accounts, the person in charge imme- has been charged, and he reports back in such a form that the in- diately enters upon a form provided for that purpose the date, the formation can at once be distributed on the cards provided for a firm's name or section from which it is received, and the quantity report of the track mileage. and kind of material. These cards number some seventeen. The first four are used to These reports are numbered consecutively, and are sent to the designate the different kinds of rail, and have spaces provided for bureau of audit, where all bills are entered on an invoice book the date, kind of paving, remarks, added, removed and amount. which is abstracted each month, and from this abstract charges The last three are used for a record of the three kinds of special are made to stock accounts or to jobs direct. track work, namely, girder, T and , and have additional When material is used or sent away, entry is made on a form columns in which to record the name of the maker and the type of which gives the date, where used or to whom sent, quantity and work. kind of material, price, amount, account to charges and account These cards, together with those provided for the electric line to credit. equipment, are filed in a cabinet back of the proper index cards, These sheets are abstracted twice, once to get totals for the giving the name of the street or car house. charges and once to get totals for the credits, and are bound and If at any time you wish to verify the records of any street, it. is filed away in the usual manner. a simple matter to take all the cards for that location, put them When material is received from track taken up, or is returned in your pocket, and check them on the spot. from any work, it is entered upon a sheet which provides for the In closing, I would say that I have a set of blanks with me which date, where from, quantity and kind of material, price, amount, I will be glad to show and explain to any member who wishes to account to credit and account to charge. These are abstracted look them over, and if it is thought advisable to publish this paper and bound in the same manner as the Material Sent Away sheets. in the report of this convention it will give me great pleasure to ar- All labor is reported on a form which has the usual heading, and range them in such a way that they can readily be referred to. provides below for a separation of Maintenance and New Con- struction charges, as well as the location where the work was done and the particular kind of labor that was performed. These Material and Supplies Account t are also abstracted and bound. We will now suppose we have four kinds of bound books from BY W. M. BARNABY, ACCOUNTANT, BROOKLYN RAPID which we are to make up our monthly report for the department. TRANSIT CO. We take a report blank and head it with the name of the section. This blank has columns provided for Approved Entries, for Each I wish at the outset to state just what I am going to try and Kind of Material, for Approved Bills, for Labor, for Total Charges explain, and also to give the explanation with sufficient clearness and Credits, and for Net Charges and Credits; and down the right- to be understood. hand side has accounts to which charges and credits are to be Material and supplies account is but a branch of the book-keep- made. ing of any concern, and the method of keeping is to be deter- We then take the abstract of the invoice book and enter with mined by the results looked for. Some one has said that "book- red ink on the fhst line opposite the headings Approved Bills keeping was but common sense properly applied." I trust that Charged to Stock the total charge to each kind of material; next I can prove the truth of this saying as applied to the keeping of we enter with black ink in the Approved Bill column all other material and supplies account. In the first place what are the items on the abstract, putting each one on the line opposite to the results to be obtained? account to which it is to be charged. A correct record of all material and supplies received, showing Next we take the Material Used or Sent Away abstracts, and kinds, quantities, price and from whom bought. A correct record under the proper material headings and opposite the proper ac- of how used, showing the quantities and values as applied to counts we enter in black ink these items. operation, maintenance or construction, as the case may be. November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1089

A record which will show at any time the quantity of any par- and supplies received, giving a list in detail of bills passing ticular stock on hand. A record that will show the various kinds through his record of materials received, also the value of mate- of materials and their value charged to any particular expense or rials and supplies received through transfer from other stock account. rooms. This blank gives the quantity on hand on the first of These, I think, are the main results looked for in keeping mate- the month, shows all debits and all credits to materials and sup- rial and supplies account. As a basis for accounting in this plies account, and enables the auditor to check the materials and department of book-keeping the stock ledger is the first consid- supplies account, as shown by the stock clerk, with the general eration. This book should contain the record of all receipts and books of the company. all expenditures of material and supplies, and when inventory In connection with the stock ledger a card system is recom- time comes around gives the value to material and supplies on mended. Each kind of stock having a card showing the quantity hand. A stock ledger laid out with three accounts on a page is on hand, also stating the number of the bin, shelf or drawer in suggested, a book of 800 pages, giving some 2400 accounts. This which it is kept. As the orders are filled by the stock clerk the should be opened with the accounts running alphabetically for con- cards are credited with the quantity taken out, so that the quan- venience in locating. This is made so as to give each month prac- tity on hand at any time can be ascertained. Some may say that tically a separate record. A trial balance can be taken monthly if the time involved would not warrant the keeping of such a sys- desired. tem of cards, but I can state that a system covering between 5000 The postings to this book are made from the record of materials and 6000 different stock items can be posted in three hours. The received and from the consumption sheets which I will explain value of knowing that a certain article is needed is obvious to further on. any one familiar with the keeping in repair of car and motor After the stock ledger comes the book containing the record equipments. By such knowledge an emergency order for the of materials received, which, for convenience, we will call Book particular material or supply needed can be given and a "multi-

No. 2, the stock ledger being No. r. tude of friction" thus covered. On this card, in addition to show- This book gives a complete record of all stock received, show- ing quantity on hand, a provision is made to show the quantity ing from whom received, quantity, price, kind, value, order num- of such materials and supplies ordered, but not received, which ber, Reg. No., how shipped, etc., in fact a complete record of provides against duplicate ordering. each invoice. From this book the postings to the stock ledger In the matter of manufactured articles, such as commutator bars, are made. This book is made on the loose leaf plan, which per- field coils, etc., where the amount made up in a month might be mits a page, when filled up, to be taken out, allowing the posting sufficient for a much longer period, and it is desired to charge to to the stock ledger without interfering with the work of the re- the expense account only the amount used, the stock clerk would ceiving department. have to set a value upon the product, debit his material and sup- We now come to the taking out of stock, and the method of plies account, the same as for any purchased material or sup- changing to the proper expense or construction account. plies, and set it upon his stock ledger, and reduce by a like amount All materials and supplies drawn from the stockroom should his report of such expense accounts for the month. The custom is, be drawn by order on the stock clerk, properly signed by those I think, to charge direct to expense all material taken out of sup- authorized to do so. The form of order is in duplicate, so that plies for such manufacture, as though actually used during the each department has a record of what materials or supplies it month. Only a few of the larger companies do any manufactur- has used during the month. The order must also state for what ing. purpose drawn. By taking the classification of expense accounts, I think I have covered the principal features of material and as adopted by the Street Railway Accountants' Association of supplies account. It may be that some of the minor details have

America, and giving the numbers and letters, the accounting part escaped in condensing this into such a short article, but if there becomes very simple. be any particular point not touched upon which some one is inter- Any special expense or construction account can be kept by ested in, I trust he will not fail to make it known.

the mere giving of some special number or letter to indicate it. In any system of accounting, accuracy is the keystone, and that In this connection, it should be remembered that labor charges particular feature should never be lost sight of. should be similarly treated to have uniformity of accounting. — Orders on the stock clerk are charged daily on the consump- * tion blotter, which is made up of a number of sheets properly Storage Battery Cars ruled. The consumption blotter is the record of quantities and values of materials and supplies used daily, the name of the mate- BY M. BROCA, MANAGER OF THE COMPAGNIE DES TRAM- rials or supplies being written in the margin and the quantity WAYS DE ET DU DEPARTMENT DE LA SEINE, and the expense account being indicated. The unit of value is AND M. JOHANNET, ENGINEER OF THE COM- also given, being taken from the stock ledger. PAGNIE GENERALE DE TRACTION, PARIS After orders on the stock clerk have been posted on the con- report considers the following question: What is the sumption blotter the amounts thus charged are analyzed; first, This the application of storage bat- as to the amount charged to each expense account; secondly, as progress which has been made in traction? (a) the point of view of construction to the value of each kind of material charged. The first result teries to From in weight of the batteries; (b) from the point of view is, in turn, posted on blanks which are the final accounting as and reduction point of to expense or construction charged. The various accounts to be of duration and cost of maintenance, and (c) from the charged are written in at the top, and the result of the analysis view of their economical and practical application to tramway of the consumption blotter is set down daily under the proper traction? heading. At the end of the month the footings of these sheets The information obtained furnishes no precise answer to these give the cost of materials and supplies charged to each expense questions. Since 1892 the method of traction by storage battery or construction account. The second analysis of the consump- has not been in favor. Such favorable results as those which are because of partic- tion blotter is transferred to other blanks for the record of amount have been obtained at Hanover, Germany, used daily of each kind of materials or supplies, and from this ular conditions, and the general opinion is that storage battery the postings to the stock ledger are made, the value of the mate- traction should be used only when the overhead trolley cannot be rials used balancing with the total amount charged to expense or operated, or when particular circumstances force its adoption. construction accounts. This form has an additional value, in that At Paris, special conditions, such as trips of 19 km (12 miles) batteries, per cent grades and cars seating it shows just the quantity of each material or supply used monthly, without recharging the 4 adoption of cars, which is a good help to the stock-keeper in determining how large fifty persons, have compelled the heavier 17.5 a quantity he should carry, and also enables him to make out his tons (38,580 lbs.), including passengers, than at Hanover. It is requisitions on the purchasing agent with intelligence. When thought that if another system could be used it would be much more than one stock account is kept and goods are being trans- more advantageous. But the city authorities forbid the use of the ferred from one storeroom to another a proper transfer order overhead trolley, so the systems left are in the order of cost of should be used, which will indicate the kind, quantity and value installation, as follows: (1) Storage battery, (2) surface con- of stock so transferred, and also indicate from and to what tact, (3) underground trolley. stock account transferred. These orders, which should be num- The cost of operation is just the reverse, but if the saving in bered, are treated by the stock clerk the same as any invoice, and interest on capital invested be taken into account it is certain that should be posted in the record of materials and supplies account, there will be some cases in which the storage battery system, if and charged out in the regular course. well conducted, is the best. On the question of putting through material and supplies ac- For this are necessary, (1) centralization of batteries, (2) con- count bills covering large items, chargeable to construction, such struction by the company itself of strong plates, (3) slowest as car bodies, trucks, motors, generators, etc., I think the method charging possible of the batteries, (4) proper study of the arrange- of direct charging preferable. At the end of each month the * Abstract of report read before the International Tramway Congress, stock clerk should report to the auditor the amount of materials Paris, September, 1900. STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. \\. ment of the batteries in the cars and also of their maintenance, The object of this paper is to give the various methods employed (5) proper disposition of termini and charging stations. at central plants and the practical results obtained. The informa- The centralization of the batteries diminishes general expenses tion given by the various companies was too incomplete and un- and increases the facility of inspection. The construction of plates certain to allow of a comparison of the results secured at the has been done by us at a price not over f.0.10 (2 cents) above the various stations, so the report is confined to particular points of current price of lead. certain plants. These batteries may not appear as good as more expensive ones, Replies were received from sixteen companies, some operating but they are more economical if everything is taken into account. large systems and possessing power plants of considerable magni- In Paris they only run half the distance covered at Hanover, but tude. Several get their power from electric lighting companies we succeeded in the mechanical operation, and doubt if it can be already in operation, but still have been able to give information done more cheaply. as to the equipment of the generating plant. The slow charging of the batteries is better because it does not The replies received can be divided under the following heads: impair the duration of the charge. By placing the batteries under 1. Capacity of the plant. the cars and using hydraulic methods of operation, we have suc- 2. Generators. ceeded in reducing the time of idleness of the car in changing bat- 3. Engines. teries to forty seconds as the minimum, the maximum never being 4. Boilers. double that. It is to be noticed also that the battery alone is in 5. Various apparatus. idleness only one hour, as against ten minutes or fifteen minutes 6. Working of the plant. for the entire car under the rapid-charging method. CAPACITY The arrangement of batteries and mode of handling adopted by The capacity in the stations of the companies replying to the the companies have utilized the existing rolling stock, etc., rather inquiry varied from that of the plant at Berlin of 13,500 kw in than provided more appropriate material. three power houses, and at Marseilles of 5000 kw in one power The proper distribution of termini and stations permits great house to small plants of two generators (one for reserve) of 100 economy, easy inspection and efficient recharging of the batteries. kw each. In general the capacity was double the power necessary The difficulties which have surrounded the question of location for maximum service. As a general rule, for plants whose average tend to disappear as its conditions are better understood. power necessary is from 2000 kw to 3000 kw with a maximum of In conclusion, it is easy to see that, while not partisans of the 4000 kw, the unit to be adopted is one-half the normal output, and system of storage batteries, we think it ought not to be condemned three of these units should be installed, one to act as a reserve. The in principle, if it is desirable to use electric traction and the over- average of the maximum output is usually one-third more than head trolley cannot be adopted. that for normal service; but in some lines it is double. It is incontestable that this system requires less capital than The general proportion of the average current to the maximum is in the old lead, which has the others; a portion of this capital is 1 to 1.5 or 1.7, rarely 1 to 2. In large plants composed of units in the tracks a market value; the system requires no special change of small power the number of units in operation is varied accord- or even in the cars. It also allows of a better solution of the ing to the variations required during the day. problem by the use of lighter batteries than the present lead ones, or of another method of storing the current, if ir be discovered. GENERATORS The better distribution of load on the power plant greatly de- These are nearly always direct-connected to the engines, except creases the expenses of the generating station. when of less than 100 kw. They are generally compound, but The facility of renewal is important as well as the fact that the some companies, with a view to the future use of storage batteries, track needs no special adaptation, and that the cars are absolutely use shunt machines. Their capacity for over-load is 25 per cent independent of one another. In the case of light traffic, too, the for one and one-half hours without more than 60 degs. increase storage-battery system may even be cheaper than the overhead above the surrounding temperature, but sometimes is 40 per cent trolley. The changes in roadway necessitated by particular cir- over-load for one hour. cumstances, as the change from a single-track to a double-track Most of the companies do not use storage batteries in parallel line, or vice versa, to permit temporarily of street improvements, with the generators. Out of the sixteen companies reporting, six etc., must be considered. In short, where the overhead trolley is use storage batteries in this way. A seventh uses them because forbidden, as in Paris, the storage-battery system is a temporary its machines are gas engines, and reduce variations in the current. solution. In the case of gas motors the use of the battery is indispensable The replies of eleven companies are attached to the report, of to economical operation. which only three use the storage battery—the Hanover Tramway Most of the tramways do not furnish the lighting current. At Company, the Electric Traction Company, of Chicago, and the Hanover, however, of the six generating plants, four furnish light- Compagnie Generale des Tramways, of Paris. The Hanover com- ing by means of special . pany is the only one which uses this system completely over any The Tramway Company of Brussels has two lines—one under- of its lines. The other companies employ a mixed method of ground and the other overhead trolley, and consequently has two traction. distinct generating systems. In the Hamburg system, from Aug. 1, 1896, to Aug. 1, 189X the storage battery cars ran km at a cost of operation 4.296.442,449 ENGINES of 2.093 pfennig per car kilometer for each car. The mixed service trolley and storage was 8,168,888 km at a cost of 1.109 pfennig in general, these are compound, except in France, where the one per car kilometer. cylinder Farcot is much employed up to 1000 hp. The systems The Chicago Electric Traction Company ran its cars in 1898 of distribution are the Corliss and Ryder, and the tendency is over 35 miles of track, 10 miles of which was double track, at a toward moderately high speed, with direct coupling. The number cost of 43.75 centimes per car mile. of revolutions varies from 65 r. p. m. to 120 r. p. m. in France, and The Compagnie Generale des Tramways, of Paris, has a mixed from 95 r. p. m. to 150 r. p. m. in Germany and Belgium. system of trolley and storage battery, obtaining its power from the The engines are generally horizontal with jet condensers, except French Tudor Storage Battery Company for f.o. 10 per car kilometer, in Germany, where, for want of room, vertical engines with surface and pays the operating expenses itself. This price is high because condensers are often used. At Berlin notably vertical engines are of the few cars, only five going 50,000 car km in a year. For that used in the Van de Kerkhove stations of the Allgemeine Com- reason the company thinks the application of the system only pany, which supplies power to the tramways. They are of 4000 hp, feasible in particular cases. and run at from 100 r. p. m. to no r. p. m. The steam pressure in the compound engines is from 8 kg to 10 kg, and in the one- Railway Power Stations* cylinder engines, 6 kg to 7.5 kg.

BY M. THONET, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SOCIETE D'EN- BOILERS TERPRISE GENERALE DE TRAVAUX, AT LIEGE, AND M. In Germany the boilers generally used are of the Gehre, Stein- D'HOOP, OPERATING MANAGER OF THE SOCIETE DES TRAMWAYS OF BRUSSELS muller, Cornwall, or Babcock & Wilcox type; in France and in Belgium the tubular boiler, the Piedboeuf type, the Babcock & This report is based on replies received to the following ques- Wilcox water tube, and the Denayer. They are of 10 atmospheres tion sent to the members of the association: and 11 atmospheres for the Gehre boiler, 7 atmospheres to 8 at- What is the equipment and arrangement of the apparatus in mospheres for the tubulars, and 8 atmospheres to 9 atmospheres your power station? for the Babcock & Wilcox, etc. The heating surfaces varies from 150 sq. m to 250 sq. m. The * Abstract of paper read before the International Tramway Congress, grate surface varies from 2.5 sq. to 6 sq. per boiler. Paris, September, 1900. m m RAILWAY JOURNAL. November 3, 1900.] STREET

Many companies prefer the tubular boiler for large plants, in The Operation of Secondary Railways* order to diminish as much as possible the maintenance of the boilers. B. E. A. ZIFFER, PRESIDENT OF SEVERAL RAILWAY LINES In general there is in reserve a third of the boilers necessary IN AUSTRIA for maximum service. Aix-la-Chapelle and the Compagnie The Tramway Company of This paper is based on replies received to the following question arc the only ones Generale Francaise des Tramway at Nancy sent to members of the association: first does not de- which employ special boiler appliances. The What are the advantages and disadvantages of the operation of uses the Dubiau scribe its apparatus or its functions. The second local or secondary railways by independent companies, compared the water and increas- apparatus for accelerating the circulation of to their operation by the large trunk railroads to which they are a saving ing the output of the boiler. This apparatus has given tributary? experiments conducted in fuel of from 15 per cent to 50 per cent in The only company to reply thoroughly to this question was the Nancy, by the Boiler Inspection Association at Marseilles, Paris, Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Vicinaux, of Belgium. This and Vienna. Douai, Bordeaux, Berlin, Leipzig, Milan company, which is owned and controlled by the Government, though some com- In general, mechanical stokers are not used, has seventy-six lines in operation, all narrow gage, having a boilers are cleaned every two panies propose installing them. The length of 1641 km. Of these it operates itself only two, aggregat- or three months. ing in length 15.65 km. For the others a system of leasing is chimneys in general Few companies use smoke consumers. The employed. The operation is given over to contracting companies, at the base and are higher than 40 m, with an inside diameter of 3 m thus insuring decentralization and a sharing in the business by 2 m at the top. private capital. The cession is made by public adjudication, and One company, that at Orleans, owned by the General French for an indemnity calculated from special rules generally including trolley sys- Tramway Company, uses gas engines for an overhead a fixed sum, plus a percentage of the gross receipts. tem. The engines are two of 165 hp each. The generators are There are three classes of these companies: and have an output of 110 kw. The consumption direct-coupled, r. Companies operating lines of the National company and at of fuel in the gas generators averaged during a year 750 grammes the same time other lines on their own account or for third parties. inclusive of the lighting of of anthracite coal per kw-hour, 2. Companies which operate more than one line, but only those the plant, and of 450 grammes per car kilometer, representing about of the National company. of coal per hp-hour. This consumption is exceed- 600 grammes 3. Companies operating only one line. ingly low, and very economical compared to that of steam engines, There are three methods of operation taken into consideration even of large capacity. by M. Ziffer, deduced from his own experience:

1. Operation in trust or by management, which is the most de- VARIOUS APPARATUS sirable, on account of the freedom of the administrative officers and the absence of complication as part of a great railway sys- In general the feed water is heated only by the exhaust steam tem. Its managers can devote themselves solely to the betterment of the supply pumps. The temperature is not, on an average, of their road without being influenced by the policy of the road with raised by this means above 45 degs. C. Three stations use Green which it connects. economizers. Four companies, having nine stations, use appa- 2. The operation of the road by a railway (private or govern- ratus for superheating steam, and the degree of superheating varies mental) to which it is attached or not. This method is only to from degs. to 115 degs. C. All the apparatus is within the boilers. 40 be recommended when the capital of the secondary line is not A single station reports the resultant saving at 3 per cent, which sufficient to equip it with proper rolling stock, and with the neces- seems much lower than what is to be expected from superheating sary reserve fund. It is necessary also that the secondary line properly carried out. keep as much control as possible on the organization of the service No station reports the use of automatic lubricating systems. and rates, and that the operating company share in the stock of Condensers are used in all well planned stations where there is the road. not an abundance of water. They are of two kinds. The "tower," 3. Lease of the operation to an entrepreneur or operator. This rising to a great height and occupying small ground space, and method is especially desirable, and offers great advantages to both the type more particularly used in France, are based on the break- contracting parties. ing up of the water in contact with the atmosphere. This latter Of these three systems the operation by a management is the apparatus is placed above a basin in the open air and presents the most rational, and gives the best results, because the administration inconvenience of taking up much room. in trust guarantees absolute independence and allows a taking Only two companies use purifiers of water supply. But this is into account of the needs of trade, at the same time guarding the indispensable when some water is used, if incrustation and corro- best interests of the project. sion of boilers is to be avoided. A good purifier ought to be automatic, but its action should be watched very closely by taking — samples once a day. Car Heaters* " THE WORKING OF THE PLANT BY C. DE BURLET, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SOCIETE The results most favorable for the vaporization obtained from NATIONALE DES CHEMINS DE FER VICINAUX various fuels are those of boilers with interior fire boxes, though little used by electric traction companies on account of their bulk. This paper is based on replies to the following question: What Their slow steaming properties, as compared with tubular boilers, is has been your experience with car heaters? also an objection where it is necessary to rapidly follow the varia- Since the report on this question at the convention of the In- tions of load. The consumption of steam, leaving aside one ternational Tramway Association at Cologne, in 1894, no great plant not using a condenser, varies from 5.72 kg to 8.67 kg (12.6 progress has been made in car heating. lbs. to 19.1 lbs.) per ihp. The establishments using superheated While this problem has been successfully solved for long-dis- steam give the greatest consumption. The saving in consumption tance lines, the situation on tramways and short steam and electric seems to result from the construction of the boiler, and the method lines is different, the elements to be considered being so various. of distributing the steam. The large number of windows, the doors at each end, the frequent The valve engines of the Corliss type are more economical than stops causing the simultaneous opening of both doors, and con- the slide-valve engines. sequent introduction of a cold current of air, are the principal In the consumption of oil and lubricants there are enormous causes preventing good effects, even from systems of heating bet- differences, both of 1 to 8 for cylinder oil, and of 1 to 20 for other ter than those now in use. Added to this is the economy neces- oils. This question has not been sufficiently investigated in sev- sary on local lines, where the cost of first installation should not eral power stations. be above 12 per cent or 15 per cent of the value of the car. It is very difficult to state any conclusions as to running expenses The Convention of 1894 decided that it was not worth while to from the figures furnished. heat cars circulating within cities, but it was often necessary to

The conclusions to be drawn are that in large companies it is heat suburban trains and cars. This report has been justified necessary to adopt compound steam engines with direct-con- by the information gained this year. The heating systems to be nected generators, and to operate condensing. In average estab- lishments it is advisable to add a storage battery to the plant. In * Abstract of paper read before the International Tramway Congress, Paris, September, 1900. small plants, if fuel is dear, the use of gas generators and gas en- * Abstract of paper read before the International Tramway Congresa gines give very good results. Paris, September, 1900. 1092 .STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

considered herein apply only to interurban or suburban tram- The advantages all lie in those resulting from the use of a single ways. Of these systems there are five: central station, as ease of surveillance, reliability of operation, con-

(1) . Heating by movable apparatus, i. e., warmers of various tinuous-current motors, etc. The disadvantages are the cost of kinds, etc. distribution, increasing rapidly with the distance, and danger of

(2) . Heating by stoves. electrolysis. In ordinary cases this system is not advisable for

(3) . Heating by hot air. lines longer than 8 km or 10 km from the power house or central

(4) . Heating by steam or hot water. station.

(5) . Heating by electricity. (2) . Same distribution, but with two or more central stations: The first two of these have not been improved. Their disad- Compared with the former, the advantages of this system are: vantages have often been pointed out. The system of heating by Important reduction in outgoing and return feeders, reduction in stoves is the simplest and most economical. The system of mov- line losses and in the dangers of electrolysis. The disadvantages able apparatus is more costly than that by stove. On a number of of several power stations are increased cost of installation and

Belgian lines the cost for stoves was about f .35 per car, and the operation, less facility of surveillance, etc. cost for fuel, coke or anthracite did not exceed 25 centimes for (3) . Same distribution as in No. 1, but with boosters: Its ad- fifteen hours' service. vantages are those of the single central station, and sensible re- In heating by hot air the air is obtained from a fire either out- duction in copper. The use of boosters allows an extension of side or within the car, with a system of conducting tubes to circu- the zone of action of the power house without any change in the late the air. The cost of installation in one case (the Italian North- station equipment. Its disadvantages are higher net cost per ern, of Milan) was f.350 per car, the expense of operation 5 watt-hour, and greater complications at the power station. In centimes per car-km. The system requires much care on the part most cases this system has many advantages, except with very of the train hands to keep the temperature within proper limits. long lines or with very heavy traffic.

At Utrecht heating by gas has been tried, but at a rather high cost (4) . Distribution by the three-wire system, the rails serving as of maintenance and operation, 80 centimes per day. a neutral conductor. The advantages of this system are reduction Heating by steam or hot water can be done in two ways. of the weight of copper in the distribution, single central station,

(a) . By distinct apparatus for each car. etc. But this system has not met with general adoption, because

(b) . By taking the source of heat from either the locomotive or of the difficulty of maintaining equilibrium between the two sides a boiler in the baggage car. of the system, difficulties with insulation at crossings, turnouts, The first method has been applied to hot-water heating, but not etc. to steam heating in the knowledge of the writer. All of the hot- (5) . Distribution at high tension, with secondary stations re- water systems are of the thermosiphon type, and only vary as to ducing the voltage to 550 volts or 600 volts. the arrangement of distributing pipes. The cost of installation is (a) . Parallel system: This is little used, because of inherent as high as f.350 per car; of operation, 33.4 centimes per car day. troubles in high-voltage direct-current motors and generators, and The fuel employed is coal or charcoal. This system gives good the transmission lines are more expensive to install the higher the results, the expenses are low, inspection easy, and it demands no voltage. It is also more difficult to maintain the insulation of special set of workmen. The greatest objection is the danger of cables as the voltage increases. freezing in the pipes. In spite of precautions, such as wrapping (b) . Distribution in series (Thury system). This system is the pipes, etc., ice often forms in the tubes, necessitating their suited for long distances (30 km to 40 km and upward). It con- being taken apart. sists of distributing power by direct-current generators, and having The second system of this class, continuous heat by steam or at the points of use direct-current motors, which, in turn, drive hot water, has not been described by any of the companies asked. standard 500-volt to 600-volt railway generators. The generators The Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Vicinaux of Belgium has and motors are series-wound and are connected in series. As there made some experiments, which, however, have not been entirely are several generators and several motors on each circuit, the satisfactory, because of the mixed composition of its trains. The voltage at the terminal of each is reduced to reasonable limits. The results have been satisfactory as regards the temperature secured. final distribution is on the ordinary multiple-arc system. The advan- With a pressure of 30 lbs. per sq. in. the temperature was raised tages of this system are reduction in the weight of copper in the 10 degs. to 12 degs. C. above that of the outside air. There transmitting lines, economical transmission and adaptability of the was no freezing of tubes, etc. The cost of installation was f.350 receiving stations, either for electric lighting or distribution of per car. In this system, however, the same dangers of freezing power. It has the great advantage of every distribution in series as in the first system are present, in fact are even greater, because that the current has to pass through all the generators and re- the source of heat, the locomotive, is often detached from the cars. ceivers. This system is not well adapted to use by tramways, be- Only one company reports the use of electric heaters, the tram- ing more applicable to power transmission and electric lighting. way company of Hanover, which used them on its suburban cars. (6) . Traction by storage battery.

The cost of installation was M.40 per car, and of operation about (a) . Ordinary system: This system is suited to lines having a 10 pfg. per car-hour, or about f.12 for a service of sixteen hours. light traffic. It has great advantages from the point of view of None of the systems examined has shown any real advance on economy of installation, absence of dangers of electrolysis, facility what has been done previously, probably because of the peculiar of using any track, etc. conditions of the problem, and their variation from line to line. Its disadvantages are: Greater weight of car, etc.; less reliability Therefore, it is not possible to formulate any conclusions, and the of operation, increased number of charging stations, unless the matter can well be left open for consideration at future meetings system is limited to lines of 15 km to 20 km, because of the limited of the Union. capacity of the batteries.

(b) . Mixed system, trolley and storage batteries. This system permits the operation of lines longer than 15 km or 20 km. Its * Power Distribution for Electric Railways value depends on the extent to which the trolley system can be used, but this consideration aside, it does not present any marked BY M. VAN VLOTEN, ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AT BRUSSELS advantages over the preceding.

(B) . Distributions using polyphase currents. This paper is based upon answers received from members of the One-phase alternating-currents are not suitable for electric trac- association in reply to the question: "What is the best system of tion, because the one-phase, asynchronous motors do not start power distribution for long electric railways?" under a load, and demand a relatively high weight of copper for This problem is very complex, and the question is too general the conductors, and finally the output of the alternators and trans- for any solution, except in well determined cases. We will there- formers is low, etc. Two-phase motors are also impracticable, as fore be content with the examination of the systems employed or they necessitate the use of four conductors. The system to be proposed at present, viz.: considered, therefore, is the three-phase.

(A) . Distribution by direct current. The systems under B can be divided into two kinds, (a) Sys-

(B) . Distribution by alternating current. tems in which the car motors are supplied directly with the line are is (C) . Distribution by alternating and direct current at the same potential, and (b) where transformers used. The former time. little used, because of the difficulty of insulation, greater danger to (A). Distribution by direct currents: the public, self-induction of the rails, disturbance in telegraphic (1). Ordinary distribution at 550 volts or 600 volts, and single and telephonic communications, etc. By the second system these central station: This is the most general system for city and difficulties are removed almost entirely. direct-current system. suburban electric railways, but is not well suited to lines having (C) . Distributions by the alternating long extensions, because the low voltage used makes the loss ex- This system can be divided into (a), that in which the initial cessive when the power is transmitted any considerable distance. current is generated at a high potential, and (b), where low volt- age generators are used, and the current is stepped up to the trans- * Abstract of paper read before the International Tramway Congress, of both lie in the use of direct- Paris, September, 1900. mission voltage. The advantages : :

November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1093

current motors, with distribution at high potentials. The disad- and finally recommends a designation for motors, made up of vantages are the cost of the transforming machinery and the loss three facts, which, for convenience, can be designated as A, B, in efficiency and simplicity. and C. In concluding, I will present a table taken from an article in the A is the current, in milliamperes, required to produce 1 kg of Electrotechnische Zeitschrift, by M. Huber, giving certain costs of tractive effort at the periphery of wheels 800 mm in diameter. each of the different systems, as applied to a road 20 km in length, This factor varies to a certain extent with the speed, and is larger operating five trains of 20 (metric) tons each, each requiring about as the speed increases. 20 kw. The figures given are only those in which the systems B is the current, in amperes, required to compensate for all me- differ from each other. Those costs which are common to all are chanical and electrical losses in the motor. It is, in effect, a omitted. measure of the efficiency, but should, of course, be considered in connection with its relation to A, and to the weight of the motor. of In modern motors B is not far from the weight of the motor, and cent Annual of multiplied by A and divided by 5000. For very heavy this Apparatus motors cent; Statiors Line Depreciation. per Equipment rule is only approximate.

Station per Interest, Trolley Wages 10 and is U at C the kilowatts input of the motor under such a load that 6 Wages Feeders Type of System Transformers at operating continuously under it for at of one hour the temperature of in Transmission and Power Annual the motor does not rise degs. C. above the surrounding air, as de- Sub-Station h Employees 75 Depreciation Sum Electrical Copper Machines scribed Copper above.

Interest The author recommends these data to be written in the order C, A, B. He gives as constants for several well known motors, the following: Power Station in Middle of Line G. E. 1200 A = 125, B = 30. Direct current 70,000 45,000 i 115,000 0,700 3,600 13,300 G. E. 2000 A = 161, B = 45. G. E. 51 B-6 C = 70, A = 162, B = 29. Alternating current.. 70,000 41,000 24,000 135,000 11,860 3,000 15,470 <> * Power Station at Effect of Introducing; Electricity on Tramways End 0/ Line Direct current 70,000 180,(100 250,000 17,800 3,600 21,240 BY E. VON PIRCII

Alternating current.. 70,000 44,1100 24.000 138,000 11,040 3.600 15,640 Abstract of report submitted by Director E. von Pirch, of Barmen-Elberfeld, based on replies received to the following ques- Power Station at

End 0/ Line tions : Alternating direct What results were obtained from the introduction of electricity 100,000 28,000 80,000 10,000 218,000 20,280 7,200 27,480 on your lines in regard to (1) the traffic; (2) the operating ex- penses; (3) the net profits ? Power Station 10 km from Middle The replies received showed that the change was only made in 0/ Line a number of large cities by horse car lines and roads operating Alternating direct current with sub- , and the overhead trolley was the system generally station at middk chosen. The replies, however, are sufficiently exhaustive to permit of line 70,000 45,000 100,000 85,000 210,000 21,100 7.200 28.300 of general conclusions to be drawn. The following advantages of electric over horse service were Purely alternating brought forward 70,000 41,000 24,000 25,000 100,000 13,370 7,200 18,770 ( 1 ) On account of the greater average speed, the number of cars

All figures are cost in francs. doing the same ser-vice could be decreased and the number of trips

per day increased ; the same holds true for the employees. On account of the greater speed also the cars are finding more favor The Rating of Motors* with the public. (2) As trailers can be used, the elasticity of the electric system BY M. .MACLOSKIE, CONSULTING ENGINEER OF THE COM- becomes an admirable feature, as it is in a better position to care PAGNIE INDUSTRIELLE DE TRACTION IN FRANCE for the largely increased traffic on Sundays and holidays. it ( 3 ) The electric draw-bar pull makes possible to traverse roads This paper is based upon the following questions: Is a standard which on account of their heavy grades could not be traversed rating for electric motors and generators possible? What should b\ horse cars. it be based upon? Can the same rating be applied to other elec- (4) The cost of operation of electric cars where dense traffic trical machinery used on electric railways? exists in thickly populated districts, and even where cost of current The reporter reverses the order of the questions, and answers is high, is less than that of horse cars, which cost is even lessened the last first. That is. he thinks it possible to adopt a single when trailers are used. method of rating applicable to all electric railway apparatus. For (5) On account of the above advantages lower fares can !>e example, for car controllers the criterion is the maximum current- charged without endangering the profits of the company. carrying capacity, either with or without resistances. The same (6) On down grades no power is wasted. is true of the circuit breakers, etc., although, as all of this auxiliary (7) No time is wasted in hitching up and unhitching horses. apparatus is usually purchased and always used, together with the (8) The streets are kept cleaner, the pavement is abused to a less car equipment, its rating can be determined by that of the motor. degree, and the traffic is not so much interfered with. As to the second part of the question, when the basis of rating (9) It is easier for an electric car to surmount difficulties en- has been settled, it would seem a simple matter to prepare tables, countered on the road while work is being done on the same. from which the output of motors working under practical con- (10) As the horse car must be made light on account of the ditions can be given. pulling capacity of the horse, the weight need not be considered Considering now the basis of rating, the writer believes the with an electric car, which can be designed with a view to giving present basis, ». c, horse-power, to be unsatisfactory, for the rea- comfort to the passengers. In fact, larger and heavier motor cars son that such a rating does not always convey an idea as to the and trailers can be used, not beyond the capacity of the motors, length of time at which the motor can carry its load. For this without materially increasing the operating expenses. reason certain manufacturers have suggested a rating based on It has also been found that the electric service possesses the the output, when the heating of the motor during one hour's op- following advantages when used on small trains with small head- eration reaches a given value. way, when compared to locomotives : It is cheaper, can surmount The following rule is, therefore, proposed: The nominal power heavy grades, and does not annoy the public with smoke, steam and is to be rated by the work expressed in kilowatts, furnished to the noise. motor under a regulation which fixes the rise in temperature, as Actual statistics submitted in reply to the above questions show measured by a thermometer, either on the fields or the armature, the following distinct advantages to not more than 750 deg. C. above the temperature of the sur- (1) Increase in traffic, and therefore more passengers per km rounding medium, which should be from 10 degs. to 20 degs. C. traveled. This was shown at Havre, Marseilles, Barmen, Hamburg, The writer then discusses the question of speed, efficiency, etc., Leipzig, etc.

* Abstract of paper read before the International Tramway Congress, * Abstract of paper read before the International Tramway Congress, Paris, September, 1900. Paris, September, 1900. :

1094 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

(2) Extension of the system from the city to neighboring towns, shock smashed the end of the car, shattered the windows of both especially over hilly roads where horse and steam cars are out of trains, and extinguished the electric lights. There was great ex- the question. citement, the darkness in the tunnel adding to the general alarm. (3) The cost of operation is reduced and the net profits are ^ increased, as Barmen, Hamburg, Leipzig, etc. shown at Aachen, Ladies at the Kansas City Convention (4) The possibility to reduce fares and introduce and extend the of transfers. system Mrs. W. S. Dimmock, Council Bluffs, la. (5) The installation of more comfortable and larger cars, with- Mrs. John M. Roach, Chicago. out materially increasing the operating expenses. Mrs. F. L. Roach, Chicago. Among the special considerations which affect the decision as to Mrs. John Ehrhardt, Cleveland. the introduction of electricity the following should be mentioned Mrs. W. G. McDole, Cleveland. Money to be paid to the city to pay for pavement of streets ; the Mrs. Ira A. MacCormack, Cleveland. cost of current; the voluntary or compulsory use of a costly electric Mrs. W. J. White, Cleveland. relat- system ; the conditions imposed by the franchise and matters Mrs. W. H. Harris, Cincinnati. the author- ing to the capitalization ; aesthetic conditions imposed by Mrs. J. B. Hogarth, Denver, Col. of fran- ities which require expensive construction ; the duration the Mrs. G. Van Ginkel, Dallas, Texas. chise ; taxes to be paid to the city, etc. Mrs. Robert S. Goff, Fall River, Mass. It has, in fact, been aptly stated by a well known railway man that Mrs. H. F. MacGregor, Houston, Texas. the electric service is only advantageous where the distances trav- Mrs. James M. Jones, Indianapolis, Ind. eled are great, the traffic large, where the franchise extends over *i Miss L. R. Klott, Jersey City, N. J. of long periou,and where the system to be used and the condition the Mrs. Walton H. Holmes, Kansas City. road have been carefully considered. On an even roadbed, and with- Mrs. C. F. Holmes, Kansas City. out the above conditions being fulfilled, the electric system cannot Mrs. L. E. James, Kansas City. easily compete against the horse. Mrs. W. A. Satterlee, Kansas City. We arrive, therefore, at the following general conclusions: The Mrs. J. W. Carter, Kansas City. overhead electric system possesses advantages over the horse car Mrs. W. G. Becker, Kansas City. system only when the trains run frequently, over long lines with Mrs. W. E. Kirkpatrick, Kansas City. heavy traffic, especially where many grades are present, provided Mrs. D. W. Dozier, Kansas City. that the franchise extends over a long enough period and when it Mrs. Charles Grover, Kansas City. imposes no impossible conditions. Mrs. Edward Butts, Kansas City. Mrs. H. C. Schwitzgebel, Kansas City. Mrs. E. C. Foster, Lynn, Mass. Representatives of Electrical and Street Railway Papers Mrs. E. R. Carrington, London, Ont. at the Kansas City Convention Mrs. Frank G. Jones, Memphis. Miss McLean, Memphis. Miss Hoist, Memphis. James H. McGraw, Street Railway Journal and American Mrs. James F. Wattles, Merrimac, Mass. Electrician, New York. Mrs. F. S. Donnell, Ottawa, 111. Henry W. Blake, Street Railway Journal, New York. Mrs. W. L. Jenks, Port Huron, Mich. B. Bennett, Street Railway Journal, New York. J. Mrs. R. Graham, Quincy, Mass. James R. Cravath, Street Railway Journal, Chicago. J. Mrs. Albert M. Patten, Topeka, Kan. C. S. McMahon, Street Railway Journal, Chicago. Mrs. J. M. Smith, Toronto, Canada. W. K. Beard, Street Railway Journal and American Elec- Mrs. E. J. Spencer, Venice, 111. trician, Philadelphia. Mrs. A. H. Stone, Worcester, Mass. M. Wakeman, Electrical World and Engineer, New York. J. Mrs. A. A. Anderson, Youngstown, Ohio. V. S. Church, Electrical World and Engineer, Chicago. J. Mrs. H. H. Vreeland, New York. Frank E. Colbert, Electrical Review, Chicago. Miss Hoff, New York. Stephen H. Goddard, Electrical Review, New York. Miss Wells, New York. Charles W. Price, Electrical Review, New York. Miss Crosby, New York. George A. Barnes, Street Railway Review, Chicago. Mrs. F. E. Donohoe, New York. Charles B. Fairchild, Jr., Street Railway Review, Chicago. .Mrs. Henry J. Davies, Cleveland. Fred. Kenfield, Street Railway Review, New York. Miss W. E. Cooke, Chicago. H. Kenfield, Street Railway Review, Chicago. J. Mrs. Henry D. Cooke, New York. Daniel Royce, Street Railway Review, Chicago. Mrs. W. P. Cosper, Chicago. Henry H. Windsor, Street Railway Review, Chicago. Mrs. James Connolly, St. Louis. Charles H. Perrine, Tramway and Railway World, Chicago. Mrs. Charles S. Clark, Philadelphia. Charles Sanford Clarke, Western Electrician, Chicago. Mrs. R. S. Deming, Chicago. W. Forman Collins, Western Electrician, Chicago. Mrs. T. J. Callinan, Chicago. C. E. Kammeyer, Western Electrician, Chicago. Mrs. Victor Angerer, Philadelphia. William E. Keily, Western Electrician, Chicago. Mrs. Theodore P. Bailey, Chicago. T. E. Crossman, stenographer, Street Railway Association, New Mrs. W. B. Allen, Jersey City, N. J. York. Mrs. H. M. Grier, New York. A. B. Weaver, stenographer, Accountants' Association, Buffalo. Mrs. John M. High, New York. Mrs. W. R. Gatton, Chicago. Mrs. W. H. Cord, Chicago. Fire Destroys Car Houses at Cleveland Mrs. J. G. McMichael, Chicago. Mrs. Peter D. Milloy, Jersey City, N. J. The car houses of the Cleveland & Eastern Railway Company Mrs. R. T. Lane, Cleveland. at Gates Mills were destroyed by fire a few days ago, entailing a Mrs. A. L. Haasis, Jersey City, N. J. loss of $100,000. Seven new cars, recently received from the manu- Mrs. S. M. Johnson, Schenectady. facturer, and valued at $5,000 each, were lost, also two steam loco- Mrs. A. A. Hilton, St. Louis. motives, formerly used by the company. The power house, which Mrs. John C. Robinson, Philadelphia. adjoins the car houses, was saved after a desperate struggle with Mrs. H. A. Russell, Schenectady. the flames. Mrs. H. L. Thompson, St. Louis. Mrs. S. J. Minton, Schenectady. Mrs. R. E. Mills, Bridgeport, Conn. Accident in Paris Underground Road Mrs. Frank K. Mills, Cincinnati.

Mrs. J. G. Nitchy, Kansas City. Two trains of the Metropolitan Underground Railroad, of Paris, Mrs. F. H. Newcomb, Brooklyn, N. Y. collided Oct. 19, and twenty-nine persons were injured. The accident Mrs. E. P. Morris, New York. occurred between the Exposition Station, on the Champs Elysees, Miss M. Biergman, New York. and the Place de la Concorde. A train entered the Place de la Miss A. Biergman, New York. Concorde Station, backed out again, and the train following, ow- Mrs. D. F. Webster, Sedalia, Mo. ing to a misunderstanding of signals, crashed into the rear car- Mrs. W. F. Waller, Sedalia, Mo. riage. Luckily, both trains were going slowly. Nevertheless, the Mrs. F. W. Kinmouth, Sandy Hill, N. Y. 1095 November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION IN ATTENDANCE AT THE CONVENTION

Akron, Ohio.— L. E. Beilstein, general manager Northern Davenport, la. —James F. Lardner, general manager; John G. Ohio Traction Company. Huntoon, general superintendent; John D. Fish, electrical en- gineer, Tri-City Railway Company. Asbury Park, N. J. — S. F. Hazelrigg, general manager Atlantic Coast Line Electric Railroad Company. Detroit, Mich.—A. L. Parker, second vice-president Detroit, Rochester, Romeo & Lake Orion Railway Company. Atchison, Kas. —J. A. Bendure, general manager Atchison Rail- way, Light & Power Company. Fall Ri ver, Mass.—Robert S. Goff, president Globe Street Rail- way Company. Atlanta, Ga. —Ernest Woodruff, president; J. R. Gordon, di- Findlay, Ohio. C. D. Kinney, rector, Atlanta Railway & Power Company. — vice-president and treasurer; Charles F. Smith, manager, Findlay Street Railway Company. Augusta, Ga.— D. B. Dyer, president; C. O. Simpson, secretary Fond du Lac, and treasurer, Augusta Railway & Electric Company. Wis.—T. F. Grover, president Fond du Lac Street Railway & Light Company. Birmingham, Ala. —J. B. McClary, general manager; D. B. Hamilton, Dimick, electrical engineer; George H. Harris, chief engineer, Ont.— C. K. Green, manager; J. B. Griffith, purchas- ing agent, Birmingham Railway & Electric Company. Hamilton Street Railway Company. Harrisburg, Pa.—Mason D. Pratt, Boston, Mass.— Charles S. Sergeant, vice-president; Henry L. engineer Harrisburg Trac- tion Wilson, auditor, Boston Elevated Railway Company. Company. Hazleton, Pa.— C. A. Bragg, Lehigh Traction Bridgeton, N. J. —H. J. Crowley, vice-president; B. Frank Company. Hires, general manager, Bridgeton & Millville Traction Company. Hoboken, N. J —W. S. Hall, general superintendent North Hudson County Railway Brockton, Mass.—Elwin C. Foster, general manager Brockton Company. Street Railway Company. Houston, Tex.— H. F. MacGregor, vice-president and general manager Houston Electric Brooklyn, N. Y.—Clinton L. Rossiter, president; Eugene Street Railway Company. Chamberlin, superintendent of equipment; William Robbins, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.—James M. Jones, second vice-president; W. division superintendent; Newton W. Bolen, division superin- F. Milholland, treasurer and assistant secretary; Edward P. tendent; Giles S. Allison, general sales agent, Brooklyn Heights Burch, consulting engineer, Indianapolis Street Railway Com- Railroad Company. pany. Jackson, Miss.— Brookfield, Mass. — E. P. Shaw, Warren, Brookfield & Spencer Frank G. Jones, Jackson Railway, Light & Street Railway Company. Power Company. Jersey City, N. E.. D. Buffalo, N. Y.— C. A. Coons, superintendent Buffalo Railway J.— Hibbs, auditor; G. F. Chapmait, gen- Company. eral superintendent; A. W. Pratt, roadmaster, North Jersey Street Railway Company. Camden, N. J. —Walter E. Harrington, general manager Cam- den & Suburban Railway Company. Johnstown, Pa.—H. C. Evans, director Johnstown Passenger Railway Company. Chester, Pa. —John A. Rigg, president; Joseph C. Lugar, super- intendent, Chester Traction Company. Joliet, 111.— S amuel G. De Coursey, president; F. E. Fisher, gen- eral manager; A. S. Kibbe, engineer, Joliet Railway Company. Chicago, 111. —H. M. Sloan, general manager Calumet Electric Street Railway Company; Robert McCulloch, general manager; Kalamazoo, Mich.—J. B. Foote, chief electrician; R. L. Rand, general superintendent, T. C. Penington, treasurer; C. N. Duffy, auditor; C. E. Wilson, Michigan Traction Company. chief engineer; M. O'Brien, master mechanic; John Sills, assistant Kansas City, Kas.—W. H. Gabriel, vice-president; Herbert W. master mechanic; C. E. Lund, draughtsman, Chicago City Rail- Wolcott, secretary; E. E. Comb, manager; H. E. Gabriel, assist- way Company; John M. Roach, president; T. A. Henderson, gen- ant manager; H. S. Neefe, superintendent; W. H. Hammond, eral superintendent; F. L. Roach, Chicago Consolidated Traction passenger and claim agent; C. K. Stieg, electrical engineer, Company; E. R. Gilbert, general manager Chicago Electric Trac- Kansas City-Leavenworth Railway Company. tion Company; M. Roach, president; Millar, John J. master me- Kansas City, Mo.—W. O. Hands, general manager; Charles E. chanic; George Voigt, electrician, Chicago Union Traction Com- Jack, auditor; H. De Coursey, East Side Electric Railway Com- pany; William Walmsley, superintendent South Chicago City Rail- pany; Walton H. Holmes, president; C. F. Holmes, general man- way Company. ager; L. E. James, vice-president; D. B. Holmes, counsel; W. E. Cincinnati, Ohio. —W. H. Harris, Cincinnati Street Railway Kirkpatrick, secretary and treasurer; J. A. Harder, auditor; W. A. Company. Satterlee, superintendent; J. W. Carter, assistant superintendent;. H. C. Schwitzgebel, purchasing Cleveland, Ohio. —John Ehrhardt, assistant secretary; C. B. agent; D. W. Dozier, chief en- gineer; Easty, master mechanic, Cleveland City Railway Company; Ira W. G. Becker, master mechanic; Charles Grover, elec- trical engineer; A. MacCormack, general manager; W. G. McDole, auditor; E. C. Edward Butts, line engineer, Metropolitan Street Railway Company. Faber, general passenger agent; W.' J. White, Cleveland Electric Railway Company. Knoxville, Tenn. — Robert Kinsell Howard, superintendent Colorado Springs, Col. — Frank C. Lawton, superintendent Knoxville Traction Company. Colorado Springs Rapid Transit Railway Company. Lebanon, Pa.—Dr. Walter A. Rigg, director; K. A. Fichthorn, Columbia, Pa. —Frank S. Given, general manager Canostoga director, Lebanon Valley Street Railway Company. Traction Company. Lowell, Mass. — E. C. Foster, general manager Lowell, Law- Columbus, Ohio. —Michael S. Hopkins, general superintendent; rence & Haverhill Street Railway Company.

P. V. Burington, secretary and auditor, Columbus Railway Com- Louisville, Ky.—T. J. Miliary, president; T. H. Miliary, assist- pany. ant superintendent of construction; Samuel G. Boyle, secretary Council Bluffs, la. —W. S. Dimmock, general manager; W. and treasurer, Louisville Railway Company. G. Denny, foreman of shops, Omaha & Council Bluffs Railway & London, Ont. — C. E. A. Carr. general manager, secretary and Bridge Company. treasurer; E. R. Carrington, London Street Railway Company. Dallas, Tex.— G. Van Ginkel, president Dallas Consolidated Lynn, Mass. — E. C. Foster, general manager Lynn & Boston Electric Street Railway Company. Railroad Company.

Danville, 111. —Samuel L. Nelson, general manager; Harry Memphis, Tenn.—Frank G. Jones, vice-president and general Evans, Danvillle Street Railway & Light Company. manager Memphis Street Railway Company. Dayton, Ohio.—Charles L. S. Tingley, secretary and treasurer Meriden, Conn. — N. H. Heft, president Meriden Electric Rail- People's Railway Company. road Company. Miss. John Kamper, Denver, Col. —J. B. Hogarth, Denver City Tramway Company. Meridian, — Meridian Street Railroad & Des Moines, la. —A. G. Maish, secretary; W. G. Owens, su- Power Company. F. Wattles, perintendent; E. R. Emmons, J. E. Welch, Thomas Marlow, Des Merrimac, Mass. —James director; Charles S. Clark, Moines City Railway Company. director, Haverhill & Amesbury Street Railway Company. 1096 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

Milwaukee, Wis.—John I. Beggs, general manager; T. E. Mit- Louis & Suburban Railway Company; George W. BaumhofT, gen- eral ten, general superintendent; G. J. Sunny, special agent, Milwaukee manager; R. M. Douglass, superintendent; Frank J. Suda, Electric Railway & Light Company. assistant auditor; Frank J. Duffy, paymaster, St. Louis Transit Company. Nashville, Tenn.—F. W. Child, director Nashvillle Street Rail- way. Syracuse) N. Y.—Edward G. Connette, vice-president and gen- New Orleans, La. —W. B. Brockway, assistant secretary and eral manager Syracuse Rapid Transit Company. auditor New Orleans & Carrollton Railroad Company. Terre Haute, Ind. — G. C. Tripp, treasurer; M. C. George, elec- trician; B. N. Grosvenor, master mechanic, Terre Haute Electric N. Y. Herbert H. Vreeland, president; Dr. New York, — J. J. Company. Higgins, physician. Metropolitan Street Railway Company. Topeka, Kan. — Clifford C. Baker, president and treasurer; J. G. North Adams, Mass.—W. T. Nary, superintendent Hoosac Slonecker, secretary; Charles Blood Smith, director; J. H. Mc- Valley Street Railway Company. Cahan, superintendent of construction; Albert M. Patten, C. W. Norristown, Pa. —John A. Rigg, president; Samuel D. Missi- Hixon, Topeka Railway Company. mer, chief engineer, Schuylkill Traction Company. Toronto, Ont.—J. M. Smith, general manager; M. Powers, Oil City, Pa.—James H. Forbush, superintendent Oil City Street Toronto Railway Company. Railway Company. Trenton, N. J. —John A. Rigg, vice-president; Peter Hurley, Omaha, Neb.—W. A. Smith, general manager; F. A. Tucker, superintendent, Trenton Street Railway Company. general superintendent, Omaha Street Railway Company. Venice, 111. —Fred E. Allen, president; E. J. Spencer, secretary, Venice, Madison & Granite City Railway Company. Ottawa, 111. — F. S. Donnell, president Ottawa Railway, Light & Power Company. Washington, D. C. —George H. Harrier, vice-president; William F. Ham, treasurer, Columbia Railway Company. Ottawa, Ont. J. E. Hutcheson, superintendent Ottawa Elec- — Waterbury, Conn.— Charles M. Heminway, cashier Connecticut Company. tric Railway Lighting & Power Company. Pasadena, Cal. W. H. Smith, general manager Los Angeles & — Webb City, Mo.—A. H. Rogers, president; E. J. Pratt, elec- Pasadena Electric Railway Company. trical superintendent, South West Missouri Electric Railway Com- Peoria, 111. — L. E. Myers, general manager; N. C. Draper, su- pany. perintendent, Peoria & Pekin Terminal Railway Company. Westwood, Mass.—John R. Graham, Norfolk Western Street Philadelphia, Pa. —John A. Rigg, president; C. C. Long, elec- Railway Company. trical engineer, Holmesburg, Tacconey & Frankfort Electric Rail- Wilkesbarre, Pa.—John A. Rigg, president; T. A. Wright, su- way Company; John A. Rigg, president; George Hoeger, superin- perintendent, Wilkesbarre & Wyoming Valley Traction Com- tendent, Roxborough, Chestnut Hill & Norristown Railway Com- pany. pany. Wilmington, Del. —John A. Rigg, president; A. V. Arrow- smith, director, Wilmington City Railway Company. Pittsburgh, Pa. —George S. Davison, general manager Monon- gahela Street Railway Company; Charles Fitzgerald, superin- Willoughby, Ohio.— Charles W. Wason, president Cleveland, tendent; Robert T. Todd, general master mechanic, consolidated Painesville & Eastern Railroad Company. Traction Company; C. S. Mitchell, auditor United Traction Com- Worcester, Mass.—A. H. Stone, treasurer Worcester Consoli- pany. dated Street Railway Company. Port Chester, N Y. — G. Stanley Heft, electrical engineer Port Youngstown, Ohio.—A. A. Anderson, general manager and Chester Street Railway Company. treasurer Mahoning Valley Railway Company. Portland, Maine.—W. R. Wood, president; E. A. Newman, gen- eral manager; C. C. Pierce, general electrician, Portland Railway Company; William E. Dow, assistant superintendent; George E. Representatives of Companies Not Members of the Raynes, starter, Portland & Yarmouth Electric Railway Com- Association pany. Port Huron, Mich.—A. Dixon, president; W. L. Jenks, treas- Belleville, 111. —Robert Skeen, electrician; B. S. Hume, St. urer; H. A. Dixon, manager, City Electric Railway Company. Louis & Belleville Traction Company. Quincy, 111. —W. B. McKinley, secretary; L. O. Williams, super- Carrollton, Mo.—Frank V. Crouch, president Carrollton Elec- intendent, Quincy Horse Railway & Carrying Company. tric Railway Company. la. Holbrook, chief engineer Cedar Quincy, Mass.—John R. Graham, president and general man- Cedar Rapids, —Royal H. ager Quincy & Boston Railway Company. Rapids & Marion City Railway Company. Chicago, 111. —George B. Henington, Illinois & Rock River Reading, Pa. John A. Rigg. president; Samuel E. Rigg, super- — Railway Company. intendent, United Traction Company. Cleveland. Ohio.—H. B. Isler, William Lintern, Cleveland, Rochester, N. Y.—J. H. Stedman, manager of transfers Ro- Elyria & Western Railway Company. chester Railway Company. Detroit, Mich.—J. M. Mulkey, Toledo & Monroe Railway Com- Rockford, 111. —R. N. Baylies, president; T. M. Stephenson, pany. .manager, Rockford Railway, Light & Power Company. hast St. Louis. 111.— M. M. Stephens, C, C. & East St. Louis Salt Lake City, Utah. —Walter P. Read, superintendent Salt Electric Railroad Company. Lake City Railroad Company. Leavenworth, Kan.— C. L. Hughes, cashier Leavenworth Elec- tric Railroad Company. Saratoga, N. Y.-— E. A. Noyes, president; F. P. King, general Lincoln, Neb. H. C. Hartley, Lincoln Traction Company. manager, Saratoga Traction Company. — New York, N. Y.— F. W. Toppan, secretary Bay State Traction Schenectady, N. Y.—J. R. Lovejoy, director; W. Gibson Carey, Company. director, Schenectady Railway Company. Piqua, Ohio.— C. S. Bidwell, general superintendent Miami Seattle, Wash.— Charles F. Wallace, engineer Seattle Electric Valley Railway Company. Company. Sandy Hill. N. Y.— F. W. Kinmouth, superintendent Glens Sioux City, la. —J. Henry Richer, secretary; E. O. Holmes, Falls, Sandy Hill & Fort Edward Street Railroad Company. superintendent; C. M. Feist, master mechanic, Sioux City Trac- San Diego, Cal.—James Restine, chief electrician San Diego tion Company. Electric Railway Company. Spokane, Wash. — L. R. Notbohm, superintendent Washington Sedalia, Mo.—W. F. Waller, receiver; D. F. Webster, Sedalia Water Power Company. Electric & Railwav Company. Springfield. 111. —C. K. Miliary, manager; T. H. Minary. elec- Selma. Ala.—W. R. Hall. Selma Street & Suburban Railway trical engineer, Springfield Consolidated Electric Railway Com- Company. pany. Washington, D. C. —J. Colvin. superintendent Washington, Springfield, Ohio.—John H. Miller, general manager Spring- Arlington & Mt. Vernon Railway Company. field Railway Company. Waupaca. Wis.—Irving P. Lord, president Waupaca Electric St. Joseph, Mich.—W. Worth Bean, president St. Joseph & Light & Railway Company. Benton Harbor Electric Railway & Light Company. Leavenworth, Kan.—O. D. Henry, superintendent; K. K. St. Joseph, Mo.—W. T. Van Brunt, vice-president and general Chapin, inspector; W. H. Hammond, H. S. de Neefe, Kansas City manager; J. H. Van Brunt, superintendent; T. C. Smallwood, O. & Leavenworth Railway Company. T. Kass, St. Joseph Railway, Light, Heat & Power Company. Rockford, 111. —T. M. Ellis, general manager Rockford Railway,- St. Louis. Mo. —Thomas M. Jenkins, general manager; Herbert Light & Power Company. O. Rockwell, assistant to general manager; Nathan Smith, elec- St. Louis. Mo.—J, Boyle Price, purchasing agent St. Louis

trical engineer; Charles S. Butts, E. J. Smith, T. C. Kimben, St, Transit Company. November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

EXHIBITS AT THE CONVENTION

THE CUTTER ELECTRICAL & MANUFACTURING COM- THE COMPRESSED AIR COMPANY, of New York, oc- PANY, of Philadelphia, represented by V. C. Gilpin, exhibited cupied a large space at the Convention Hall, and was well repre- with McGill, Porter & Berg, its Western agents. The central and sented by H. D. Cooke, president of the company, well assisted by most interesting feature was an enormous I. T. E. circuit breaker William E. Selleck, general manager of the Western department, for 5000 amps, at 600 volts, built for the Metropolitan West Side and H. A. Hudson, both of Chicago. The company had for distri- Elevated Railroad, of Chicago. This breaker had a large copper bution a quantity of interesting literature, relating to the use of leaf area of contact, but made final break through carbon plates. compressed air for street railway service, and had many inquiries to answer in regard to the operation of compressed air motors in THE SPEER CARBON COMPANY, of St. Mary's, Pa., was New York, Chicago and Rome, N. Y. It was easy to answer these well represented by its exhibit with McGill, Porter & Berg, its inquiries very satisfactorily, and much interest was expressed by

Western agents, and by J. S. Speer. the delegates present in the new motive power.

GENERAL VIEW OF CONVENTION HALL

M'GILL, BERG, whose headquarters are in Chicago, THE J. G. BRILL COMPANY, of Philadelphia, occupied one PORTER & of the large parlors on the mezzanine floor, in which were shown had a large exhibit of the various lines which they handle in com- handsome models of the company's several kinds of trucks, photo- mon with some of the companies for which they are agents. I. T. graphs of cars and descriptive matter. The company intended, up E. circuit breakers, National car heaters, Speer carbons, Morris to within a short period before the convention, to make a regular rail bonds, Morris hydraulic splicing press, Woods patent car gate, exhibit, as usual, at the Convention Hall. The works of the com- New Haven car registers, Hunter car signs, Syracuse changeable pany, however, at Philadelphia have been so full, during the past headlights, Orient incandescent lamps, Monarch paint and M. P. trolley months, with orders from all parts at the world, that it became & B. trolley wheels, rope, insulating tape, trolley harps and evident that a set of trucks could only be diverted to Kansas City wheel bushings were among the numerous things filling their large for exhibition purposes by delaying delivery on some important exhibit space. These people distributed a crop of butterflies that order. As the managers did not feel like disappointing any cus- stuck wherever they lit, and created quite a sensation opening tomer in this way, they finally decided to exhibit models and morning. This enterprising Chicago firm is doing a fine business photographs only. These answered very well, however, to illus- in its territory, as was shown by the crowd of visitors always found trate the principles underlying the Brill trucks, while the appear- at its headquarters, and the menu it offered its customers was an ance of the latest cars built was full}' shown by photographs. original piece of work. Max A. Berg and E. R. Mason, of Chi- Many inquiries were made for John A. Brill, vice-president of the cago, were in charge. company, and much regret was expressed that he was unable to THE STAR BRASS WORKS, of Kalamazoo, Mich., had an lie present. As stated elsewhere, Mr. Brill was obliged to be in able and well known representative in the person of George E. Virginia. The company was well represented, however, by G. Pratt, now its Eastern representative at Philadelphia. It also had Martin Brill, S. M. Curwen, W. H. Heulings, Jr., George M. Has- a finely arranged exhibit of Kalamazoo trolley wheels and harps. kell and D. B. Dean, the company's Western manager. Mr. Dean These wheels are cast of pure copper by a patent process, and are

has until recently been connected with the Terre Haute Car ft softer than the wire, though tough and ductile. They have a grease Foundry Company, and. is well known and popular in the trade, chamber around the graphite bushing, which does away with the 1098 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

necessity of oiling, except at infrequent intervals. Records of for heavy interurban work, two 30-in. wheels with 2}4-in. tread, various wheels were shown, one 6-in. wheel running 35,000 miles, one 22-in. pony wheel for maximum traction trucks, with 3-in. and one 4-in. wheel running 23,000 miles. The factory is now very tread, one 18-in., and one 18-in. pony wheel, and a number of much crowded, being 18,000 trolley wheels behind orders. chilled test pieces. C. K. Knickerbocker and George D. Casgrain represented the company. The company's Kansas City foundry CHISHOLM & MOORE MANUFACTURING COM- was also a practical exhibit for those of the delegates who visited

PANY, Cleveland, Ohio, maker of the American standard rail- it. joint, exhibited samples of this well known and tried boltless joint, under charge of W. E. Ludlow, one of the directors of the THE KNELL COMPANY, of Battle Creek, Mich., has recently in the company. This company is also one of the prominent makers of which become a successful competitor chain hoists, traveling cranes and pneumatic tools, of which Mr. street railway air brake field, was represented by Anthony H. Ludlow bad a number of photographs to show to those interested. Metzelaar, general manager, and R. F. Hoffmaster, treasurer. The exhibit consisted of this company's geared axle-driven air com- pressor, with cylinder, 4-in. diameter by 7^2-in. stroke, and auxil- iary air brake appliances. This compressor is winning its way through its simplicity, which is a subject of much favorable com- ment. The compressor is driven by a center crank, the crank be- ing driven by a pair of gears from the axle at a slower speed than the axle itself. The pinion on the axle is split, so that it can be put on and taken off without disturbing the wheels. The system has an automatic cut-off, which lets the compressor discharge into the air whenever the air pressure reaches the amount for which the cut-off is set. This company puts on a compressor of such a size that most of the air is pumped while the car is coming to a stop after the brakes are applied, thus utilizing waste energy.

THE MORRIS ELECTRIC COMPANY, of New York, with Elmer P. Morris as representative, exhibited with McGill, Porter & Berg, its Western agents. National car heaters and Morris rail bonds are among the better known goods. A hydraulic press for compressing a copper sleeve to make a sleeve joint between wires was one of the novelties. The Wood patent car gate and Hunter car sign were also shown, together with Morris car trimmings and bell rope.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL THE H. W. JOHNS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, New York, had a very interesting exhibit to the progressive electrical man, especially in the way of fuses and heaters. The Sachs en- THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTER COMPANY, of Chi- closed Noa^k fuses, which have a chemical filling which becomes cago, exhibited its well known stationary and portable fare reg- an insulator when the fuse blows, and destroys the arc, were shown isters, also a new type double register, having separate trip reg- for amperages from 250 milliamperes to 600 amps, in a single isters, as well as totalizers, and operated by a single rod. The tube, for low voltages, and for from 110 volts to 20,000 volts. mechanism of this machine is constructed almost wholly- of cold These fuses all have an indicating fine wire shunt on the outside rolled steel, no cast iron parts whatever being used. The striking to show whether the fuse is blown or not. Other electrical goods feature of this machine is the very large, distinct trip figures, which of interest shown by this company were vulcabeston for controller make it especially desirable for long cars, now so generally com- guards, brush holders and other places requiring heat resistance ing into use. The aluminum dials first introduced by this com- in an insulator, electric heaters, overhead mica molded insulators, pany, are now recognized as the best material for register dials. Philadelphia type, section insulators. The newest product shown The representatives report the factory filled up with orders for was an Edison fuse plug, provided with a Sachs enclosed fuse, the several months ahead, and the prospects for new business better fuse part being easily replaceable without destroying the plug. En- than ever. They were represented by A. H. Woodward, president; closed fuse car cut-outs in 200-amp. and 400-amp. sizes were W. H. Brown, secretary and treasurer, and Charles E. Pratt, su- prominent. This company reports a big rush in all departments, perintendent. type C panel heaters being especially in great demand. A. Hall THE GRIFFIN WHEEL COMPANY, Chicago, had a large Berry, manager electrical department; Joseph Sachs, engineer; central space, in which it exhibited a number of different types of D. T. Dickson, Philadelphia branch; J. W. Perry, Philadelphia; wheels and axles. This company has made axles for several years, H. D. Bayne, Pittsburgh, and S. H. Finney and W. R. Kendall, of the Manville Covering Company, Western agents, were present. THE MERCANTILE LUMBER & SUPPLY COMPANY, of Kansas City, wliose exhibit was in charge of H. W. Jacques, manager, and W. JtV. Graham, sales agent, makes a specialty of finishing wood polfe and ties, but is also agent for the Carborun-

dum Company, of Niagara Falls, N. Y. ; the Star Headlight Com- pany, of Syracuse, N. Y., and the Streeter Brake-Shoe Company, of Chicago, all of whose products were shown. THE STREETER BRAKE-SHOE COMPANY, of Chicago, was represented by George W. Evans, Eastern sales agent, who had an exhibit with the Kansas City agent, the Mercantile Lumber & Supply Company.

THE STAR HEADLIGHT COMPANY, of Utica, N. Y., was represented by its Kansas City agent, the Mercantile Lumber & Supply Company, which had an exhibit. THE TAYLOR ELECTRIC TRUCK COMPANY, Troy, N. Y., was unfortunate in not being able to get the wheels for its truck exhibit in time, but had a fine display of truck frames, neverthe- less. John Taylor, manager of the company, was in charge, as- sisted by Robert N. Kasson. All the trucks embodied recent im- EXHIBIT OF THE CUTLER-HAMMER MANUFACTURING CO. provements for supporting extra long and heavy cars. An 8-ft. wheel base, single truck, a set of Empire State radial trucks, a set motion double trucks, a set of but through its representatives called special attention to that fact of the company's regular swing pattern, especially designed for this year. The exhibit consisted of three pairs of 33-in. wheels extra heavy trucks of the same favorable from on axles, one 36-in., curved arm standard pattern, one 33-in. re- heavy service and high speeds, attracted comment verse dish wheel, one 33-in. double plate wheel, with 25^-in. tread visiting master mechanics. November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1099

THE M'GUIRE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, Chicago, twelve-heater equipment for a 25-ft. cross-seat car. Special atten- placed one of its combination snow plow and sweepers just across tion was called to the fact that the heat is distributed over the en- the street from the convention hall, and it was one of the first tire length of the heater on all three points of the controlling familiar objects to greet the eye of the delegate. Inside the hall switch, and this was illustrated by lamps placed in the heaters. the company had its new double truck No. 39, adopted by the The United Traction Company, of Albany, loaned a heater from a Chicago Union Traction Company for long cars. It is very simple, six-heater equipment for this exhibit that had been in use eight having a four-part steel frame and locomotive finish. It had also years, from 1892 to 1900, and was in perfect condition, the coils on the floor a maximum traction truck, and a Columbian single retaining their shape, and with but a very thin coating of oxide truck, and in the Westinghouse exhibit a Pittsburgh type single formed on the wire.

SOME IMPORTANT EXHIBITS truck, equipped with motors. In addition to trucks and sweeper THE NATIONAL LEAD COMPANY, makers of "Phoenix" the company, of course, showed its Royal Flush fender, New babbitt metal and National Lead Company warranted half and Columbian car heater and elastic brake hanger. Vice-President half solder, had a handsomely arranged booth and a large corps Walter H. Baker, C. Younglove, George T. W. J. Cooke, who never misses a convention, and T. J. Callinan of representatives. J. were in charge of the exhibit. Mr. Cooke distributed a neat Faxon, J. R. Boyd, Arthur Benzel and George E. O'Neil were aluminum cover memorandum tablet, showing a McGuire double present. A large bell of Phoenix babbitt metal was mounted at truck in relief on the back cover. one end of this company's space, and occasionally sent forth a considerable volume of sound. "Collier," "Southern" and "Red THE CONSOLIDATED CAR HEATING COMPANY, Al- Seal" brands of pure old Dutch process white lead were also its representative, P. Cosper, in at- bany, N. Y., had Chicago W. among this company's famous products exhibited. tendance, and also Cornell S. Hawley, New York, and William H. Fulton, mechanical inspector, Albany. 1 ne exhibit comprised THE WHEEL TRUING BRAKE-SHOE COMPANY, of heaters suitable for all forms of standard and special street car Detroit, Mich., exhibited its brake-shoe in charge of J. M. Griffin, seats, including the regular panel heater for side seats, and a president. This shoe is simply an iron frame of the same form as I IOO STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

a brake-shoe, filled with an abrasive composition. The shoe is put complish the same result. The company was ably represented by on in place of the ordinary iron shoe whenever a flat wheel occurs, James Watson, John E. Ward and E. H. Gold. and is kept in service until the flat spot has been ground off. Over MUCH REGRET was expressed at the absence of John A. 200 roads use this shoe, including the Boston Elevated, Milwaukee Brill, who has always been a regular attendant of former con- Electric Railway, Denver Tramway and the principal roads at San ventions. Mr. Brill has not been in very good health, and is Francisco, Washington and Kansas City. It seems to have solved spending a few weeks at Hot Springs, Va. the flat wheel problem for the roads using it, and now that the difficulty originally experienced in securing a suitable abrasive F. W. DARLINGTON, president of the Darlington Electric composition has been overcome, the factory is running night and Fountain & Supply Company, of Philadelphia, was present at the day to fill orders. convention, and had some circulars relating to his electric foun- tains. The circular contained an illustration of the fountain in- J. R. M'CARDELL & COMPANY, of Trenton, N. J., had on stalled at Willow Grove Park, at Philadelphia, by Mr. Darlington. exhibition one of their tower wagons, built for the St. Louis

Transit Company. The wagon was in charge of J. R. McCardell, THE PENNSYLVANIA STEEL COMPANY made no ex- who exhibited to the delegates present the ease with which the hibit, but was represented by Charles S. Clark, of Boston; Mason working platform can be raised and lowered, and set at any po- D. Pratt and C. W. Reinoehl, of Steelton; F. W. Edmunds, of sition desired. Chicago, and J. G. Miller, of St. Louis.

EXHIBIT OF THE PECKHAM TRUCK CO. EXHIBIT OF THE B. & R. ELECTRIC CD.

EXHIBIT OF THE STANDARD UNDERGROUND CABLE CO. EXHIBIT OF THE CHRISTENbEN ENGINEERING CO.

THE GOLD STREET CAR HEATING COMPANY, of New J. H. STEDMAN, of Rochester, was a prominent and popular York, had an attractive booth, in which was exhibited a full line attendant at the convention, and with an extra number of good of its electric heaters, principally for street railway service, but stories. He also did some good business in his transfer tickets. also including a number of designs for waiting rooms and other of buildings. The special feature of the exhibit, and one which at- THE JOHN A. ROEBLING'S SONS COMPANY, tracted much attention, was a new type of heater with wrought Trenton, N. J., had no exhibit, but the able representation by iron casing. This heater embodies all of the interior constructive Marston R. Cockey, of New York; G. W. Swan, of New York, the reputation features of the old heater, but the exterior case is quite novel. It and U. G. Tingley, of Trenton, N. J., together with is made of No. 14 sheet iron, reducing in this way the weight of a of the company, made an exhibit unnecessary. car equipment at least 100 lbs. over the old cast-iron equipment. THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, The importance of this saving in weight to a railway company can of Cincinnati, exhibited its new slow-starting controller handle in easily be estimated. The use of this material also makes' a very the Ridlon Company's space. P. F. Harten looked after the de- attractive case, in fact one more ornamental than the older cast- vice, and explained it to possible customers. It is a controller iron form. The company also showed a new three-point switch, handle working on the principle of a ratchet, and allowing the capable of carrying and breaking 35 amps, at 500 volts. A novel motorman to go only one notch at a time. feature of this switch is that it can be turned in either direction. This saves unnecessary wear on the points, as the handle can be THE FRANK RIDLON COMPANY. 200 Summer Street, turned backward through one point to reduce the heat, instead of Boston, was represented by its popular vice-president, Charles N. turning it continuously in a forward direction through zero to ac- Wood, The Wilson trolley catcher, of which about 7000 are in, November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1 101

use, was a center of interest. The Kilbourn track sanding device pany for presenting a continuous surface to the trolley wheel. and the slow-starting controller handle of the Electric Railway Among the photographs of doors installed the one of a door 36 Equipment Company, of Cincinnati, as well as the Conant rail- ft. wide and 20 ft. high attracted unusual notice. bond testing device for testing rail-bond conductivity in terms of rail lengths by the Wheatstone bridge and telephone receiver THE LEA ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, method, were other leading features, besides which was the of Elwood, Ind., had an exhibit of Lea inclosed arc lamps, with Beverly vestibule brake handle. P. F. Harten, of the Electric Rail- W. M. Porter, general sales agent, in charge. The feature of this way Equipment Company, of Cincinnati, was also in attendance exhibit that attracted most attention from street railway men was at this booth, in the interests of the controller handle. the arc headlight.

THE GARTON-DANIELS COMPANY, of Keokuk, la., THE CREAGHEAD ENGINEERING COMPANY, Cincin- showed the "Automotoneer," in a perfected form, applied to a nati, made its usual extensive exhibit of overhead line material, type K controller. This device enforces a pause on each notch of flexible brackets, malleable iron .fittings for iron and wood poles, a controller, and may be adjusted to allow the starting of a car in cross arms, malleable pins, etc. Its exhibit was tastefully ar- seven, ten or twelve seconds, as may be desired. It will effect a ranged, and a series of large photographs showed its material in

EXHIBITS OF CONTINUOUS RAIL JOINT CO., STANDARD PAINT CO. AND HAROLD P. BROWN

reduction in maximum demand for current, and will save repair use in all parts of the world. G. R. Scrugham, superintendent of bills and accidents, as it requires the proper handling of the con- the company, was in charge. troller. In an emergency stop, where the motors are to be re- versed, this device prevents the motorman throwing the handle too THE BIERBAUM & MERRICK METAL COMPANY, Buf- far, which almost invariably throws the circuit-breaker, or burns falo, N. Y., had a handsome little display of "Lumen" bronze out a fuse, so that the operator loses control of his car. Much bearings and trolley wheels. The trolley wheels of this company interest was shown in this device. This company also exhibited have soft steel flanges and copper bearing grooves. E. P. Sharp, a full line of its standard lightning arresters, which have attained manager street railway department, was present. such a remarkable record. A station panel, carrying three 600- kicking-coils and three arresters, was also shown. A tele- amp. THE PARROTT VARNISH COMPANY, though not an ex- phone extension ringer, that is being placed on the market by the hibitor, sent its St. Louis railway representative. R. E. Mills. 610 Garton-Daniels Company, attracted considerable attention, as it Holland Building. This company does a large business in car differs from others on the market in being self-restoring. The varnishes. company was represented by J. V. E. Titus, secretary, and V. J. Van Horn. THE HAM SAND BOX COMPANY, of Troy, N. Y., was THE G. P. MAGANN AIR BRAKE COMPANY, of De- represented by R. H. and A. W. Ham, who showed the company's troit, Mich., represented by its manager, E. C. Rutherford, pre- new spiral spring steel hose, which can be put at any angle without sented a very tastefully arranged booth in the convention hall, buckling. Snow or ice that may gather therein are easily re-

EXHIBIT OF THE H. W. JOHNS MANUFACTURING CO. EXHIBIT OF THE PITTSBURGH REDUCTION CO. using principally as its exhibit for this convention the cars on the moved by pulling the spring down to the track or rail, and Kansas City-Leavenworth Railway, on which lines its brakes have quickly letting it go. This is a feature peculiar to the Ham sand been in operation for the past year, and which have given the box. The company also showed three of its latest boxes. Nos. 5, use. is greatest satisfaction. By the kindness of the Kansas City-Leaven- 6 and 7, and demonstrated their practical The company worth road, verbal invitations were issued to members of the doing an enormous business abroad; during the past eighteen American Street Railway Association for a trip over the road, and months it has shipped, among others, 1290 boxes to the Glasgow a great many availed themselves of this opportunity of examin- Corporation Tramways. 4000 to the Electric Railway & Tram- Cadiot ing the G. P. Magann Storage Air Brake System, which has been way Carriage Works, Preston, England ; 100 boxes to E. H. so much to the front for the past several years. & Company. Paris; 160 boxes to the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, etc. Among the other big roads ordering THE KINNEAR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of Co- these boxes during the past year in America are the Brooklyn lumbus, Ohio, represented by F. C. Schmidt, secretary, had a Heights Railroad Company, 700. and the American Railways sample of its rolling car house door on exhibition. This sample Company, 100. The various car builders have used, within the past showed the special trolley arrangement employed by this mm year, over 1500 boxes, I I02 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

THE BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, which, at the THE MAYER & ENGLUND COMPANY, of Philadelphia, meeting of the association in St. Louis, exhibited a large hollow- Pittsburgh and New York, were represented by C. J. Mayer, Will- forged steel shaft, that is now one of several operating the power iam A. Armstrong, Jr., and H. G. Lewis. These gentlemen had plant of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad in Chicago, and many friends at the convention, and all users, of whom there were which, last year, at the Chicago meeting, had an exhibit of hollow- many, spoke in the highest terms of the apparatus supplied by forged steel shafts operating almost every power plant in that them. city, called attention to the fact that Kansas City is not behind in THE WALWORTH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of progressiveness, by pointing to the hollow shafts in the Kaw Boston, was represented by Herbert L. Rideout. This company is River power house. It has been said that the enormous units a well known manufacturer of brass and iron goods and piping now installed in the power plants of the Metropolitan Traction tools. The articles on exhibition were high-pressure gate valves

VIEWS TAKEN AROUND CONVENTION HALL

Company and the proposed stations of. the Manhattan Elevated and special blow-off cocks, also the Van Stone joint, a well ap- Railroad in New York City, and the Boston Elevated Railroad in proved method of applying flanges to pipe for high service. The Boston, are made possible by the use of this type of shaft. By no exhibit also included a steam and air whistle. The Waiworth other method of manufacture could a shaft be made that would Manufacturing Company is a big contractor for installing power be sufficiently strong and light. H. F. J. Porter, who represented house piping, as the many street railway contracts carried out by the company, showed not only to the members of the association, the company testify. The company also manufactures the Wal- but to many of the supply men, who are manufacturers, steel chips worth "Klingfast" pipe vise and the Walworth vise, the Ashley which have been cut from castings and forgings at his works at patent right and left nipple holder, Walworth die plates, Miller's speeds which seem to be incomprehensible. Some of these chips patent reversible ratchet die plates, Smith's patent friction drill have been cut at a speed which would be attained in turning wood. stocks, and the Stillson adjustable pipe wrench. The introduction into shops of the tool steel which does this work is destined to revolutionize not only the machine tool industry, but F. H. NEWCOMB, of Brooklyn, N. Y., the well known maker machine shop practice as well. of uniform caps, showed a full line of caps, which the company November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1 103

claims are in use by 50 per cent of the roads in this country. In the Nichols protected heel switch, which is attracting considerable addition to the work in this country, Mr. Newcomb says that he is attention among street railway men. The ductility of the man- preparing to reach tramways abroad, as letters show that these ganese steel is demonstrated in the shape of bent pieces of that remarkable metal, and the solidity of this work was shown by sec- tions through the body of the pieces as they are cast together in the method of their manufacture. The whole exhibit was made especially attractive through its arrangement, and through the ex- hibition of numerous and large photographs, showing the com- pany's works, also some remarkable special work layouts, as put together in the yard, blue prints of the company's working plans, etc.

THE DUFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of Alle- gheny, Pa., was represented by J. Barrett, manager and vice-presi- dent. The company exhibited a full line of lever, track and oil- well jacks.

THE JOSEPH DIXON CRUCIBLE COMPANY, of Jersey City, N. J., which makes such a variety of graphite products, suit- able for electric railways, had a full representation, both in men and products. Sam Mayer and Dudley A. Johnson, of the Chicago branch ; Wm. B. Allen and E. A. St. John, Western salesmen, and A. L. Haasis, Eastern salesman, made it pleasant for visitors. Graphite resistance rods, graphite for dash-pots, graphite brushes, filament winders (on which incandescent lamp filaments are baked), graphited wood grease for stopping noise of gears, and at the same time affording a lubricant that will not ooze out of the EXHIBIT OF THE NEW HAVEN CAR REGISTER CO. gear casing, graphite curve grease, lubricating graphite, graphite commutator dressing, graphite motor brushes and graph- goods can be supplied from America to advantage. Mr. New- ite paint for trolley poles were all included in the exhibit. A comb gave out as a souvenir a dating stamp, good for six years, souvenir pencil, with puzzle attachment for the button hole, af- and showing a New York Cen forded food for reflection by tral & Hudson River Railroad the studiously inclined. conductor's cap. THE GARL ELECTRIC FISKE BROTHERS RE- COMPANY, of Akron, Ohio, FINING COMPANY, of New had a display of especial interest York, the well known makers to interurban roads. This com- of "Lubroleine," were repre- pany has a block signal system sented by E. H. Chapin, who for single-track roads which can very ably looked after the in- be used either as a visual or terests of his company. Mr. audible signal—when the latter, Chapin was, as usual, one of a blank cartridge explodes in the the most popular representatives, signal box whenever two cars owing to his ready wit and approach each other within a his quick repartee. Mr. Chapin mile. Combined with this block gave out as a souvenir a very system is a portable telephone, pretty little mirror, with celluloid which can be used for communi- back, and a pin cushion around cation with the main office over the edges. the signal wires. The main office can also signal a train to stop at THE STANDARD PAINT any signal in case of a change of COMPANY, of New York, had time. This company makes a sec- an attractive space, in which tional fish pole for telephone EXHIBIT OF THE were shown "P. & B." electrical CURTAIN SUPPLY CO connection from the ground to compounds, paints, waterproof a telephone line wire, or pair of insulating tapes, armature varnish, insulating papers, motor cloth wires, anywhere along the line. Intercommunicating telephone sets and ruberoid roofing. The company gave as a souvenir a very nice, and automatic fire- alarms completed the exhibit. Max Schumacher, useful combination blotter pad, and was well represented by J. C. Shainwald, Western manager, and by J. F. Hicks, of Chicago.

THE HALE & KILBURN COMPANY, of Philadelphia, was represented by its Western manager, H. T. Bigelow, of Chicago. The company showed a large number of seats, including the "walk over" seats, upholstered in various materials, also longitudinal seating, with combination construction. The seats, with patented grab handles, attracted much attention.

WILLIAM WHARTON, JR., & COMPANY, Incorporated, of Philadelphia, had, as usual, an attractive booth at the conven- tion, filled with the latest improvements in track work. The com-

pany was represented by Victor Angerer, of Philadelphia, and J. C. Robinson, of Boston. Although the company manufactures all kinds of special track work for street railways and steam railroads as well, particular stress was evidently laid in the exhibit on its manganese steel special work, which is growing more and more in favor, on account of its phenomenal wearing qualities. Ex- amples of this wear were exhibited in the shape of a wornout frog, which had sustained the traffic of 1,657,000 cars on a curve of 44-ft. radius, the head of the rail having been almost entirely worn away, while the manganese steel center of the frog is still in fair condition. The manganese steel center of another frog was also

exhibited, which had 2,570,000 cars over it on a straight run, and it EXHIBIT OF JR., is remarkable how comparatively little wear it showed. Samples WM. WHARTON, & CO. of the company's standard manganese steel center girder rail work, and also solid manganese steel work for T-rail track were shown, secretary and treasurer, and M. Garl, superintendent, were in at- besides the well known Wharton unbroken main line switch and tendance. 1104 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

HANNA & GRAY, of Chicago, attended the convention as rep- secretary; R. A. Byrns, manager New York office; George O. resentatives of the Peckham Truck Company, Jewett Car Com- Mead, engineer, and A. L. Wilkinson, were present. pany and the St. Louis Car Wheel Company. The firm was repre- THE R. D. COMPANY, of Pittsburgh, Pa., sented by both Mr. Hanna and Mr. Gray, and had many com- NUTTALL manufacturers of Nuttall's gears and pinions, Union standard trol- pliments for the most elaborate souvenir given at the convention. leys, etc., was represented by F. A. Estep, president, and by C. This was a very elaborate reference and report book for railway J. Mayer and William A. Armstrong, of Mayer & Englund Company, officials, and was compiled through the courtesy and with the ot Philadelphia; Charles N. Wood, of Boston; Garson Myers, of assistance of prominent members of the Street Railway Account- Chicago, and by the B. & R. Electric Company, of Kansas City, Mo. ants' Association of America. The book consists of many pages, The company had a good-sized exhibit on the east gallery. The ex- printed on thin bond paper, and ruled off with spaces for entering hibit attracted wide attention and the representatives present were the principal data and records of street railway operation. Space as well known and popular as any at the convention. is left for similar data of succeeding years, so that five to ten or more years' operation can be compared. The book is arranged in EUGENE MUNSELL & COMPANY AND THE MICA three parts, or main divisions. The first main division is the INSULATOR COMPANY, of New York, Chicago and London, "Condensed Comparative Yearly Report for Twenty-one Years." were represented by Charles E. Coleman, manager of the Chicago report fifty-one This has ten main headings and sub-headings, by house. Mr. Coleman distributed a very handsome leather bill years, for twenty-one years. The second main division is the folder, together with a medal similar to the gold medal awarded "Yearly Table of Operating Expenses for Five Years." This the Mica Insulator Company at Paris. shows each operating expense account by years, for five years, through eight different propositions. The third main division is WENDELL & MacDUFFIE, of New York, were represented the "Monthly Report for Five Years." This report has twenty- by both members of the firm, who were passengers on the New four main headings, and 180 sub-headings, showing the details by York special, and made their headquarters at the Midland Hotel, months, total for six months, increase or decrease for six months, where all callers were liberally entertained. total for one year, and increase or decrease for one year, for five THE AMERICAN IMPROVED RAIL-JOINT COMPANY, years. The table of contents is arranged to conform to the ar- of Chicago, was represented by President A. S. Littlefield and rangement of the book and not indexed alphabetically. The books D. Evans, secretary of the company. This company has done a were bound in leather in two ways, one for pocket and one for J. large amount of work in Kansas City, and reports a satisfactory desk use. The value of it to the practical railway manager is business for the year. shown by the fact that President Duffy, of the Accountants' Asso- ciation, referred to it in most commendatory terms in his annual THE MULTIPLEX REFLECTOR COMPANY, of Cleve- address to the association, as being a most creditable undertaking. land, made an exhibition of its new headlights through its Chi- In spite of the evidently high cost of producing this book, Mr. cago agent, the W. R. Garton Company. Hanna stated that his firm did not intend to ask payment for it, but had them made exclusively for presentation to railway officials THE ST. LOUIS CAR WHEEL COMPANY, of St. Louis, interested. In addition to this book the company had on exhibi- showed some of its special type of car wheels. The samples shown tion in a, parlor of the Midland Hotel some handsome models of had a deep chill, very strong spokes and heavy flange, and are Peckham trucks, a sample St. Louis car wheel and some attractive claimed to be making new mileage records. photographs of Jewett cars. THE STERLING-MEAKER COMPANY, of New York, was THE CHRISTENSEN ENGINEERING COMPANY, of represented by its treasurer, E. F. Wickwire. Milwaukee, had a very large exhibit, all of it operative, and show- E. ing the apparatus working. The quick-acting air brake and auto- COL. J. SPENCER, of St. Louis, secretary of the Venice, Madison City matic compressor equipment, which is going on each car of the & Kansas Railway, was at the convention, accom- panied Boston Elevated (multiple unit system) was shown, and also a by Mrs. Spencer. school equipment (for teaching the action of the brake), consist- THE MERRITT ELECTRIC AIR BRAKE COMPANY, 22 ing of a double-truck car equipment for city and suburban service, Broad Street, New York, exhibited its air compressor controlling with independent motor compressor. There was also a compress- switch. ing apparatus, together with air hoist and air jacks for handling motors under trucks, etc. N. A. Christensen, G. S. Hastings, F. HUFF'S STREET RAILWAY SWEEPER was shown at the C. Randall, W. J. Richards, J. S. Hamlin, J. S. Leet, J. R. Sutton convention in the form of a model, which attracted considerable and A. Beveridge comprised this company's convention force. attention.

THE STANDARD UNDERGROUND CABLE COMPANY THE ATLAS RAILWAY SUPPLY COMPANY, of Chicago, had on exhibition the four large, handsome cabinets of samples exhibited its joints for T-rails, and various forms of girder, and also which attracted much attention at the National Export Exposition samples of its surlacer and primer for railway cars. The repre- at Philadelphia, and for which that company received medal ami sentatives expressed themselves as well pleased with the attention blue ribbon as being the most complete exhibition of its kind ever their goods received. J. G. McMichael, president ; R. B. Kent, super- seen. There was shown in that display everything that is made intendent, and E. W. Ash were the gentlemen present from this in the way of wires and cables, together with all the accessories company. and appurtenances that enter into the underground and overhead construction work as installed by the company. Being pioneers THE BULLOCK ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COM- in underground cable work in America, their present methods are PANY, of Cincinnati, was represented by its genial general sales- man, Frank G. Bolles, who distributed some unique souvenirs, the result of years of experience and experiment. J. R. Wiley, of Chicago, Western manager, one of the best known electrical men which were as much or more sought after than any at the con- of the West, most ably looked after the company's interests at the vention. convention. COLONEL GILES S. ALLISON, New York, made an exhibit THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY'S exhibit was particularly of the new self-recording register made by the St. Louis Register artistic and complete. A large variety of flexible pole brackets Company, the Cael car door fixture, and models of Tripartite steel were shown for both iron and wood poles. There probably has poles. Colonel Allison also represented the street railway depart-

never been a more complete exhibit of line material presented at ment of Valentine & Co., New York , and also the sales department any convention. There were many novelties of design, including 02 the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company. a new 3-in. globe strain insulator, a giant double Brooklyn strain THE RAND AVERY SUPPLY COMPANY, of Boston, was insulator and a number of forms of round top hangers, among represented by its secretary, James F. Wattles, whose souvenir was which the new type N attracted the most attention, because of in great demand. neatness, compactness and strength. As usual, the company pre- sented a large variety of fixtures for figure 8 wire, and was pre- THE SPEER CARBON COMPANY, of St. Marys, Pa., showed pared with late designs for the new grooved wire. Special interest a very complete line of its well known carbon brushes. The com- was shown in twin hangers for double trolley wire, both type D pany was represented by Manager Speer, who reports that the large and cap and cone forms. A new third-rail insulator permitted new plant of the company is running day and night exclusively on fractions of movement of the rail up and down to prevent break- brush work. ing of the insulators, while perfectly supporting the rail. O. B. bell metal bearings for armature work, in which the concern takes LYTLE J. HUNTER, of the Hunter Illuminated Car Sign Com- particular pride, and line section switches and track brush hold- pany, Cincinnnati, was there as usual. A sample revolving sign at- ers were leading features. The Monarch track scraper and emer- tracted the attention of every street railway man that saw it. This gency hose bridge were shown in a separate space. C. K. King, type of sign was first exhibited at the St. Louis convention, and November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

since then it has become the standard on quite a large number of THE COLUMBIA MACHINE WORKS, Brooklyn, N. Y„ mak- roads. The company was also represented by E. L. Hawkins, who ers of car trimmings, bearings, gear cases, controller parts, fuse was well pleased over his first convention work. boxes, ratchet brake handles and trolley wheels, had a small space, from which W. R. Kerschner distributed a handsome souve- TRIPARTITE of York, THE STEEL POLE COMPANY, New nir card-case. was represented by Col. Giles S. Allison, the general sales agent of the company. This new type of sectional pole, in which there are THE FULLER-WARREN COMPANY, Milwaukee, Wis., ex- no bolts or rivets, was favorably commented on by the majority hibited its self-feeding car stove under charge of H. B. Dewey, of those who saw the model which the Colonel exhibited. contracting agent.

LOUIS E. MYERS, Chicago, entertained his friends at Suite K, JOHN T. McROY, Chicago and New York, who has been a Midland Hotel. On Wednesday and Thursday Mr. Myers con- regular attendant at street railway conventions for some years, ducted parties of interested street inspection trips railway men on was' on hand, as usual, with an exhibit of vitrified conduit in long to various pieces of track work installed by him. lengths. THE NEW HAVEN CAR REGISTER COMPANY had a very THe SYRACUSE CHANGEABLE ELECTRIC HEAD- large and attractive exhibit at the front of the west gallery. All LIGHTS, manufactured by the Crouse-Hinds Electric Company, the officers of the company were present, as follows: Willis M. of Syracuse, were shown by McGill, Porter and Berg, of Chicago.

Anthony, president ; F. Coleman Boyd, vice-president and general manager; John S. Bradley, secretary and treasurer; also H. E. THE DUNLAP ELECTRIC ILLUMINATED FOUNTAIN in Beach, representative. The company showed a full line of its well Heim Park, built by C. A. Dunlap, of Providence, R. I., was in- known single, double and triple square registers, and also its spected by quite a number of visitors. new single and double registers, which were a marked feature of its exhibit. A new machine was a double register for co-operative use by two companies operating the same car over two roads. One half of the register is locked when the other half is in use, so that there is no chance for confusion. Another special register shown had an independent reset for tickets and cash fares to suit peculiar conditions on some roads. Other special registers are also made by this company, to meet the requirements of special conditions. This company makes the only triple machine on the market, and a sample of this was shown in operation. This machine is operated by one rod and one set of cord fixtures. The bells are differ- ent for each class. The registers show registered number of trips as well as direction, which fea- ture detects any attempt a conductor might make to tamper with the machines. The company took great pride in showing a register mechanism put up for use as a counting machine in a factory, where it has registered over 10,900,000 during the past year, or more than it would be called on to register in 100 years' street railway service. The condition of this machine demonstrated that there is practically no wear out to the New Haven fare register in practice. The company also made a full display of its line of supplies, consisting of regis- ter rods, and rod and cord fixtures, leather and woven bell and register cords, the New Haven special waterproof trolley cord, conductors' punches and badges of all kinds. The entire ex- hibit attracted much attention and was one of the best of the convention.

JOSEPH W. CRAMER, of Kansas City, in- ventor of a car fender designed to be carried close to the track, had a model on exhibition. EXHIBIT OF THE GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. THE BAKER-VAWTER COMPANY, Cham- ber of Commerce, Chicago, maker of loose leaf ledger and account THE JEWETT CAR COMPANY, Jewett, Ohio, was represent- books, had a display of interest to accountants. Its loose leaf sys- ed by Hanna & Gray, of Chicago. tems are a great help to book-keeping, and the accountants showed considerable interest in the forms. C. H. Smalley, Barton T. Bean GEN. OTTO H. FALK, vice-president of the Falk Company, of and Thomas H. Waller were present. Milwaukee, made his first appearance at a street railway conven- tion, but was very much in evidence and made a great many THE METAL SALES COMPANY, Cleveland, Ohio, manufac- friends. turer of the renowned anti-friction metal, also niccolite challenge rolling mill metal, had a display of its anti-friction metal for arma- ROSSITER, MacGOVERN & CO., New York, entertained its ture bearings, and a sample of its new patent mandrel for pouring friends in its headquarters at the Midland Hotel. Frank Mac- F. R. Marks, A. and armature bearings. G. Burke Charles S. Govern, who has been making an extensive trip in , re- in attendance, and were able to give many practical Watson were turned in time to reach the convention. The company was also rep- points to delegates on care and wear of bearings. resented by J. A. Stewart. THE OHMER CAR REGISTER COMPANY, Dayton, Ohio, manager of the Consolidated had no display at the convention hall, but W. B. Famaham, treas- COLONEL A. C. WOODWORTH, Car Fender Company, of Providence, was one of the passengers on urer, and J. H. Stedman, secretary, represented the concern. the New York special. While this company's exhibits have here- THE NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, Cleveland, Ohio, tofore been a feature at the conventions, the company made no made a small display of its new "Columbia" brushes, dry cells for exhibt this year, but expects to make an extra fine one in New use on street car signal-bell circuits and high grade carbons for in- York. closed arc lamps. A pair of brushes were shown which had run of three months on a car in Cleveland with but )/§ in. wear. Henry J. THE NEW PROCESS RAWHIDE COMPANY, Syracuse, Davies, secretary, was the company's representative at this con- made no exhibit, but was represented by that genial good fellow, vention. A C. Vosburg. iio6 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

THE BROWNELL CAR COMPANY, of St. Louis, Mo., THE FALK COMPANY, of Milwaukee, had headquarters at the had its interests looked after by its president, F. B. Brownell. The Midland. Some of the most important engineering work in the special private car built by this company, which was running on street railway field has been done by this company in Kansas City, the streets of Kansas City for the conveyance of special parties, and particularly the changing of the double cable track on Grand was a magnificent piece of workmanship, and was admired by all Avenue, between Eighth and Ninth Streets, which was one com-

who were fortunate enough to see it. It was luxuriously fitted pound curve, extending the entire block, to simple curves at Eighth up as a parlor car, provided with ice chest, water cooler and every- and Ninth Street corners, with straight track connecting. The com- thing practicable that could be thought of to add to the comfort pany has also done a large amount of cast-welding track and other of the passengers. While there were no cars exhibited at the hall, work in Kansas City. The company was very ably represented by this car served as more than a substitute for the Brownell Company. Gen. Otto H. Falk, vice-president, and Clement C. Smith, second vice-president, of Milwaukee, and by Wendell and MacDuffie, of THE BABCOCK & WILCOX COMPANY, of New York, had New York. W. H. Wells, of Chicago, at the convention. THE PECKHAM TRUCK COMPANY had a large exhibit at THE ROCHESTER CAR WHEEL COMPANY, of Rochester, the hall, and also a parlor at the Midland Hotel, where some very N. Y., made no exhibit, but F. D. Russell and George C. Morse, of fine models of trucks were shown, and visitors were entertained. Rochester, looked after this company's interests. As a souvenir Hanna & Grey, Western agents, joined with the company in making the company had a pocket rule. the exhibit. At the convention hall the chief exhibit was the Peck- ham system of double trucks for high-speed elevated and suburban Providence, R. I., THE AMERICAN ELECTRICAL WORKS, service. One single truck was shown, namely, a Peckham extra long were, as usual at Western conventions, represented by F. E. Dona- cantilever extension truck, built for the Omaha Street Railway. The hoe of Chicago. double trucks consisted of one "Standard" maximum traction, style

14-D-3 ; one extra strong maximum traction, style 14-D-5 ; one pair J. G. WHITE & CO., New York, are constructing the Toledo & extra strong maximum traction, style 14-D-8; one short wheel base, Monroe Electric Railway from Toledo to Detroit. C. G. Young,

style standard, 14-B-3 ; one short wheel base, style who has charge of the construction of this road, was a convention special, one short wheel base, style visitor. 14-B-6; "Boston Special"; one short wheel base, style "Kansas City Special"; one extra long THE PRICE BRAKE of the Peckham Truck Company was in wheel base, No. 26. The same general lines are followed in all the regular service on one of the Metropolitan cars, and visitors desir- Peckham maximum traction trucks, all having swing bolsters and ing to see its operation were furnished with its time-table so that motors suspended outside of the wheel base. The brake mechanism

EXHIBIT OF THE JOSEPH DIXON CRUCIBLE CO. EXHIBIT OF THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTER CO. they might catch the car without waste of time. The working of can be operated with either large or small wheels leading. In the this brake has been highly satisfactory in Kansas City, and was case of the extra strong 14-B-5 and 14-D-8, inside brakes are used, inspected by many of the convention visitors. which have extra strong angle bar cross section, connected to the side frames, so as to prevent the trucks from getting out of square. GEORGE O. NAGLE, formerly superintendent of the Chicago The Peckham half elliptic spring traction adjuster can be attached City Railway, was also a visitor at the convention, meeting old if desired, although the center bearing bolster can be so located as acquaintances. to apply the necessary weight to the small wheels to prevent them ADAMS & WESTLAKE, Chicago, made an exhibit in connec- leaving the rail. The Peckham Truck Company was one of the first tion with the Curtain Supply Company. to use the short wheel-base truck now so common, these types having center bearing swing bolsters and motors supported outside J. M. MULKEY, manager and one of the leading stockholders of the axle. The short wheel base permits the truck to turn between of the Toledo & Monroe Electric Railway, attended the convention. the car sills, so that the distance of the car body to the ground may be reduced, and only one step is needed. Several modifications of THE WESTERN ELECTRICAL SUPPLY COMPANY, St. this truck are made by the company, those on exhibition being one Louis, Mo., was represented by Charles Scudder, jr. Standard construction, style 14-B-3, one Kansas City Special, de- THE FUEL ECONOMIZER COMPANY, of Matteawan, N. signed for the use of the Metropolitan of Kansas City, having cer- Y., was represented by President Green and by numerous installa- tain features specified by its master mechanic. Two hundred of tions of the economizer in plants in Kansas City. these trucks have been ordered, and seventy-five are in service. One Boston Special, designed expressly for the Boston Elevated J. M. ATKINSON & CO., Marquette Building, Chicago, has Railway, shown of these being in service. These trucks was ; 250 recently put out a new circuit breaker especially adaptable to street may be used with either one or two motors, and when used with railway use. W. E. Pimlott, of that firm, inventor of the breaker, one motor the brakes are adjusted so as to apply the necessary was a convention visitor. power without sliding the wheels. The high-speed suburban truck THE BURNHAM & DUGGAN RAILWAY APPLIANCE which this company had on display was its No. 26, with the Peck- ham patent bridge trussed side frames, which are capable of sup- COMPANY, Boston, Mass., advertised and exhibited its serrated porting a load of 100 tons per truck. Edgar Peckham, president, car wheel for use on snow and ice with sweepers, snow plows, etc. and W. M. Wampler represented the company. This type of car wheel has found many friends among Eastern roads which have tried it for winter use. THE PACKARD LAMP COMPANY, of Warren, Ohio, was represented by W. D. Packard and W. N. Anthony. THE OKONITE COMPANY, of New York, made no general exhibit, but their goods were in evidence in other exhibits. Super- THE WEBER RAILWAY JOINT MANUFACTURING intendent George T. Manson, of New York, represented the com- COMPANY, New York, was represented by J. C. Barr, of New pany, and was one of the New York special passengers. York, and E. W. Penfield, engineer, and Fred A. Poor, assistant —

November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1 107 engineer, Chicago. The exhibit comprised T and girder rail-joints, THE GOULD STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, of New compromise joints, and also the insulated joints so extensively York, sent a representative in the person of Rufus N. Chamber- used for block signal work. Photographs were also shown from lain. various roads using the Weber joint. GUY M. GEST, general contractor, Cincinnati, Ohio, has laid over 160 miles of vitrified conduit year, and had an GEORGE W. KNOX, electrical railway engineer of Kohler Camp the past Brothers, railway contractors, of Chicago, was one of the familiar exhibit showing a sample of conduit laid in concrete and illustrat- ing the perfect figures at the convention. alignment and smoothness of the ducts in charge of T. E. Wood. This exhibit was of especial interest to electric THE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION COMPANY, of Chi- railway men contemplating the laying of underground conduits. cago, had overhead construction on the Metropolitan Street Rail- way lines as an exhibit, and Superintendent Brett attended the THE CONTINUOUS RAIL -JOINT COMPANY OF convention. AMERICA, Newark, N. J., was well represented by R. F. Braine, general manager; H. M. Montgomery, Chicago agent; W. E. B. S. THE AMERICAN VITRIFIED CONDUIT COMPANY, Clark, agent ; F. C. Schmitz and J. G. Miller. These gentlemen Barnard, exhibited samples of conduit duct in various forms, received visitors in a commodious space in which were found multiple and single, curved and straight. samples of this company's various forms of T and girder rail joints, and decorations in the shape of the familiar and striking repre- THE MONARCH FIRE APPLIANCE COMPANY, continuous-rail-joint poster (showing a black and white section sented by Gen. C. H. Barney, manager electrical department, made of the joint on a red mat), which accompanies every shipment of hall at noon an exhibit, and also a demonstration in front of the these joints all over the world. Oct. 18. A fierce bonfire was built up until it seemed that the boxes ADOLPH HUBER, 917 Franklin Avenue, St. Louis, is the of which it was made must surely be consumed. The fire went inventor of a sample street railway switch-operating device, which out the instant a little "Kilfyre" was thrown on it. This is a dry he showed by model. The switch is thrown by the engagement powder compound, and from the tests is of wonderful efficacy in ex- tinguishing fires. This company has a long list of installations, many of them in well known factories.

THE CHARLES SCOTT SPRING COMPANY was represent- ed by D. S. Roche, Philadelphia.

THE STIRLING COMPANY, of Chicago, sent its sales agent, H. R. McCullough.

THE EDWARD P. ALLIS COMPANY, of Milwaukee, needed no exhibit in the hall, but was represented by its work in Kansas City and William E. Dodds.

THE ELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, of Phil- adelphia, had its interests looked after by Frank H. Clark, Western manager, of Chicago.

THE CENTRAL UNION BRASS COMPANY, of St. Louis, had its interests looked after by T. C. White, manager of its elec- trical department.

THE AULTMAN & TAYLOR MACHINERY COMPANY, cf Mansfield, Ohio, makers of Cahall and B. & W. type boilers, had no exhibit, but E. C. Darley, general Western agent at Chicago, sent Jnmes W. Gardner, and Alexander H. Lewis, of the Cincinnati branch, was also present. EXHIBIT OF THE OHIO BRASS CO.

THE LACLEDE CAR COMPANY, of St. Louis, had its vice- of a roller under the car with a cam between the tracks. Mr. president and general manager, Edward I. Robiirson, in attendance. Huber has labored to simplify the car mechanism as much as pos- sible to make the cost of equipping all the cars on the line with THE SPEAR & MILLER COMPANY, of Chicago, had a small switch throwers as low as possible. exhibit of its brake shoes, in charge of J. H. Miller. This is used by the Metropolitan of Kansas City. It has a composi- THE WEBER GAS & GASOLINE ENGINE COMPANY, tion center made of iron turnings and asphalt, which, it is claimed, of Kansas City, exhibited two engines, one for ordinary power increase the coefficient of friction and double the life of the shoe. purposes and the other with hoisting attachment. THE VOSE SPRING COMPANY was represented by Gustave THE UNITED STATES ELECTRIC SIGNAL COMPANY, Suckow. of Watertown, Mass., has worked on the problem of block signals for single-track roads with turnouts for two years, and presented had exhibit, THE AMERICAN CAR COMPANY no but Presi- a system operated by an instrument on the trolley wire. A car, dent Sutton was in attendance. upon entering a block between turnouts, throws signals at both red signal in front and a white one behind), THE ST. LOUIS CAR COMPANY sent Assistant Manager ends of the block (a cleared until a car runs out of the block Vogel to look after its interests. and the signals cannot be at the other end. Dr. Frederick E. Withee, secretary, and R. J. H. S. COOPER, consulting engineer, New York and Ithaca, was Ruddick, the inventor, who represented the company, found many among the visitors. interested inquirers.

CLARENCE BROOKS & COMPANY, 249 Chestnut Street, THE EXHIBIT OF JOHN T. McROY was a most interesting Newark, N. J., had an exhibit of varnish and paint samples, in one. He showed the only conduit that is made in 6-ft. lengths. charge of A. R. Johnston. He also showed the many styles of vitrified clay conduit made by his company. Fifty car loads of this conduit are being put in THE B.-R. ELECTRIC COMPANY, a Kansas City supply in Kansas City—by the Electric Light Company and by the Kan- house, presented an exhibit of the goods for which it is agent, in- sas City Electric Traction & Subway Company. Big shipments cluding Ohio Brass Company, Hazard Manufacturing Company, of this conduit have recently been made to the Kinloch Tele- R. D. Nuttall Company, York New & Ohio Company, and the phone Company, of St. Louis, and the St. Louis Car Company, Cutter Company. and to the Des Moines Edison Light Company. John T. Mc- THE MILLOY AUTOMATIC TROLLEY CATCHER" & Roy looked after his own interests, and was ably assisted in doing so by his Western manager, O. C. Pixley, of Chicago. ELECTRIC SUPPLY COMPANY, 59 Park Place, New York, showed its trolley automatic catcher, which has an advantage over THE CHARLES SCOTT SPRING COMPANY, of Philadel- those in use in that it not common only holds the rope when the phia, was ably represented by D. S. Roche, who, owing to the trolley leaves the wire, but draws it back 26 ins. so the trolley can- many conventions that he has attended, has many friends, who not hit a span wire. It is reset in a second's time. Peter D. Mil- are glad to meet him again. Mr. Roche gave out as a souvenir loy, general manager, explained the device. a very useful little memorandum book. Street railway journal. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

COL. JOHN BLAIR MacAFEE, of Philadelphia, the well THE PARTRIDGE CARBON WORKS, Sandusky, Ohio, known contractor and vice-president of the Railways Company were represented by their manager, James Partridge, and pre- General, was looking as handsome as ever, and was, as usual, sented an exhibit of carbon brushes. A handsome souvenir paper warmly greeted by his many friends. knife was given to visiting supply and street railway men.

THE NEW YORK & OHIO COMPANY, of Warren, Ohio, THE H. N. STRAIT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of manufacturer of incandescent lamps and transformers, was repre- Kansas City, exhibited the Monarch standard scales made by it. sented by W. D. Packard. THE PHCENIX METALLIC PACKING COMPANY, 7 HAROLD P. BROWN, of New York, was present, assisted by South Jefferson Street, Chicago, had a fine exhibit of its lubricator Messrs. Holowood, McClure and Immoche. Mr. Brown had all pump. These pumps are driven from the engine, and the length his plans made to have a bond-testing outfit working to show of pump stroke can be accurately regulated to the feed required. the conductivity of the various bonds, but the special 'low-voltage A number of pumps with independent feed are included in one dynamo was lost in transit, so he had to be content with showing device. J. S. Ward, vice-president and general manager, and C. samples of bonds with plastic alloy contact, and some defective H. Thompson were present. bonds of ordinary type. Mr. Brown came to the convention this year with a voltmeter which is the most delicate portable instru- THE AMERICAN STEEL & WIRE COMPANY is too well ment ever turned out of the Weston factory, the full scale being known to make much of an exhibit necessary at the convention, but 0.15 volt. A very interesting piece of literature has been but it occupied a small and handsome booth near the hall entrance reprinted by Mr. Brown in pamphlet form, viz.: a report of in- in which rail bonds and sections of cables, both weather-proof and vestigation on the contacts of different metals carried on with rubber-covered, were displayed. E. J. Pirtzcker and H. L. Thomp- high-power microscopes by the Ecole d'Electricite at Paris, under son, of the electrical department, Chicago, took care of visitors.

'* ,•« • a B ..- - s t s m * * * * » * » * * * e a s 1 - a a a c • '-< •

VIEWS OF SIX IMPORTANT EXHIBITS the auspices of the French government. The results showed that THE CHEATHAM ELECTRIC SWITCHING DEVICE in all cases the contact between two hard metal surfaces is of the COMPANY, 1212 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, Ky., has an elec- roughest kind, and that a skin of oxide intervenes between copper tric track switch operator thrown from a trolley wire contact. and iron contacts. This report is instructive reading, and will Eight of these have been in use on the Louisville Railway for a be sent to those interested in such matters. number of months, and are said to be giving good service. The THE CUTLER-HAMMER MANUFACTURING COM- plan adopted by the company in some places is to take the switch- boy hire and do the switch-boy work with the device until the PANY, of Milwaukee, Wis., represented at this convention by C. switch is paid for, a plan which should be satisfactory to both G Norwood, has recently entered the street railway field. The the company and street railway. exhibit pertained entirely to street railway work. It consisted of a switchboard of 500-kw generator panels, a number of the new THE PITTSBURGH REDUCTION COMPANY, of Pitts- type circuit breakers in actual operation, an automatic booster burgh, Pa., the principal aluminum manufacturer of the world, controller also in operation, and other switchboard appliances. made an interesting exhibit of the uses of aluminum for electrical The circuit breakers known as the W. T. L. differ from all other conductors. There were present at the convention: Arthur V. circuit breakers on the railway market in having a time element. Davis, general manager; Alvah K. Lawrie, general sales agent,

They were described in the October Journal. Special attention , and John A. Rutherford, manager of the Cleveland office of the at the convention was called to a 500-amp breaker exhibited that company. The principal part of the exhibit consisted of reels of was connected across 500-volt bus-bars at Milwaukee Oct. 15. In aluminum cable, both bare and insulated. The cable on the reels series with this breaker was a resistance of 0.89 ohm. The breaker varied in size from 400,000 circ. mils to 1,000,000 circ. mils, was then caused to open the circuit 200 times in rapid succession. although the company showed short samples of sizes, both larger This resistance was then decreased to .44 ohm, and the breaker and smaller than the above mentioned. There was a very com- opened twenty-five times in rapid succession. The voltage across plete exhibit of the different styles and methods of joining alumi- the line remained at 590. A system of automatic booster control, num cables, showing that this question, which has supposedly pre- something entirely new, was presented for inspection. It consists sented some difficulties, has been completely solved. The different of a device which automatically throws the booster in and out of styles of joints included the ordinary type of soldered sleeve joints, circuit as the load demands. The controller was in actual opera- soldered spliced joints, and mechanical and spliced joints which tion, and drew considerable attention. A laminated leaf switch require no solder. There was also shown the new compression of a most novel character was also shown. joint, the patent rights for which the company has just acquired, by November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

which process a sleeve is cold-welded, by extreme pressure, onto THE W. R. GARTON COMPANY, of Chicago, had a small the cable, so that the wires of the cable and the sleeve form prac- space in which Multiplex reflectors and General Equipment circuit tically one solid mass of metal. As the principal object of the breakers were shown. Mr. Garton himself was present, adding to exhibit was to show the different sizes and styles of aluminum his already long list of acquaintances, and W. H. Card also repre- street railway feeders, there were exhibited also reels of telephone sented this company. Mr. Garton distributed a neat aluminum and telegraph wire and reels of wire and cable of the sizes com- paper knife and rule for a souvenir. monly used for high-tension power transmission. There were also exhibited reels and samples of insulated wire for electric lighting THE CURTAIN SUPPLY COMPANY, Chicago, made its purposes. This was General Manager Davis's first street railway usual exhibit of car fixtures and curtains. W. H. Forsyth and A. convention, which, together with recent developments in the use L. Whipple were in charge. of aluminum for electrical conductors, would seem to point to the THE PANTASOTE COMPANY, 29 Broadway, New York, fact that it will find an important place in electric railway work in had a very handsome exhibit, and showed several new designs in the near future. silks and woven fabrics. Pantasote has been long known to the THE AMERICAN STREET RAILWAY PAVING & IM- trade, and needs no explanation to convention goers, and is looked Springfield Mass., was represented upon and recognized by the railway world at large as one of the PROVEMENT COMPANY, ,

VIEWS IN AND AROUND THE CONVENTION HALL by C. F. Smith, manager, and exhibited its system of cast-iron best and most practical curtain materials on the market. The paving blocks, whereby a girder rail may be practically trans- exhibit was in charge of J. M. High and H. M. Grier. hollow cast-iron slip formed into a grooved rail. These blocks THE AMERICAN CAR & FOUNDRY COMPANY, of St. over the tram of the rail, and weigh, in the heaviest types, 27 lbs. Louis, had headquarters at both the convention hall and hotel. It per yard of rail. years ago 9000 ft. of this rail was laid in Two exhibited under the direction of Scott H. Blewett, general sales Springfield, and is reported to have been an excellent investment. agent, a number of car wheels and sections of car wheels; also parts of broken wheels showing their interior construction. From POMEROY & FISCHER, New York, importers of varnishes this company there were also in attendance T. F. Bixby, district and colors, had a handsome little display. Joseph Pomeroy was manager St. Louis plant; James Connolly, general superintendent present at the convention. of foundry, St. Louis plant, and J. L. Dillon, sales agent. The THE PAIGE IRON WORKS, of Chicago, were represented manner for showing the character of the chill in the tread of the spoke com- in the person of E. S. Nethercut, its engineer, who distributed wheel and the strong fibrous iron in the plate and of metal literature relating to the company's work from a booth under the mends itself to those who use street car wheels. A piece of the wheel west gallery. A handsome pamphlet illustrating the special work is broken from the wheel and the general character it. These put in for the various elevated roads of Chicago was the most is preserved, although this piece has been taken from interesting publication offered, and one jn which the company wheels are mounted on a mandrel, and the entire circumference justly takes, pride, of the wheel can be brought under the eye of anyone examining IIIO STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

is in use on the street railway cars of this country. Mr. it. The company's plants are located at Buffalo, N. Y.; Berwick, Dorn has recently patented a device for preventing derail- Pa.; Chicago, 111.; Detroit, Mich.; Huntington, W. Va. ; Indian- Van Dorn hot-air of apolis, Ind.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; Milton, Pa.; St. Charles, Mo.; ment of fast trains, and another for cleaning the pipes Recent tests of the latter prove St. Louis, Mo., and Terre Haute, Ind. furnaces for heating dwellings. it to be a remarkably successful invention. WINNE & KELLOGG, Chicago, general Western agents for Adams Cook's Sons "Albany Grease," and also dealers in high- THE ST. LOUIS REGISTER COMPANY, of St. Louis, was William Kirchoff, grade lubricating oils, engineers' and mill supplies, had one of represented by Giles Allison, of New York, and Allison, also present for the boxes at the Convention Hall, where Ben B. Kellogg met the the inventor. J. W. of St. Louis, was street railway men and distributed a handsome souvenir in the a short time. This register was fully described in the Journal last. It universal attention, the shape of a thermometer. for October attracted and company was more than pleased with the favorable comments by SHOE COMPANY, of Chicago, THE AMERICAN BRAKE street railway officials. This new register is the result of years was represented by F. W. Sargent, of the Sargent Company, of study and experience. The name is already well known, and Chicago, and Arthur Gemunder, of the Ramapo Iron Works, the self-recording feature must undoubtedly create a demand for it. Hillburn, N. Y. The two latter named companies and Parker & Topping. St. Paul, Minn., are the selling agents for the American PIERCE, RICHARDSON & NEILER, of Chicago, were pres- Brake Shoe Company. This company's "Diamond S" brake shoe, ent in the person of R. H. Pierce and R. E. Richardson. The mem- as is well known, is made of bundles of expanded metal, around bers of this firm are consulting engineers of the Metropolitan Street which cast iron is poured. The combined output of the company's Railway Company and the Kansas City Electric Light Company, a plants exceeds 100 tons of brake shoes per day, which is of itself consolidation of all the light companies of the city, and of which a sufficient proof of the merit of the article. latter company Mr. Richardson is general manager.

THE DEARBORN DRUG & CHEMICAL WORKS, of THE MEYERCORD COMPANY, of Chicago, showed dele- Chicago, were represented by R. F. Carr and C. A. Stanfield, who gates and visitors its decalcomania transfers for lettering, striping and decorating cars. The company has recently built and equipped a new factory in Chicago to care for its enormous business. Among its customers are many of the street railway companies and car build- ers. The company showed a photograph of a large interurban double-truck car, which had been striped, lettered, decorated and varnished with one coat of varnish, the whole being completed in nine hours. Henry C. Clasen was in charge of the exhibit.

THE CRANE COMPANY, of Chicago, made its usual exhibit of high-pressure valves and other steam appliances. THE NORTH AMERICAN RAILWAY CON- STRUCTION COMPANY, of Chicago, was able to direct visitors to much street railway construction by this company in Kansas City, where it has at this time a new contract upon which it is working. The president of this company, A. S. Littlefield, was one of the best known men at the convention. D. J. Evans, of this firm, was also in attendance.

THE MODOC SOAP COMPANY, of Cincin- nati, was represented by C. C. Grace. This com- pany's liquid car cleaner is used by nearly all of the steam railroads in America and by many street rail- ways. It cleans the car without injuring the var-

nish, is a varnish food, and it is claimed that it will much prolong the life of the finish of the car body. The company made no exhibit, but its genial repre- EXHIBIT OF THE WESTINGHOUSE CO. sentative made many friends for his product, as well as for himself exhibited extreme samples of scale formation from steam boilers THE GREEN and samples of water tube valves and connections, showing the ENGINEERING COMPANY, of Chicago, made no exhibit at the Convention Hall, but its different stages of galvanic action pitting and corrosion produced traveling grate could be found at several of the Metropolitan from different boiler feed-waters. There are very few cases of feed- power houses. W. M. Green, president, and George H. waters that do not require some treatment, and the Dearborn Klumph, Western manager, were present. The company has sold an immense Drug & Chemical Works, in their well equipped laboratories in number of grates this season, having made of the Chicago, make a thorough mineral analysis of feed-waters, and some largest installations ever made in this country. scientifically treat same according to their different conditions. They have taken this subject out of the hands of the incompetent THE STANDARD RAILWAY SUPPLY COMPANY, of fakirs, and are to-day furnishing many of the large street railway Chicago, was present in the person of its president, Garson Myers, and lighting interests of this country. They have branch offices for many years well known to convention goers. Mr. Myers also at St. Louis, Denver, St. Paul and Francisco. Their San labora- represented the Crucible Steel Company of America, Pittsburgh, tories are always open to the public for any general analytic Pa., manufacturers of railroad springs, forgings and track tools. testing work. The company also has an extensive business in lubricating oils and greases, furnishing oils which most economi- THE CHARTER OAK STOVE COMPANY, of St. Louis, cally lubricate under special conditions of steam pressure. When showed one of its street car heaters. carefully used, the highest grade oils prove by far the cheapest. THE VAN DORN & DUTTON COMPANY, of Cleveland, The representatives gave as souvenirs to the ladies a bottle of was represented by W. A. Dutton. This company's shops are perfume, a product of the company's laboratories, and to the gen- and have been for many months past so filled with work as tlement a mechanical puzzle. The company's booth was hand- to necessitate running both day and night to keep up with orders. somely decorated in green, light blue and red.

THE AUTO APPLIANCE COMPANY, of Chicago, showed THE WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING a new automatic car coupler which interested street railway men. COMPANY had a very prominent position near the center of the hall, and its space was one of the Thomas I. Duffy was in charge. most prominent and attractive in the building. The largest machine exhibited by the company was THE W. T. VAN DORN COMPANY, of Chicago, was repre- a 650-kw generator, being one of four built for the St. Louis sented, as it has been for many years past, by W. T. Van Dorn. Transit Company. The armature was shown separately. At one Mr. Van Dorn's couplers are now standard on every elevated side of the space was a five-panel switchboard, being a duplicate of road in the world, and no other automatic coupler than the Van that shown by the British Westinghouse Company at the recent ;

mi November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

motors. British Tramway and Light Railway Exposition at Islington. On including 35 hp each, with brake connection for four A also shown. The the other side of its space the company also showed two No. 68 variety of railway line material and supplies was and motors mounted on the McGuire truck, and other apparatus. A exhibit space was 1500 square feet, and the exhibit was erected General new railway motor catalogue was issued, and a pamphlet on the was in charge of R. A. Swain, of the Chicago office of the new motor rating adopted by the company, based on the current Electric Company. Other representatives present were J. R. Love- carried continuously for ten hours with a temperature rise not ex- joy, general manager of the light, railway and power department; H. Arm- Barry, assistant manager York department ; ceeding 75 degs. C. The handsome booth was draped in yellow J. G. New J. Priest, of Schenectady C. Kalish, of Buffalo and black bunting and carried a large sign in red lamps bearing the strong and C. G. ; J. Bailey, name, "Westinghouse." The miscellaneous apparatus shown in- R H. Beach, of New York ; C. C. Pierce, of Boston ; T. H. cluded Wurts lightning arresters, switches, circuit breakers, fuse of Chicago, and E. H. Mullen, of New York. blocks, voltmeters, ammeters, etc. Representing the company were F H. Taylor, N. W. Storer, G. Berentsen, W. H. Wells, W. M. Probasco, P. N. Jones, R. S. Brown, C. S. Powell, C. A. Bragg, The Exhibit of the McGuire Manufacturing Company

J. R. Gordon, C. B. Humphrey, G. Pantaleoni, H. C. Ebert, F. C. Newell, C. F. Medbury and E. Dyer. The McGuire Manufacturing Company, of Chicago, made one of the best exhibits to be seen at the Kansas City convention, THE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION COMPANY, of Chi- and was very liberal with its souvenirs in the shape of a memoran- cago, had a most practical exhibit in the fact that the company had dum book with aluminum covers, a card of the company on one done a large amount of construction work in Kansas City. The side and an engraving of its No. 39 truck on the other. The first company attached signs to some of this work, stating that it had been erected by the Electrical Installation Company. Fred H. Fitch, vice-president, and James A. Brett, general manager of the com- pany, were present in its interests.

THE CHICAGO MICA COMPANY was represented by Charles W. Cobb.

C. C. GRACE attended the convention in the interests of the Modoc Soap Company. HEYWOOD BROTHERS & WAKEFIELD COMPANY, of Boston, had no exhibit, but was represented by J. D. Guillow.

L. E. MYERS, contractor and engineer, of Chicago, was present representing the Peoria & Pekin Terminal Railway. Mr. Myers has done a large amount of construction work in Kansas City. SOLID STEEL COLUMBIAN TRUCK EDWARD B. KITTLE AND HENRY G. ISSERTEL, JR., at- tended the convention in the interests of the Sprague Electric Com- tiling that caught the attention of the visitor was their sweeper, pany. which occupied a position directly in front of the main entrance to the hall. This sweeper was one of fifteen sold to the Metropolitan LAMP & REFLECTOR COMPANY, of THE KRAUSHAR Street Railway, of Kansas City, and was very generally examined St. Louis, was represented by C. Kraushar. and most favorably commented upon by all who saw it. It was the C. S. LEHMAN and George E. Watts, of the Columbia Incan- descent Lamp Company, were in Kansas City in the interests of the Columbia lamp.

THE STAR BRASS WORKS, of Kalamazoo, Mich., had for their representatives at Kansas City C. A. Peck and Lloyd Roberts.

THE NEW JOHN STEPHENSON COMPANY was well rep- resented at the convention by its general manager, P. M. Kline. Mr. Kling has attended many conventions and has many friends among the delegates, who congratulated him upon the re-entrance of the Stephenson Company in street car construction, and seemed well pleased that he had been selected as general manager of the company.

A TRIP to Fort Leavenworth by trolley, which was taken by a A 1 SUSPENSION TRUCK—PITTSBURGH TYPE number of the delegates, afforded the Magann Air Brake Company an opportunity of showing the operation of its air brake system. only exhibit of this kind on the ground. The long distance and Mr. Rutherford, of the Detroit ottice, who was in attendance at the great cost of handling a machine of this kind, that weighs 24,000 the convention, accompanied the party, and was the recipient of lbs., makes it an expensive exhibit. There are over 500 of these many congratulations upon the excellent showing made by the machines in service throughout the country, and it is acknowledged brakes. to be a fully up-to-date sweeper. In the Westinghouse exhibit was THE JACKSON & SHARP COMPANY, of Wilmington, was represented by J. Monteith Jackson.

THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY occupied a large space nearly in the middle of the convention hall, tastefully deco- rated. In the rear the name of the company appeared on a sign, studded with incandescent lamps. The exhibit consisted of a rotary converter, a transformer set, railway motors and controllers and supply material. The rotary converter, which was placed in the center of the exhibit, was a 600-kw, three-phase, 550-volt machine for railway purposes. There were three 250-kw air blast transform- ers to be used with this rotary converter, which occupied three of the corners of the space. A Peckham truck mounted with two GE-67 motors stood in the fourth corner. Occupying other parts of the space were a GE-54, a GE-67, a GE-57 and a GE-73 railway NO. 35 DOUBLE TRUCK motor, these representing respectively 25 hp, 38 hp, 50 hp and 75 hp.

Three controllers were shown : K-6, K-10 and B-19. K-6 is de- signed for four motors from 30 hp up to and including 40 hp each, shown the McGuire Ai suspension truck (Pittsburgh type), or two motors from 60 hp up to and including 80 hp each. K-10 is equipped with the Pittsburgh standard motor. This exhibit was designed for two motors up to and including 35 hp each. B-19 is very carefully examined by a great many people on account of the an electric brake controller designed for four motors up to and record of this entire equipment. There are over 800 of this type in III2 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

use in Pittsburgh alone. It is the standard also in Havana, Cuba, 4 ins., by which the length of the wheel base is regulated. The min- and in many other places. It may be mentioned here that the service imizing of parts is carried to its fullest extreme in the construction in Pittsburgh is one of the most severe in the country, because of of this truck frame. All these different trucks are equipped with its many high grades. Some of the hills- over which these lines standard brakes, which include the McGuire Company's elastic run being as high as 12 per cent grade, they call for the most effi- brake hanger, a very popular feature of their trucks. This device cient brake arrangement and general stability of construction. The absolutely prevents kicking, chattering or rattling of brakes, and main exhibit of the company was under the galleries. The first automatically takes up its own wear and lost motion. The Royal truck was its No. 39, and was one of the hundred now being built Flush fender came in for a very generous inspection, as nearly every railway man is very much interested in this subject. This fender seems to do everything that the more expensive types will do, and has the advantage of being a simple and low-priced fender, which is a taking feature. Mr. McGuire christened the fender "Royal Flush" because he says he thinks it is hard to beat. It also exhibited its lates't types of Columbia car heaters, one of which sits over the seat and the other sits in the seat. This is a very handsome piece of car furniture and is being very generally used throughout the country. In Chicago alone over 900 of them are in service. In connection with its fender exhibit, a section of platform showing their spring guard, which is now being used by many roads, was shown. The North and West Side roads of Chicago have them on all their equipment. Several of the lines in Dayton and other places are using them, and report most favorably upon their operation. There was also an exhibit of brake handles. Take NO. 39 MOTOR TRUCK it all in all, this was one of the most creditable exhibits at the

convention. The company was represented by W. J. Cooke, vice- for the Chicago Union Traction Company, of Chicago, where it is president of the company, and T. J. Callinan. Mr. Cooke reported the standard, as it is in many other important places throughout that they made a great many sales of sweepers, trucks, fenders and the country, particularly the Indiana Railway, of South Bend, stoves, an unusual occurrence at a convention. where they are required to make a schedule time of forty miles per hour, sometimes reaching fifty miles per hour. This truck has cast-steel sides and bolsters, and is built as nearly on Master Car A Useful Automatic Lubricator Builders' lines as it is possible for an electric truck, the motors being hung outside of the axles. Its short wheel base—4 ft. —per- mits it to swing inside of the sills, bringing the car body within 26 A device which will be found of great convenience for oiling ins. of the rail, necessitating but one step. The next truck in the reciprocating parts of engines, pumps, air compressors, etc., is being manufactured by J. L. Rob- ertson & Sons, New York. It consists of a large cup, filled with grease instead of oil, the base of which is screwed firmly into the cross- head, , eccen- tric strap or other part to be lubricated. The grease is fed to the bearing by means of a , which, while the en- gine is in motion, slowly

forces it out of the cup. This piston is operated by a small pendulum at the side of the apparatus, which by means of a pawl and rachet, worm gear and screw moves it for- ward at an adjustable speed. As the part to which the lu- bricator is attached moves backward and forward the pendulum continues to oscil- late, but when the machinery comes to rest the feed auto- matically stops. By means of an auxiliary thumb-nut at the top a much faster expulsion of the grease can be attained. The lubricator is simple in construction, easily applied COMBINED SNOW PLOW AND SWEEPER to the engine, and readily filled when empty. It can be exhibit was their maximum traction truck. This truck is also made applied to any kind of machinery having reciprocating parts, and in of cast steel with swing bolster and of the adjustable traction type. any position, and is made in various sizes to meet all require-

It is so constructed that as much as 75 per cent of the load may ments. The inventor is G. U. Merrill, Paterson, N. J., but the be put on the driving wheels if desired, with a cam and roller manufacturing company is placing the automatic lubricator on the attachment which shifts a part of the load to the rear wheels on market. curves, completely overcoming the objection to most of the maxi- mum traction trucks. There was also exhibited one of the solid An Improved Self-Oiling Trolley Harp steel Columbian trucks, which is the standard on so many of the railways throughout the country. The McGuire Manufacturing Company was the first to build solid steel frame trucks, and has During the three years that the trolley harp shown in the accom- been imitated by all the truck manufacturers who have acquired panying engraving has been on the market the manufacturers have any standing. This truck is so designed and constructed that its made many improvements in its construction. It is now one of the carrying capacity can be adjusted to any required load. The frame most efficient and durable of the self-oiling harps, and is so simple consists of solid steel sides of any required wheel base, and has that its operation is practically perfect. It is made in both brass and eight spiral and four three-quarter elliptic springs. The pedestal, aluminum, the latter metal giving most satisfactory results and al- spring cups and spring caps are all cast in one piece, forming the lowing the use of weaker springs than the heavier metal. end of each side frame, and is welded to rolled steel pieces 2 ins. x As shown by the illustration, there are two chambers to receive November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

the oil, the one around the axle being much the smaller. The larger The Siemens dynamo driven by the above engine is of the 16-pole reservoir contains the supply of oil, which is fed to the auxiliary type, giving a normal output of 1500 kw at 550 volts, at 200 r.p.m., reservoir every time the trolley is lowered. From there it flows but capable of bearing a temporary overload of 20 per cent for a through the central passage that is bored in the axle or spindle on short time. The field frame, of cast steel, is 14 ft. in diameter and which the wheel revolves. A piece of felt in a slot on the axle ZZV* ins. wide, and carries internal radial poles with soft iron pole prevents too free a flow and gives a good distribution of the oil. pieces screwed on. The commutator, being over 5 ft. in diameter, is designed to allow of repair to individual segments without the necessity of loosening the whole number.

In many industrial applications of late years it has been found that high-speed engines give the best results, when one of the prime requisites is close uniformity in speed. For cotton mills this is par-

ticularly true ; but it is also found that high-speed engines are very well suited to electric traction and transmission of power, for the variation of load is in such cases often very severe, and a high-speed engine governing quickly is especially desirable for such work. The Willans engines have been very successful in filling these require- ments, and the performance of the Exposition engine is entirely satisfactory. The Allgemeine Elektricitats-Gesellschaft occupies the center of the German annex to the Electricity Building with an immense fly- wheel alternator having an outside diameter of over 28 ft. It was not practicable to put in a 4000 hp engine to drive this alternator,

whose normal load is 3000 kw, and it was decided to erect it in the SELF-OILING TROLLEY HARP annex instead of in the main power house. The machine is sup- ported, clear of the floor, by heavy steel framework, allowing of cn

There is sufficient oil placed in the harp at each filling to last from ten to thirty days. The long bearing of the trolley wheel gives a true and even run- ning, and thus reduces the wear. All the oil is used in lubrication, and the ordinary trolley oiler at the end of the road is dispensed with. The wheel running smoothly and with perfect lubrication, there is much less noise than with ordinary wheels, and the device is less liable to leave the trolley wire. For this reason it has been in use on some of the large heavy traffic, high-speed roads of the country with great success. The self-oiling trolley harp above described is known as the "Excelsior," and is manufactured by the International Specialty Company.

Two Large Engines at the Paris Expositson

Prominent in the British section of the foreign power house at the Paris Exposition is the combined exhibit of Willans & Robinson, of Rugby, England, and Siemens Brothers & Co., of London. The engine is of the well known central valve type, and the dynamo, on the extension of the shaft, furnishes continuous current at 550 volts. The essential feature of the Willans engine, and one which contributes most to its remarkably steady operation, is the applica- tion of the constant thrust principle at all the joints, thus assuring noiseless running and freedom from the shock that is always present in an engine in which the strains are continually being reversed, an effect particularly noticeable in high-speed machinery. The first use of the Willans engine was for steam launches, where it proved eminently successful, as it was possible to secure a much higher speed with this type of engine than was previously attained, thereby reducing the weight and space occupied. The same consideration of economy of space with high rotative speed made this engine suit- able for direct connection to dynamos for supply of electric current for power and lighting. The engine on exhibition at Paris has a nominal output of 24 hp, at 200 r.p.m., but for short periods of time it is capable of develop- ing 3000 hp. This is actually the largest engine built by the com- LARGE ALTERNATOR—PARIS pany, yet it is designed on practically the same lines as the smaller engines, having three cranks at 120 deg., and for each three super- inspection of the whole, as shown in the engraving. special shaft imposed cylinders for high pressure, intermediate and low pressure A has been fitted, and a direct-current motor is provided to revolve the steam, and of 18% ins., 30 5-16 ins. and 48 ins. diameter, respectively, fly-wheel, which is 24 ft. 3 ins. in diameter and has 72 poles. Three- with a stroke of 235^ ins. In order to keep all the strains in one phase current at 6000 volts is given by this alternator, running at S,> direction, steam is admitted on only one side of the , making r.p.m. It is destined to furnish current to Berlin and the environs, a single-acting engine. For the exhaust, the inertia of the moving partly alternating and partly rectified, for the supply, in conjunction parts keeps them in compression for the beginning of the up-stroke, with other machines already running, of electric light as well as for and an air cushion in the lower cylindrical guide prevents any traction and transmission of power. The weight of this alternator, change in this condition, as acceleration is reduced in the latter part complete, is 160 tons, which necessitated the use of eleven eight- of the stroke. A high speed necessitates a very accurate balance of wheeled cars for transportation, the armature frame and field cast- the several lines of pistons acting on the three cranks, and this is ing being each in four parts. The annex was not intended for heavy obtained by having all exactly similar, and complete expansion is machinery and was too light to support a traveling crane, so the made successively through the three cylinders constituting each set. parts had to be assembled by means of portable cranes and special The air cushion is obtained by having a crosshead in the form of devices. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the machine was erected a piston working in a cylinder closed at the upper end, and the in three weeks. . power stored away during compression of the air is given out on the return stroke. Lubrication of the cranks and other working parts, The New Jersey & Hudson River Railway & Ferry Company has except the cylinders and valves, is effected by filling the crankshaft just issued a very tasteful time table, giving a map showing the chamber with oil and water, and allowing the cranks to dip in the route of the company and a view of New York City from a point on mixture and splash it on to the guides and pins. the line. STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

Experimental Conduit Line of the London City Council riage allows a lateral motion almost equal to the full width of the car, so that a considerable eccentricity of the conduit channel be- In the tramyard of the London County Council at Camberwell tween the tracks can be allowed. The advantage of this will be seen in certain parts of the track construction, such as turnouts, etc., is installed an experimental length of an electric tramway track. The line has been erected so as to be tried under actual working condi- and in addition it will, of course, be useful in avoiding obstacles in the roadway. The car is equipped with a Westinghouse magnetic tions ; it is in the open air, has a curve of 90 ft. radius and a blow-out type controller at each end for facilitating running in giadient of I in 40. The total length of the line is 256 ft. This, either direction, and with electrical brake in addition to the ordi- the first portion of the electric tramway work of the London County an nary hand brake. Council, is now in running order, and surrounded as it is by nu- The power for operating the line is yielded 75-kw, 500-volt merous stables, sheds and buildings containing all the paraphernalia by a generator direct-coupled to 124-hp of an extensive system of horse tramways, appeals in a peculiar a Westinghouse three-cylinder engine. engine is of the type manner to the onlooker. In the center of a vast home of the oldest gas The which has attracted so much attention and so popular during last tramway fashions has sprung up a small, one might almost say, a become the two years or so, to its economical working sensitive toy, length of the newest tramway practice. The entire plant formed due and governing. part of the exhibit of the British Westinghouse Company at the International Tramways and Light Railways Exhibition held in London last June. This operating tramway was the most striking of London Letter all the exhibits, and was described and commented upon in practi- cally all the technical journals and newspapers at that time. It may, [From Our Regular Correspondent.] however, be as well to glance over the main points of this tramway Work on the Glasgow tramways is now being pushed as fast as system, now that it is likely to be a center of interest both to the possible, and the laying of new tracks or putting up of overhead

- '•

EXPERIMENTAL CAR AND TRACK FOR TESTING UNDERGROUND CIRCUIT—LONDON

ratepayers of London and the authorities of other cities who are construction work is being proceeded with in almost every part of waiting for London's example before deciding upon electric tram- the city. The power house is also making rapid progress, and re- way schemes themselves. cently it was inspected by the tramway committee. Mr. Parshall, The tramway was purchased by the London County Council for the consulting engineer, showed them over the buildings and ex- the purpose of training motormen to drive electric cars and to plained the machinery and its arrangements. There were two spe- enable their engineers to carry out certain experiments, while at cial cars of different designs submitted for the consideration of the the same time able to see for themselves the appearance and be- committee, with the result that the present double-decker now havior of the conduit system under actual working conditions. The on the Mitchell Street-Springburn route was formally selected as generating plant, consisting of gas engine and dynamo, has been the most suitable for the new system over the whole city. At the hired by the Council until their own station shall be available. The car houses at Coplawhill they are at present turning out at the rate line is built on a series of cast-iron yokes, placed 5 ft. from center of five new cars every week. Mr. Young believes that the electric to center, and each set on a bed of concrete 4 ins. thick. This thick- system, embracing the entire city, will be inaugurated about the ness is sufficient for the heaviest traffic on the street. The yokes beginning of April next year, just on the eve of the exhibition. bear the tram rails at their extremities and the conduit section and The overhead work in Glasgow, which is being done by Macart- channel rails in the center. The conduit between the yokes is of ney & McElroy, is particularly interesting, wherever possible the concrete about 4 ins. wall. The lead and return conductors are run span wires being attached to the buildings, doing away with the side by side in the conduit. Both are insulated at their supports by necessity of many poles. The corporation has been no respecter stoneware insulators. The conductors are split up into sections, of buildings, and some of the finest buildings on the streets have each section being coupled by a main branch to a continuously in- got the little bracket attached to their walls from which the span sulated main running the full length of the track. An automatic wire is strung. In view of the large traffic which is expected in switch is placed in each of the branch mains, and is so arranged Glasgow during the exhibition, the corporation is making prepara- that its corresponding conduit conductor section is only coupled to tions to widen certain of the streets, which have been too narrow

the main when a car is actually over it. The car is equipped with for many years, notably the west end of Sanchichall Street. Trouble two Westinghouse No. 49 motors, each 35 hp, and coupled to the is being experienced with many of the property holders, but the car axles through a single reduction gear. Current is collected from corporation, by invoking the aid of the courts, will succeed in its the conduit conductors by means of a contact plow fixed beneath estimable work in good time. Electrical the car, and passing through the narrow surface slot, % m - wide, of The Brush Engineering Company, Ltd., has taken up the conduit. the manufacture of traction trucks at its Falcon Works, Lough- The contact plow is suspended by a hinge from a small carriage borough, and is thus the first and only firm that builds this class beneath the car. The hinge is for the purpose of allowing the plow ot manufacture in Great Britain. The company is at present making to accommodate itself to curves in the track. In addition, the car- three standards, which cover the general needs of electric traction, J : : ;

November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. EXPENDITURE as follows : Four-wheel single type, four-wheel type, and the maximum traction type. A special shop has been erected and Expenses of tramway trust £905 n 8 equipped under the control and management of E. E. Cook, an Feed 4,319 8 1 engineer who has had long and successful experience in this branch Fuel 10,085 3 9 of manufacture in the United States. The Brush Company is there- Licenses, rates, insurance, law costs, etc 14,083 4 4 fore in a position to quote to any specification and to handle orders Salaries of staff, and directors' and auditors' of any probable magnitude. fees 16,708 17 10 An extensive system of new tramways, partly electrical, is pro- Repairs and maintenance of cars, buildings, ropes jected, to join up Greater London, if Parliamentary sanction is and lines 73, 506 14 6 forthcoming next session. The London United Tramways (Ltd. Rating on tramway lines 7,087 11 o piopose to extend their existing lines to St. Pancras, Marylebone Stationery and office expenses 4,200 3 2 and Fulham, and cross the Thames to Putney, and also northward Wages 110,588 11 10 to Willesden and Southall and westward to Sunbury. The Surrey Depreciation of leaseholds 2,175 9 6 extensions will include a length of over four miles, connecting Put- Tramways' debenture interest 76,050 o o ney with Richmond, which will proceed into Middlesex over a new Tramways' debenture sinking fund 34,200 o o bridge across the Thames. Another line will be from Hammersmith Tramways' renewal reserve account (of which Bridge, and there will also be an extension from Kew Bridge to £8,102 3s. 2d. was interest earned) 15,157 15 9 Richmond. In Middlesex the scheme will comprise, among others, Dividends 38,400 o rails connecting Hounslow with Cranford, Brentford with Ealing, To apply in reduction of properties 10,000 o Twickenham with Hanworth and Kempton Park, Isleworth with Carried forward as capital reinstatement account. 10,000 o o St. Margaret's—all dependent, of course, on the probably strong Carried forward 29,185 o o opposition of some of the local authorities being overcome. The corporation of Ayr, Scotland, a town known to the whole £456,653 12 3 world as the birthplace of Robbie Burns, has decided that in equip- +++ ping its power house it is entirely unnecessary to go outside of Communication about Car Truck Patents Scotland, and has therefore placed a contract for two 200-kw P. P. P. lighting and traction generators, coupled to Belliss engines, Philadelphia, Oct. 24, 1900. with the energetic firm of D. of young Bruce Peebles & Co., Edin- The Peckham Motor Truck & Wheel Company has stated in the burgh. This firm has now on hand a very large number of machines Street Railway Review of the issue of Oct. 18, 1900, that the result for work, power and tramway and has achieved a most marked suc- of the interference proceedings in the patent office between G. M. in it turned its cess the few years has attention to electrical work. Brill and C. F. Uebelacker, in relation to short wheel base trucks, of is The corporation Liverpool making rapid strides with the was that "Mr. Uebelacker was awarded a patent for his specific equipment of its fine system of electric the tramways, and by end claims, and Mr. Brill one for his, both being awarded patents." of the year will have in operation about 100 miles of route. an As This statement is true to the extent that Mr. Uebelacker got his object lesson to other cities contemplating electric traction, the patent on specific details ; but otherwise it is absolutely untrue. On history of lost, Liverpool should not be as when the first lines were the contrary, 'the interference was decided in favor of Mr. Brill, and laid down the opposition to the overhead trolley was intense. Now priority of invention was awarded to him. the contractors and the corporation can hardly keep pace with the The following is the decision of the patent office demand, and the popular cry is for electric traction. Mr. Bellamy's "Limiting Uebelacker to July 15, 1897, for his date of conception plan of having a reversed staircase on the cars has also proved of the invention in issue, it appears that his statement fails to popular, enables passengers, most and even when old and decrepit, overcome the prima facie case made against him by the respective to ascend and descend from the top part without fear of accident dates of filing applications. the car is in motion. interesting feature about Liverpool when One "Judgment, therefore, on the record of priority of invention is is fact that their stations the power provide current both for the hereby rendered in favor of George H. Brill, the senior party. tramways and electric lighting, which might be called the English "Walter Johnson, method, in contradistinction to Glasgow, which has adopted Ameri- "Examiner of Interferences." can ideas in its tramway practice, and has separate stations for No appeal was taken from this decision, and it has never been for its lighting supply. tramway power and The Liverpool corpora- disturbed in any manner whatsoever. tion has about completed its two new power houses of 12,000 hp This decision was made May 4, 1899, an

£456,653 12 3 J. G. Brill Company. 1 1 16 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

The Sprague Multiple-Unit Patents the cars, one or more operator's switches connected to the train- line, and motors on one or more of the cars connected with the source of supply through contacts controlled through the train-line, After pending for more than two years there were issued on Oct. but otherwise independently thereof, substantially as described. 16, 1900, two patents, which have not only been already watched A train with a plurality of cars, a governing train-line through with great interest by the electrical and railway world, but which the cars, one or more operator's switches connected to the tram- bid fair to become a most important feature in the development of line, and motors on one or more of the cars connected with the heavy electric railroading. The patentee, Frank J. Sprague, has source of supply through reversing-contacts controlled through the long been known as a distinguished inventor, and the system for train-line, but otherwise independently thereof, and independent which he has secured protection has proved in practice to solve means for connecting the motors in series and multiple and for that most important question, the running of electric trains without varying the resistance in circuit therewith, substantially as de- a locomotive. scribed. The system actually employed, as stated in the specifications, is In summing up his description of principle and methods, Mr. electrical, and includes all the apparatus for controlling the speed,

Sprague says : "The practical result of the system developed in the direction of revolution, and grouping of the motors. In all, the re- foregoing specification and in the drawings illustrating it when ap- markable number of 263 claims are allowed. The explanatory part plied in its entirety is that cars properly equipped can be made up of the patent consists of an elaborate and really impressive discus- interchangeably into a train of any length and can be operated from sion of the invention, occupying some twenty-two pages, and de- any one of a number of points, and that all an operator has to do in scribes in the most complete manner the twenty sheets of draw- order to effect definite movements of the train as to acceleration, ings which precede it. A few of these latter are shown on this speed and direction is to make movements of his hand at any one of page. It is impossible at this early date to say which will be the the operator's switches, which will be similar under the conditions most important features or upon which the greatest amount of liti- that usually arise in practice. In short, a car is a unit, and a train gation will hinge, but the drawings selected for reproduction seem composed of a number of similarly equipped cars is also a unit hav- to be of such a general character that they probably contain most ing the same general characteristics that a single unit has, preferably of the salient characteristics. Fig. 1 is a plan of a car, showing the without any conditions being imposed as to the number, order or installation of a complete equipment of the multiple-unit system. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 represent diagramatically the various connections for open circuit and forward and backward running. The same difficulty obtains in the attempt to make judicious selection of the claims as in that of the drawings. The last one is phrased in the following sweeping terms: "An electrically-equipped train having independent direction and speed-controlling circuits, substantially as described." A few of the first ones run thus:

FIG. I. —MULTIPLE- UNIT SYSTEM

1. In an electrical train system, the combination of translating devices and circuits therefor in parallel relation with each other, and a governing train line independent of the other circuits, sub- stantially as described. 2. In an electrical train system, the combination of translating de- vices, circuits therefor, and a governing train line independent of the other circuits provided with sets of controlling wires, substan- tially as described.

3. In an electrical train system, the combination of motors, cir- FIGS. 2, 3 AND 4.— MULTIPLE-UNIT SYSTEM cuits therefor, an independent governing train line consisting of two sets of train wires, one set for determining direction and one end relation of the units comprising the train. The same general set for speed regulation, substantially as described. statement applies to the operation of a train made up of cars some 4. In an electrical train system, the combination of motors, cir- or all of which are but partially equipped, but which together are cuits therefor, an independent governing train line consisting of provided with an operative train equipment. To effect this funda- two sets of train wires, one set for determining direction and one mental result practically, it has been necessary to provide for prop- set for speed regulation, suitable contacts controlled by these wires, erly connecting the cars, preferably independently of sequence, and means for holding closed the direction-controlling contacts, number and end relation, with couplings of such character that any and means for opening and closing the contacts for regulation at train hand can effect the coupling; to provide against cross con- will, substantially as described. nections in the circuits on the different cars ; to guard against ac- 5. In an electrical train system, the combination of translating cidents due to failure of circuits or current or otherwise; to se- devices and circuits therefor in parallel relation with each other, a cure practical uniformity of operation in the apparatus on the dif- governing train line independent of the other circuits, and relays ferent cars and equality of work in the various motors, and to se- connected with the governing train line in parallel circuit with each cure simplicity and flexibility in the relation of the parts under all other, substantially as described. the various conditions of operation. To accomplish this, a system 6. In an electrical train system, the combination of motors, cir- has been devised which is in part automatic, and includes two sets cuits therefor, controllers therefor, and an independent governing of circuits, by means of which all or part of the apparatus on the train line with relays for operating the controllers, substantially as various units or for the various equipments is operated through described. local means whose action is initiated through a governing line and Among the others are found the following: master controllers, whatever the nature of the intermediate ap- A car equipped with a motor to drive it, a controller for the mo- paratus or the specific construction of the controlling apparatus. In tor, a relay-circuit including a train-line for operating the con- the numerous claims herein presented it has been attempted to cover troller, and one or more operator's switches connected with the as fully and broadly as possible those characteristics of the system train-line, substantially as described. which are required to render the fundamental conception possible of In an electrical train system, the combination of motors, circuits accomplishment or which are of advantage in point of commercial therefor, controllers for the motors, and a governing train-line economy, efficiency, or safety. It is obvious that partial advantage which is independent of the motor-circuits, relays connected with may be taken of this system without adopting it in its entirety, and the governing train-line in parallel with each other for operating that the various elements can be greatly modified without losing the the controllers, and means for energizing the governing train-line, advantages gained by the fundamental combinations, systems and substantially as described. methods of operation. Many changes can be made without depart- A train with a plurality of cars, a governing train-line through ing from the spirit of my invention." 11 November 3, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 17

CURRENT NEWS

English Deal for the Purchase of the Denver Tramways Off construction of electric lines by imposing heavy obligations at the inception of a projected line. W. G. Evans, secretary of the Denver Consolidated Tramway Company, returned from a trip abroad during the latter part of Inspection of the Toledo, Fremont & Norwalk Railway October. It was thought that a sale of the Denver Tramway prop- A number of the officials and invited guests of the Toledo, erty would be effected during Mr. Evans' stay abroad. He an- Fremont & Norwalk Electric Railway made a trip of inspection nounces, however, that no immediate sale is contemplated. The over that company's road on October 24. The party was carried option held by the English syndicate has expired, and the deal is off. over the entire line and then inspected the power house. An ele- Experimental Freight Lines in Washington gantly appointed banquet in the Fremont House, at Fremont, was one of the principal features of the trip. This was arranged under The Washington Traction and Electric Company has established the direction of General Manager Stout, of the company. Speech- a freight service on two of its lines with a view of ascertaining the making, in connection with the dinner, was rather informal, and possibilities of such service if generally adopted. A freight depart- the prevailing sentiment was one of congratulations to S. F. Angus ment has been created, and T. F. Alvey has been placed in charge and Henry A. Haight, who promoted the road, and to the Corn- of the department. At this season of the year, however, the sup- stock Brothers, of Detroit, who financed the line. Among those plies of country produce coming into the city are not so large as who participated were the following: President S. F. Angus, they were during the summer, but thus far the service already es- Vice-President W. B. Comstock, Treasurer A. W. Comstock, Sec- tablished by the company on the two lines mentioned has de- retary W. A. Comstock, General Counsel Henry W. Haight and monstrated the fact that this city is a base of supplies for the sec- General Manager F. J. Stout, of the company ; F. W. Walker, of tions of the outlying territory referred to. Quite business has al- a Westinghouse, Church, Kerr & Co.; A. E. Lang, president Toledo ready been developed, and the outlook is promising. Traction Company; W. H. Churchill, of the Westinghouse Com- pany; H. C. Hutchins, president of the Detroit Citizens Railway No Jim Crow Cars in New Orleans Company, and J. C. Riley, president of the Rapid Railway, of A lively debate ensued at the meeting of the New Orleans Council, Detroit. held October 23, to consider the Stanley ordinance providing for the Club Merit separation of whites and blacks in the street cars, and the ordinance Houses and System at Chicago was defeated. The general opinion was that the passage of the ordi- It is a notable fact that the presidents of the two largest street nance would do away with the hoodlum element, which was espe- railway companies of the United States, the Metropolitan Street cially desired ; but on the other hand, however, it would only tend Railway Company, of New York, and the Chicago Union Traction to intensify the present race hatred. Would the white man, who Company, who are both self-made men, are making special efforts was in a hurry, allow a "Jim Crow" car to pass and bide his time till toward the welfare of employees and striving to come into closer a regular car should appear? The general opinion was that he personal contact with the men and cultivate pleasant relations be- would not. If he should board the car, then there was a possibility tween the employees and the company, and so between the public of an eruption. Then, again, there were men of the laboring class and the company. President Vreeland's efforts in that direction in

who worked side by side with negroes all day. He desired to reach New York are now well known. President Roach, of Chicago, is his home as expeditiously as possible, and what harm if he rode working along on the same principle as Mr. Vreeland, and last home in the car with the man with whom he had been in contact all week announced his intention to build two club houses, one on the day? One councilman held that the street railway companies had a West Side, at Madison Street and Fortieth Avenue, and one on the contract with the city, and it was hardly fair to impose on that con- North Side, at Lincoln and Wrightwood avenues. The entire ex- tract ; also that the ordinance was an attack upon the railway com- pense will be assumed by the company. Mr. Roach hopes to make panies, and would affect the city's credit. these clubs the social centers for the employees and their families, with reading-rooms, theatricals and entertainments as an attrac- Inducing the Extension of Electric Lines tion. In connection with this it is intended to have a system of in- struction which will help to a thorough training of the men for the In Westmount, Que., a suburb of Montreal, is found a striking duties they were called to perform. Another innovation decided example of a town which fully appreciates what the construction upon by Mr. Roach is a percentage merit system, the details of of a suburban line means. This town has decided to pay the Mon- which have not been worked out, but which in general will con- treal Street Railway Company the sum of $2000 a year for the sist in a system of credits whereby those falling below a certain construction of a line connecting it with Montreal, and it has standard will not be retained. The system developed by Mr. Roach granted the company the free use of the village streets. The action will be of considerable interest. A percentage merit system has of this town is in striking contrast with that of many suburban been in use for several years on the Metropolitan West Side Ele- towns in the United States, who, the moment a franchise is sought vated Railroad, of Chicago. by a company of another city, argue that the trade of the town will at once be transferred to the city, and that the advent of the Increase of Wages in Denver electric railway will work to a hundred and one other harmful ends. The directors of the Denver City Tramway Company have decid- With these thoughts uppermost in their minds, the village authori- ed to increase the wages of their employees, and have fixed upon ties are wont to place the heaviest restrictions on companies seeking a schedule of 18^2 to 24 cents an hour, the amount varying accord- entrance, and in many cases such companies invariably decide to ing to the term of service. Some little time ago the employees of abandon the contemplated extension. It is hardly to be expected the company petitioned for an increase, but the matter was not that capitalists building a line, which will probably be operated at settled until recently, owing to a number of the directors being out a loss for the first few years, will start out weighed down with of the city. heavy franchise obligations. The suburban extension does not, as a

rule, prove remunerative for the first few years, and it is only after the advantages of the towns and the excellent means of trans- Milwaukee Company Upheld by the Supreme Court portation afforded have been brought to the attention of the city dwellers, that the town strikes a "boom." After this has taken place The Supreme Court of Wisconsin on Oct. 12, in the Milwaukee street railway case, reversed the lower court and thus upheld the the company begins to realize on the large outlay of capital in con- 4-cent fare ordinance and the extension by the Common Council of structing the line. Then as the town grows the company profits. the street railway company's franchise. With this decision comes Not only does the company profit, but the town itself has also been the end of the famous street railway suits that resulted from the a beneficiary. In place of the little suburban town, which a few years granting of the 4-cent franchise last January. The opinion, which before contained one or two stores, with a corresponding number is by Justice Winslow, is based upon the discretionary power of of residences, evidence of metropolitan activity are to be found the Common Council, as granted in the city charter, to determine on all sides. It is fallacious for the suburban towns to retard the what shall be for the best interests of the citizens as a whole, the :

iii8 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 44.

Supreme Court holding that this power is absolute and cannot be (7) Maximum calculated current in the original specifications? questioned in any court, so long as no wilful waste or squandering (8) Maximum loss of voltage in the rails as calculated in original of public property, rights or funds can be shown. specifications ? Regarding the $100,000 offer by an independent company, the (9) Maximum observed loss of pressure within the interior of court ruled that this was also a matter entirely within the discre- the city, locating the places of observation? tion of the Council, and that it may have acted wisely in refusing it, (10) Special details in regard to the returns: (a) What section because a new company would find it almost impossible to give as of rail? (b) What kind of rail joints? (c) Is the rail supported complete and thorough a service to the citizens as the established on insulators, and of what kind? (d) Are bare or insulated rail- one. The Supreme Court holds that the franchise is valid, and feeding cables laid parallel to the rails? (

2, igoo, the Common Council of the city of Milwaukee passed an ning-rod plates? In answering these questions actual measurements ordinance which granted to the Milwaukee Railway Company the are requested. right to operate street railways upon certain streets in the city, and (15) How large are the earth differences of potentials when the also extended all the existing railway franchises, already owned by cars are not in operation? the railway company upon other streets in the city, and required ( 16) Have you noticed electrolytic disturbances on rails, cables, the railway company to file a written acceptance of the grants so gas and water pipes ? What has your experience been ? made within thirty days. In consideration of this the company ( 17) (a) Is your road blamed for such electrolytic disturbances? agreed to sell twenty-five tickets for $1, good for transportation ( b ) Or has it been shown that the disturbances were due to some during certain morning and evening hours. chemical action between pipes and soil?

On Jan. 5, 1900, a citizen named J. G. Trentlae commenced an ( 18) Does the soil show any characteristic chemical constituents action against the railway company and the city for the purpose of such as acids and alkalies? restraining the railway company from filing its acceptance of these (19) What is the mean ground water level on the main lines? grants, and the city officers from receiving such acceptance and pre- Conclusions. venting the railway company from laying street railway tracks and In addition to the above, four questions were submitted to the operating a street railway upon First Avenue, in this city, this ave- owners of gas and waterworks, and answers were received from nue being one of the streets covered by the grant. fcrty gas works, twenty-five waterworks and eight gas and water- Trentlae claimed that the franchise was of great value and that works. Eight cities report corrosion of gas and water pipes and large amounts of money had been offered for them, but that they covering of light cables, but it is questionable whether all of this is had been improvidently given away by the city by the ordinance and due to stray electric railway currents. Three cases can be traced to resolution without any remuneration, and that the city had no right defective electric light circuits and the other five are not of a very or power to grant the franchise without consideration ; that the serious nature. This report is very encouraging, in view of the fact money which the city might and could obtain for the franchise was that seventy companies replied to the questions. In short, out of the thereby lost to the city, etc. ninety German cities which possess electric roads only two or three The court took the broad ground that the offer of the 4-cent fare have to report corrosions which are to be ascribed to earth-return was a consideration, and that the city authorities were the only ones currents, and these took place where the current density was very authorized to judge whether it was adequate. That they so con- large. The replies further show what means may be adopted to cluded settled the question, unless there was a manifest squandering prevent such disturbances. The commission has begun to compile of the city's property, and this does not seem to be the case. a list of rules and regulations for the prevention of such disturb- ances, which will be published in our columns as soon as issued.

Column Type Measuring Instruments PERSONAL MENTION Frank W. Roller, of the firm of Machado & Roller, gave a very interesting talk upon the Whitney column type electrical measuring MR. RALPH D. MARCHAND, expert for the Westinghouse instruments after the reading of the paper at the meeting of the Company in long distance transmission, has been appointed to a American Institute of Electrical Engineers on Wednesday, Oct. 24. similar position with the Montreal Street Railway Company and These instruments, of which Machado & Roller are the New York the Chambly Manufacturing Company. agents, were described in the columns of the Street Railway Journal a few months ago. Mr. Roller had various styles of instru- MR. G. F. GREENWOOD, chief engineer and general manager ments on exhibition, and the members of the Institute were allowed of the Havana Electric Railway Company, of Havana, Cuba, and to examine their operation most thoroughly. formerly of Pittsburgh, was in New York Oct. 26. Mr. Greenwood will remain in the United States about two weeks.

Investigation of Electrolysis from Railways in Germany MR. EUGENE S. REILLY, general manager of the West End Traction Company, of Pittsburgh, has recently returned from Eu- rope, where he visited the Paris Exposition. On his return to Early this year the Street Railway Journal reported on the Pittsburgh Mr. Reilly was tendered an informal dinner by the appointment of a commission by the Elektrotechnische Verein of office force of the company. Germany, which was to investigate the earth-return currents on electric street railways. This commission sent out the following ^MR. JOHN FRANCIS COLLINS, superintendent of the questions, working in conjunction with the Verein Deutscher Stras- Toledo Traction Company, celebrated his seventeenth anniversary senbahn und Kleinbahn Verwaltungen, to the owners of electric as a street railway superintendent recently. Superintendent Col- to city roads and gas and water works, to determine whether and to lins began his railway career in Indianapolis in 1884, and later he what extent these return currents have affected the gas and water became night superintendent of the system in that city. In 1898 pipes or other underground metallic structures he was appointed superintendent of the Toledo Traction Company.

( 1 ) How long has the road been in operation—i. e., with electric service?

(2 j Length of road? (3) Plan of route, with location of cars drawn in and a statement ENGINEERING SOCIETIES as to the maximum observed current consumption? (4) Car-kilometers per year ? ENGINEERS' CLUB OF PHILADELPHIA.—A regular meet- (5) Total energy consumption in kilowatt-hours per year? ing of this club will be held Saturday, Nov. 3. The paper en- (6) Maximum current used at any time? titled, "American Isthmian Canals," will be discussed. November io, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1 1 19

Antiquated Horse Cars in Cleveland Parade

As a feature of the Republican parade at Cleveland, Nov. 3, the Cleveland Electric Railway Company resurrected two horse cars which had not been in use for many years and placed them in operation on Euclid Avenue between the Public Square and Erie Street. Banners on the cars said: "Style of i860. Think and Thank." Through the daily papers the public were invited to "Come and have an old-time ride. No fares collected." The cars were operated by four men who had been in the company's employ for nearly twenty years.

WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE Three=Cent Fare Suit in Massachusetts o > The city of Worcester, Mass., has instituted suit against the Worcester Consolidated Street Railway Company fot refusing SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1900. to issue 3-cent fare tickets to school children, and carry them at that rate as stipulated in the recent act of the Legislature. The law PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY specifies that all school children shall be carried for one-half- the regular fare, and that THE STREET RAILWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY tickets shall be sold them in books of ten. The penalty fixed in the statute for failure to comply with the law Main Office: is a fine of $25 in each case. This suit will be followed with great interest, as it is NEW YORK, Beard Building, 120 Liberty Street. really instituted to test the constitutionality of the act.

Branch Offices: Comments of a Daily Newspaper Chicago Monadnock Block on Trolley Accidents The Boston Philadelphia 929 Chestnut Street Herald appears to be one of the very few newspapers London Hastings House, Norfolk Street, Strand —and they are very few—which realize what the management of a street railway property means, Correspondents in other Principal Cities of the World. and the comments in its issue of Nov. 3, which are very timely, are given below: Long Distance Telephone, "New York, 4044 Cortlandt." "Two cases in one day of trolley cars being uncontrollable serves Cable Address, "Stryjourn, New York."—Lieber's Code used. to show that accidents in this means of transportation are always possible. On the whole, considering the great number of these vehicles employed on the city streets and the suburban roads the TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. number of serious accidents reported is few, and this way of loco- motion per'CI annumdUUUUJ must be considered In the United States and Canada $4.00 remarkably safe. It is apparent that $6.00"6.00 f safety depends all the time 25I on the proper working In all Foreign Countries, per annum , .] of the ma- chinery, and on the skill and attention of the motormen in charge Subscriptions payable always in advance, by check (preferred), money order Doubtless there are many cases of the failure of brakes to work or postal note, to order of C. E. Whittlesey, Treasurer. as they should, of which nothing is known by the public at large because no consequences follow that require the attention of re- porters. There are Entered as second-class matter at the New York Post Office. also narrow escapes due to the carelessness of operators of which Copyright, 1900, The Street Railway Publishing Co. no mention is ever made. But when a car runs into a draw, or dashes upon the sidewalk, or has a collision that results in injuries, the facts come to the knowledge of the public. It is vain EDITORIAL NOTICE. to expect that all such accidents can be elim- inated from experience. The news tssues of the Street Railway Journal are devoted primarily to the Yet, when all is said, the general safety of the publication of street railway news and current happenings related to street railway trolley system is a matter of gratification and of admiration interests. All information regarding changes of officers, new equipments, ex- as well." tensions, financial changes and new enterprises will be greatly appreciated for use in its columns. Connecticut's Annual Railway All matter intended for publication must be received at our office not later Report than Wednesday morning week, in order to secure insertion in the of each The annual report of the Railroad Commissioners current regarding issue. the condition of the street railways of Connecticut has just been Address all communications to made public. The report is, from every point of view, a satisfac- THE STREET RAILWAY PUBLISHING CO., tory one, and shows more remarkable gains than last year 120 Liberty Street, New York. throughout the State. The companies making the largest returns in order of size are: Hartford Street Railroad Company, Fair Haven & Westville, Contents of this Issue Bridgeport Traction, Connecticut Lighting & Power Company (Waterbury district) and Winchester Avenue. The greatest num- ber of passengers carried per mile, showing the most heavily Antiquated Horse Cars in Cleveland Parade 1119 patronized roads, are the Montville Street Railroad Company, Three-Cent Fare Suit in Massachusetts 1119 7.68 passengers per mile; Norwich Street, Danbury Comments of a Daily Newspaper on Trolley Accidents 1119 5.98; & Bethel, 5.85; Derby Street, 5.71; New London Street, Connecticut's Annual Railway Report 11 19 5.48; Winchester Avenue, Mr. Louderbach as Mr. Yerkes' Representative 1120 5.16. During the year there were 39 people killed by the No Third Track for Lake Street "L" 1120 electric roads and 178 injured, against 12 last year killed and 312 Trolleys Crash in Montreal 1120 injured. The year has, therefore, been freer by 134 in accidents Chicago Commission Prepares Bills to be Presented to the and has increased 27 in deaths. During the year there has been Legislature 1120 an increase of but 4 miles in new trackage in the State up to June Superintendent in New Denver 1120 30. Stock issues have decreased $600,000; bond issues decreased The Relative Advantages of Narrow and Standard Gages for $10,000; cost of construction decreased $600,000; cost of equipment Electric Roads 1120 fallen off, $10,000; gross earnings increased, $257,000; operating- The Falk Cast- Welded Joint 1121 expenses, $100,000; net earnings, $143,000; dividends have de- The Milwaukee 4-Cent Fare Decision 1122 creased $21,000; interest has increased, $3,000; taxes have increased Street Railway Patents 1125 $24,000; miles run increased Personal 1126 1300; passengers carried increased the average Engineering Societies 1126 5000; passengers per mile run have, decreased from News Notes 1126 4.05 to 4.02; number of employees decreased, 365. 1 120 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 45.

Mr. Louderbach as Mr. Yerkes' Representative promotion, as Mr. Cantril has been superintendent of the South and West divisions of the tramway system since December last. D. H. Louderbach, of Chicago, is now en route to London to / Although still a young man Mr. Cantril is an old resident of Den- take charge of the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railroad, ver, and has held such positions that he possesses an unusually ex- in which C. T. Yerkes and other American capitalists are inter- tended acquaintance in the city. He first became known to the ested. He will be the personal London representative of the public as chief deputy United States marshal in Denver, in which American syndicate, and will assume the direction of the work capacity he served eight years. Later he was chief deputy in the immediately on his arrival. Mr. Louderbach was in London with Assessor's office, after which he was connected with the Denver Mr. Yerkes when the deal was completed, and has been associated Gas Company for four years. At the end of that period he had his with Mr. Yerkes in his Chicago enterprises. He supervised the first experience in street railway work as assistant to the super- erection of the Union Loop, and also had charge of many of the intendent of the Denver Cable Railway, and in December last he outlying suburban lines now merged into the Consolidated Trac- became connected with the Denver Tramway as division superin- tion Company. tendent.

No Third Track for Lake Street " L" The Relative Advantages of Narrow and Standard The following paragraph appeared in a recent issue of a Chicago for Electric Roads * daily newspaper, and also found its way by special telegraph into Gages many of the important dailies in the principal cities: "The Lake F. OF THE BERGISCHE KLEIN- Street Elevated road is planning to build a third track in con- BY GUNDERLOCH, MANAGER BAHN GESELLSCHAFT nection with its system and will open an express service similar to that in vogue on the Northwestern line. Express trains will be This report considers the following question: What are the run downtown in the morning from the outlying stations, and relative advantages and disadvantages of narrow gage and stand- from the city to the western terminus during the rush hours of ard gage for electric street railways, especially in regard to the the evening. By this means accommodations can be provided mounting of sufficiently heavy motors and other mechanical ap- for patrons in the busiest hours." Such news as this naturally pliances? caused much talk in engineering circles. A representative of the On account of the greater efficiency of electric motor cais, the Street Railway Journal called on Mr. Abel, president of the strictly city street car lines have been extended into suburban company, and he emphatically denied that the company was con- districts, which naturally present new problems for solution. sidering any such move. One of these is the demand for higher speed and the accompany- ing necessity for heavier and stronger cars. The greatly varying Trolleys Crash in Montreal traffic further made it necessary, at certain hours, to run trains consisting of a number of cars. The motor cars must possess suf- A score or more people were injured in a collision which oc- ficient weight for traction and be equipped with motors which can cured on Cote des Neiges hill, Montreal, on Nov. 3. There was furnish the requisite draw-bar pull. In general, care must be a pilgrimage to the Cote des Neiges Cemetery on this date, which taken in projecting an electric road so to build it that it can ex- was attended by several thousands, and as a car, loaded to its full tend in the future, and new requirements be met without difficulty. capacity, was ascending the hill, the trolley slipped off. The An important role in this connection is played by the choice of motorman applied the brakes, but the car slid backward slowly. the right gage. As gages of less than 1 m are seldom met There was a panic among the people inside the car, and they made with, this paper only compares the meter gage with the standard a rush for the front vestibule. So many crowded in that the gage. Only eleven companies sent replies to .the above question, and from these the following general conclusions have been drawn: motorman was rendered powerless to do anything further. They r. The narrow gage permits an easy rounding of sharp curves. broke the vestibule windows, the windows of the cars, and jumped With the present types of motor cars, with a wheel base of from from the rear platform. The car, gathering speed, dashed into a 1.6 m to 2 m, this advantage is not a very important one. It car following and that one crashed into another, before all were has been found that of sixty-one electric roads having curves of finally brought to a standstill. 20-m radius or less, thirty-three employ the standard gage and only twenty-eight the meter gage. This shows that the occur- Commission Prepares Bills to be Presented to the Chicago rence of a few sharp curves should not be sufficient cause to in- Legislature duce railway companies to adopt the narrow gage. The Chicago Street Railway Commission has practically com- 2. There is less expense connected with the construction and maintenance 6f a narrow gage than standard gage. This, of pleted its report to be presented to the Council, and the bills to course, only becomes of importance where the company builds be presented to the Legislature. It is planned to present two bills its own roadbed, and where the same is of considerable length. to the Legislature, and, before they are finally ready for presenta- The narrow gage requires a smaller expenditure for roadways, tion, they will be presented to the city's legal experts for their the transportation of earth and general construction.

opinion. The first measure will be one conferring upon the city 3. As the electric roads are feeling more and more the compe- authorities the specific right to own and operate street railways. tition with steam roads, especially in the transportation of freight, Under its provisions the city will be empowered to negotiate for it is to their advantage to use the standard gage, as it enables the purchase of the present street railway plants within the city the electric freight cars to traverse the tracks of the steam road, thus saving the cost of unloading and vice versa. permit this limits, or, as an alternative, to build an entirely new system. The To the following conditions, however, must be observed in the build- money for thus purchasing or building street railways to be owned ing of the street car line: by the municipality is to be raised by the issuance of bonds within (a) There must be no curves of a radius less than 150 m. specified limits. Before such bonds can be issued the question (b) The rails must be so supported that they can resist at any must be submitted to a vote of the people. The second measure point a moving load of 6000 kg at a speed of 30 km per hour. provides for municipal ownership of a comprehensive system of (c) There must be a clear space above the track of 760 mm. downtown subways. It has the same provisions as the other bill (d) The track axes must be 4 m apart. as regards the financing of the subway system. It confers author- (e) There must be no grades which would overload the motors ity upon the municipality to build the subway system on a bond for too long a time. (f) Such brakes must be installed and such a speed issue, and, like the other bill, makes an affirmative popular vote must be chosen on public highways that the train can be brought to a necessary before such bonded debt can be incurred. The net stop within the distance required by law. result of the municipal street railway commission's labor is thus It is worthy of note that a number of original narrow-gage the adoption of the principle of municipal ownership, and at the roads, in order to become more serviceable, have changed over adoption of same time the the referendum principle. entirely to the standard gage, or have laid a third rail. » 4. As the motors are mounted between the wheels of the motor car, it is evident that larger motors can be installed on standard- New Superintendent in Denver gage cars than on those built for narrow gage. To compensate for this difference, it is often necessary to' equip narrow-gage cars The directors of the Denver Consolidated Tramway Company with two motors, which entails a considerable expense. It has the have appointed Simeon W. Cantril superintendent, to succeed C. * Abstract of report read before the International Tramway Congress, Paris, K. Durbin, resigned. The appointment comes in the of a way September, 1900. 1121 November io, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

down the The Falk patent is an American one, and was first used in advantage, however, that if one motor should break Besides, a two-axle November, 1894, by the Citizens' Railway Company, which has other one will still be able to propel the car. less jar now used it on all its line (about 40 km up to 1899). The Chicago car more evenly distributes the weight and starts with and a series- City Railway Company, the Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company than a single-axle car. Furthermore, two motors and the Memphis Street Railway Company followed in 1895. The parallel controller permit of a better regulation of speed. It is with two Chicago City Railway Company has placed inside of four years also possible to attach a trailer to a motor car equipped 40,000 joints on its 161 km of track. heavy motors, or even attach a freight car during those hours on a nar- In Europe the first company to use it was the Tramways de when passenger traffic is light. To do this same work Lyon in 1896; the Compagnie Generale Francaise de Tramways row-gage road, four-axle cars with four motors must be employed, of Havre and Maiseilles followed in 1898, etc. The writer made a which necessitates a considerable expense. It is also more ad- with trip to Lyons in 1897, and the result was that during the winter vantageous to use larger motors running at a slower speed of 1897-98 the Falk joint was introduced on the Grosse Berliner the armatures mounted directly on the wheel axles and so avoid Strassenbahn. In Lyons there are 1700, in Rouen 1200, in Havre the use of reducing gears. Such motors can only be used on 6500, in Marseilles 6000, in Paris 2600, in Nice 3400 and in standard-gage cars. all the companies the joint cars takes up all Berlin 7609 joints. In cases used 5. The use of large motors on narrow-gage because they wanted an even, jarless track, a more durable track the room between the wheels. Thus the accessibility to the various The construction and reduced maintenance expenses. parts is made more difficult, which is a great disadvantage. The cost per joint varies according to the rail section, as the motors are further exposed to a greater extent to the water thrown Marsillon rail (Lyons) requires less metal than the Phoenix rail up from the track during travel, as the space beneath the motors (Berlin). The cost given by the Compagnie Generale Francaise is too small to allow for the provision of proper guards. for is f.2030 per joint, without license and depreciation; f.15.60 at 6. The small space also forbids the mounting of air pumps Havre; f.20.10 at Lyons, and f.16.50 at Marseilles. the use of air brakes alongside of the motors, and in any case The Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company, which has taken out the arrangement of the brake mechanism is less convenient on license rights, places the cost at $2 per joint without including narrow gage than on standard-gage cars, on account cf the track repairs and cost of patent. This is for a 30-kg rail crowded condition between the wheels. narrow- The Berlin road paid Th. Smidt, the Falk representative, 20 7. The standard-gage cars are also more stable than marks per joint exclusive of road work, and now this price has gage cars. In the latter cars with longitudinal seats the wheel been raised to 25 marks. boxes become very objectionable. The following are a few of the replies received to the question: 8. In conclusion, a few remarks should be addressed on this How much material is required to cast fifty joints? In Lyons, with subject to the owners and maintainers of highways who are in twenty-five molds, clamps, etc., costing f.20.75 exclusive of furnace, the habit of advising the railway companies to build narrow-gage 100 joints were cast in one night. The Chicago City Railways Com- roads because they take up less room than those of standard gage. pany used a furnace, two wagons withsixhorses.thirty-fivelaborers, This is an erroneous idea, however, as experience has shown that foremen, watchmen and inspectors, and cast 150 joints each night other vehicles will not use the narrow-gage tracks, but travel on 4-in. and 5-in. rails, ninety on 7-in. rails, and forty-five on 9-in. alongside, and thus take up a great deal of valuable space on the rails. The opening of the pavement, casting and repaving required roadway. As the narrow-gage cars have the same width as the one and one-half days. The Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company, in standard gage ones, the space taken up by them is the same. laying new tracks, cast from seventy-five to 100 joint^ in one day, There will, furthermore, be fewer collisions between vehicles and employing fifty men. The Berlin company reports that the ma- cars on broad-gage roads, as the former are kept further away terial for fifty 75-kg joints costs 400 marks. from the gage line. The Citizens' Railway Company reports 1 per cent breakage, From the above it will be seen that for electric street railway the Chicago City Railway Company per cent, the Twin Cities service the standard gage possesses many advantages, and is more J4 Rapid Transit Company no breaks in asphalt, but 5 per cent in commonly employed. I should not recommend the change to macadam and ordinary pavement. The latter company puts a the narrow gage, which would exclude the possibility of running fish-plate joint at every 1000 feet. The Memphis Street Railway street cars over steam railroad tracks. Company reports a />l per cent breakage, the Tramways de Lyon Vi per cent, at Havre four breaks occurred on 3800 joints, at Ber- The Falk Cast-Welded Joint * lin 1*4 pet" cent broke. In Berlin no fish-plate joints are used, while the Compagnie Generale places them every 250 m. joints in the is ascribed careless BY J. FISCHER-DICK, ENGINEER OF THE GROSSE BERLINER The breakage of mold to STRASSENBAHN cleaning of rail ends; the breakage later to rail contraction. At This paper is based on replies received to the following ques- Berlin the latter was found to be from 35 to 50 mm for every tions sent to the members of the association: 100 m of track. Only one break occurred in Berlin on joints Have you used the Falk rail-joint, and with what success? laid in asphalt. When did you introduce the joint? All companies speak in the highest terms of the usefulness and On what length of track was it used, and what form of rail economy of the Falk joint when properly executed. Old, worn- section? out tracks have been made serviceable for many years to come What technical reasons led to its adoption? With new tracks, noiseless running of cars is secured, and the Did you use it on new track or old track, so as to avoid the tracks will last for a longer time. It should be stated that Amer-

' renewal of the latter.1 ica leads in the extent to which the Falk joint is used, and in What special reasons can you give to justify the great expense Europe France takes foremost place. Lately, however, the Gold- of such an installation? schmidt rail weld is being tried by several roads, and the result is What was the cost per joint of road and pavement work, of being watched with interest. the cleaning of rail ends, wages for casting the same and the The shortening of the rail after the joints have been cast is molten metal? How large a royalty must be paid, and what other still an unexplained phenomenon. It is also a remarkable fact expenses are there? that even during the hottest day no expansion of the rail can be What installation and material are required as regards cost and observed. In building new track the contraction of the rails can quantity? be considerably reduced, but such is not the case with old rails. How large a proportion of the cast joints broke? Furthermore, it was found that wherever a break occurred the Did the breaks occur at certain periods of the year? rail contracted considerably, and fish-plates bolted at these places How long after the joints were cast did the breaks occur? had soon to be replaced by longer ones. How great a length of track could be thus welded without The advantage of casting over welding is that the rail is only fear of trouble from expansion and contraction? heated excessively at the web and foot in the first method, while Are you using rail-bonds in addition to the Falk joint? in welding it is dangerously heated throughout the entire end Have you any further remarks to make? where the weld is made. These questions were answered by only two companies, the A disadvantage of the Falk method appears to be the fact that Grosse Berliner Strassenbahn and the Compagnie Generale Fran- it is not economical to cast as small a number as twenty joints, as caise de Tramways of Paris. Ten companies reported that they the material in the furnaces is not all utilized. In Berlin, for ex- have not introduced the Falk joint. The Tramways Bruxellois ample, the repairing is proceeded with simultaneously with the submitted the questions to four American and four French com- track construction, so that only eight to ten joints could be cast; panies and the replies have been advantageously utilized in the which makes it entirely out of the question. compilation of this report. In conclusion it should be stated that the Falk joint has light- * Paper read before the International Tramway Congress, Paris, September, ened the burdens of and removed the fears entertained by the 1900. railway engineer, and has become of great financial value. 1 122 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 45.

The Milwaukee 4-Cent Fare Decision RIGHT OF TAXPAYERS, "Upon similar principles a taxpayer's right to enforce a case of action of the corporation is upheld when the corporate officials issue of this paper for Nov. to the Reference was made in the 3 wrongfully refuse or neglect to perform the duty. (Estate of Cole, recent decision of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin in favor of the 102 Wis. 1.) Here the basis of the right is not that there is neces- Light broadly sustaining Milwaukee Electric Railway & Company, sarily a personal and direct pecuniary loss to the taxpayer, but that franchises had been awarded it by the that company in the which the public moneys, rights or property are about to be squandered is such an important one that it Common Council. The decision or surrendered, and that such moneys, rights or property belong is given in full below: to the body of taxpayers and are simply held in trust by the un- RULING OF THE COURT faithful public officers. — just cited, Winslow, Justice! "With the somewhat novel practice followed "This is well illustrated in the case of estate of Cole where real personal willed in remainder to a city in this case, by which a new plaintiff owning property on a distant and property was in trust for establishment public library a for street was allowed to be substituted for the original plaintiff, and the of a and home the the original injunctional order was permitted to remain in force aged poor, and a controversy arose between the executors and in expenditures practically without complaint for weeks, while the new plaintiff the city the County Court as to whether certain the against the life tenant of the was preparing his complaint, we are not concerned. No ques- upon property should be charged property or against of the estate. The County Court tion as to the propriety or regularity of these proceedings is be- the corpus decided against city, officials declining to appeal, a fore us because the present appeals are simply appeals from orders the and the city taxpayer interested the appeal to the Circuit Court, and his refusing to vacate the preliminary injunctional order. Upon ap- took right to so sustained this court. peal from a judgment intermediate orders involving the merits do was by taxpayer could said, in strictness, to have suffered and necessarily affecting the judgment may be reviewed. (R. S. "Here no be a direct or pecuniary injury by the decision of the County Court Sec. 3070.) But we know of no provision which authorizes a re- or the failure appeal therefrom, but the illegal diminution of the view of one order upon an appeal from another. (Breed vs. to trust property was a distinct invasion of the property of the cor- Ketchum, 51 Wis., 164.) That the court had jurisdiction to refuse poration in which each individual taxpayer or member of the cor- to allow the plaintiff to arbitrarily discontinue the case and also poration had a substantial interest, notwithstanding the property jurisdiction to allow plaintiff to be substituted in his place was de- could only be used for the purposes of the trust, and its entire cided by this court in this very case. (State ex-rel vs. Ludwig, loss would not necessarily result in increased taxation. So under- 106 Wis.) FRANCHISES WOULD BE ANNULLED stood, the case is in entire harmony with the general principles laid down in the other cases in this court. "So the case reached this court upon the appeal from the order THE 4-CENT FRANCHISE NOT A SQUANDERING OF FUNDS of June 9 in the same condition as it was in the trial court. The "Further than this it is not believed that any case has gone in substitution of the Linden Land Company as plaintiff in place of this court, nor is it believed that any further extension of the rule the original plaintiff and the addition of Charles J. Eigel as a is expedient or necessary. So the question is whether it is shown plaintiff, are accomplished facts not open to question or review, in this case that any wrongful squandering or surrender of the and we are to consider and decide whether under the pleadings moneys, property or property rights of the city or unlawful in- and affidavits before the court they or either of them were entitled crease in the burdens of taxation is threatened by the proposed to the injunctional order originally granted. The case presented ordinance within the rule above stated. It is claimed that such then is one in which two citizens claiming to represent many a squandering of valuable property is shown because it is alleged thousand similarly situated have come into court and challenged that before the passage of the ordinance the city was offered $100,- the validity of franchises granted by the City Council and de- 000 by a third party for the additional franchises granted to the manded judgment that the grantee of the franchises be forbidden defendant railway company by the ordinance, and also because it to accept or utilize them, a judgment which, if granted, practically appears that the defendant company itself "in the year 1898 offered vacates and annuls the franchises as effectually as if they were to pay the city annually on the 1st of January of each year a large vacated at the suit of the State. sum of money, beginning with $50,000, and increasing the sums MUST SHOW INDIVIDUAL DAMAGE each year by $10,000 until it reached $100,000 annually, on condi-

"It is familiar law that courts do not revise, control or vacate tion said city would grant the right to charge 5-cent fares until the the acts of a municipal government at the suit of private persons year 1935. These offers were, however, rejected by the city, and except as incidental or subsidiary to the protection of some pri- the present ordinance adopted, by the terms of which no moneys vate right or prevention of some private wrong. (Pedrick vs. are to be paid to the city, but the company is required to sell for travel during certain morning Ripon, 73 Wis., 622 Nast vs. Eden, 89 Wis., 610.) The private twenty-five tickets for $1, good person so suing must show something more than a mere specu- and evening hours until Jan. 1, 1905, and after that time good dur- lative or theoretical wrong or illegal act; he must show an actual ing all hours of the day. or threatened invasion or destruction of a distinct right belonging "It seems very plain to us that this action of the Council can- to himself or to the body of citizens for whom he sues. He cannot not be called in any proper or reasonable sense a squandering of sue to prevent an act merely because it is illegal. Any other rule public funds or property. would render the transaction of municipal business well nigh im- DISCRETIONARY WITH THE COUNCIL possible. "The same considerations evidently apply to a number of other "The present action must be tested by this right. The claim of allegations in the complaint to the effect that the grant of the the plaintiffs is practically that they do come within the rule be- franchise will necessitate putting the city to great expense in re- cause they allege that they are taxpayers of the city and also abut- pairing, widening and improving streets, and violates and will ting owners upon streets covered by the franchise, and it is very seriously injure the water system of the city by electrolysis of the evident that if the action is sustained at all it must be on the pipes, thus increasing the burdens of the' taxpayers. The fact that ground that their rights, either as taxpayers or as abutting owners, such injurious effects to streets or water pipes in the streets are or both, are threatened with illegal invasion. liable to result from the granting of the franchise does not impair will first "The claim that this is a proper taxpayers' action be the power to grant it, but simply becomes an important consider- considered. No court has been more liberal in maintaining the ation to be taken into account in the fixing of the terms which right of a taxpayer to vindicate the rights of himself and his fel- shall accompany the grant. This question also becomes a question low taxpayers against the actual or threatened malfeasance or non- of discretion. feasance of public officers than this court. CITY TO DECIDE ON BENEFITS "The cases are numerous and many of them recent. Such ac- "By section 1862 R. S. the city is empowered to grant the use tions may be brought where municipal authorities are about to un- of streets and bridges to street railway corporations upon such lawfully dispose of public property or pay out public funds or terms as the proper authorities shall determine. Here is a broad about to enter into unlawful and unauthorized contracts which will grant of discretionary power. The question before the Council require public funds to discharge them, thus increasing the bur- was, what terms shall be attached to the gram. Is it more bene- dens of taxpayers or squandering the property of the taxpayers, ficial to the public to secure a cash payment or payments which or both. (Webster vs. Douglas County, 102, Wis. 181, and cases will benefit taxpayers only or to secure lower rates of fare for the cited; Rice vs. Milwaukee 100, Wis. 516.) And in a proper case public generally, or to impose other conditions. After exercising the court will go further and compel the unfaithful officers and this discretion and deciding that the terms imposed should be a even third persons to repay into the treasury sums already illegally gradual reduction of fare rather than payment of money into the paid out. These cases go on the principle that the money or prop- treasury, it cannot be said that any city fund has been squandered, erty so squandered or about to be squandered is the money of the lost or misused. Whether the city should receive any fund was a taxpayers, and hence every taxpayer has a substantial interest in question for the Council in its discretion to decide. When it de- it which he is entitled to have protected. cided that there should be no fund, but that reduced fares or other November io, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

limitations upon the grant were more desirable for the public, it "It is well settled that the property owners in severalty cannot may or may not have exercised good discretion, but it has dis- join as plaintiffs to set aside an illegal tax upon their separate lots, sipated no city fund or property. nor can they sue on behalf of themselves and other taxpayers. (Barnes vs. Beloit, 19 Wis. 93; Pier vs. Fond du Lac, S3 Wis., THAT OFFER OF $100,000 421.) The line which divides this last named class of cases from "And so with regard to the proposal of the third person to pay the classes of cases holding that two or more property owners $100,000 for the additional privileges granted to the defendant may join to prevent a nuisance affecting their several lots alike, is company. The additional privileges were a few fragments of perhaps somewhat difficult to draw, but in any event neither rule widely separated streets. If used by the defendant company in justifies the bringing of the present action by one abutter for the

connection with its other lines covering almost the entire city benefit of all. with the system of transfers provided by the ordinance, they would "Treating a street railway about to be laid upon a street withqut

probably complete a harmonious system, but if attempted to be authority of law as a continued nuisance to the owners of abut-

used by an independent company as a separate line, it seems prob- ting lots, the most that can be said under the decisions in this State able that they would be far less useful to the public. It was un- is that two or more owners in severalty of abutting lots similarly doubtedly a question addressed to the sound discretion of the affected, may join as plaintiffs, but that one cannot sue for the Council whether the franchise should be sold to a third person who benefit of all, and a statement that he does so sue is mere sur- could only run fragmentary lines or should be granted to a com- plusage. pany which would be required to incorporate the fragments into AN IMPORTANT CONTINGENCY its system, and thus furnish to the traveling public continuous "Whether, as in the present case, an abutting owner upon one trips under a transfer system from one part of the city to another street may join with an abutting owner upon another street a mile for a single fare. or more distant, even though it is intended to connect the lines NO CAUSE OF ACTION STATED upon the two streets with lines already existing, may be a serious

"Such discretion is vested in the Common Council, and cannot question, but it is one which we do not feel called upon to decide. be controlled by a taxpayer or any body of taxpayers. We have We are not now considering the case upon demurrer for improper found no other allegations which can reasonably be claimed to joinder, and it seems that if it appears by the complaint and the state any substantial injuries to the plaintiffs as taxpayers within papers used upon the motion to vacate, that either plaintiff was the rules governing taxpayers' actions, and the conclusion neces- legally entitled to have the injunctional order maintained pending sarily follows that no cause of action is stated in the complaint in the action, then the motion to vacate was properly denied. favor of the plaintiffs as taxpayers only. SUCH RELIEF NOT NECESSARY "But the question remains whether a cause of action is stated in favor of either plaintiff as an abutting owner of real estate. Be- "Proceeding then to consider the rights of the plaintiffs as abut- fore proceeding to consider this question upon its merits, it seems ting owners simply, and conceding that the pleading affidavits necessary to dispose of a preliminary question which was much show the supposed franchise to be invalid, and hence that they argued, namely, whether one abutting owner can maintain such an were entitled to an injunction preventing the laying of the rail- action on behalf of all other abutting owners. It is very evident way upon the particular street in front of the several lots, it is still that in a proper taxpayer's action challenging the illegal waste or impossible to see how they could properly demand that the rail- squandering of corporate funds or property, the question is one way company should be prevented from accepting the franchise, of common or general interest of many persons, thus bringing and thus, in effect, annulling the entire grant. the case within section 2604 R. S., and allowing one to sue for the "Such relief was in no way necessary to the protection of any benefit of all, because the fund or property threatened is undi- right they have as abutters; their lots and all rights therein were vided, and the interests of the taxpayers therein are inseparable. completely and fully protected from injury when the proposed But it is equally evident that the same considerations in no way railway was debarred from entering upon the street upon which apply to the interests of abutting owners who own separate par- their property abuts. They need nothing further. cels of property. In this case the interest of each property owner is separate and distinct from that of every other property owner. RULE AS TO INJUNCTIONS INTEREST OF OWNERS NOT THE SAME "The only true object and purpose of a preliminary injunctional order, either at common law or under the statute, is to prevent the "One owner in severalty is in no way interested in the injury (if commission or continuance of some act, 'the commission or con- any) to his neighbor's lot. In fact, the owner of one lot may con- tinuance of which, during the litigation, would produce injury to sider his property injured, and the owner of an adjoining lot may the plaintiff.' (R. S. Sec. 2774.) consider his lot benefited by the proposed street railway, and such "The court may enjoin any threatened act during the litigation may be, in fact, the case, resulting from the different uses in which when such act would produce injury to the plaintiff's rights, but the two lots are or may be put. it will go no further than necessary for that purpose. The extent "It is true that it has been held by this court that in case of a of the necessity marks the extent of the right to enjoin. threatened nuisance, affecting several parcels of real estate alike, MOMENT the several owners may join in an action to prevent the projected CANNOT BE DEFENDED FOR A nuisance. This principle has been applied to the construction of a "To go further, and enjoin other acts which if done do not bridge without legal authority which would be a nuisance to sev- affect the rights in litigation in any way, is simply an exercise of eral riparian owners (Barns vs. Racine, 4 Wis., 454); to the un- arbitrary power which cannot be defended for a moment. So it lawful encumbering of a park or public place with buildings which seems to us certain that so far as the preliminary injunctional order would constitute a nuisance to the owners of lots fronting upon it prevented the defendant railway company from accepting the fran- (Pettibone vs. Hamilton, Wis., also 45 402); to the diversion of chise it should have been vacated because the acceptance could in- water in a river to the injury of several riparian owners (Grand no way affect the rights of either plaintiff. Upon the same princi- Rapids W. P. Co. vs. Bensley, Wis., 75 399). But the effect of ple it results that the Linden Land Company, suing to protect its these decisions is not that one may sue for the benefit of all, but rights as an abutter on Locust Street, had no standing in court simply that all such parties similarly affected are properly, though to insist that the injunctional order restraining the laying of tracks not necessarily, parties to an action. (Kaukauna vs. G. B. & M. on First Avenue, a mile and a half distant, should stand pendente Co., 75 Wis., 390.) They may join in one action if they choose, lite. but they are not compelled to, it " and follows logically from this "The building of a track on First Avenue could not injure its that if they do not join, no one is owner bound by the result of property nor affect its rights as to the building of a track on Lo- another's separate action. cust Street a particle. OWNERS MUST BE SIMILARLY SITUATED THE QUESTION AT ISSUE "The theory of the action where one property owner sues for all "Thus the case is reduced to the simple question whether the is that the result is conclusive on all who are similarly situated, plaintiff Eigel, as an abutting property owner on First Avenue, is and whom the plaintiff rightfully represents, and such must be the shown to be entitled to an injunction, pendente lite, preventing the theory, or else the plaintiff does not represent all, and the state- building of the track and operating of street cars in front of his ment that he does is not only false, but absurd. It is palpably evi- property on First Avenue. That an abutting lot owner may en- dent that the principle cannot apply to abutters because, as said join the laying of a railway track which is about to be laid without before, they may join or not as they choose; if one can rightfully authority of law on the street in front of his premises cannot be refuse to join, his rights manifestly cannot be litigated or de- doubted for a moment. It is unnecessary to cite cases upon this termined in the action, hence and he cannot be bound by the re- proposition. In the present case it is claimed that the grant to sult, and by no legal action can it be said that he has been repre- the railway company is void, and conveys no power to lay tracks sented in the action. for several reasons which will not be considered. 1 124 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 45-

JUST LIKE THE LA CROSSE CASE power to carry freight over its lines in the city of Milwaukee or do anything more than maintain a street railway, the carriage of "1. It is said that the laying and operation of an electric railway passengers only. If it can only maintain and operate a street rail- to be operated by the overhead system with trolley wires and sup- way, it is quite difficult to see how the plaintiff can be injured in porting poles is an additional burden on the fee, -and hence that any way by the failure of the Legislature to endow the corpora- it cannot be done without making compensation to the adjoining tion with power to condemn private property. lot owners. "This contention is ruled in the negative by the case of La IMPORTANT POINT SETTLED Crosse City Railway Company against Higbee, 'present term,' "3. Another claim is that the ordinance is unconstitutional be- where the exact question was discussed and decided. The or- cause it is in effect a special or private law 'granting corporate dinance in the present case is essentially identical with the one in- powers or privilege,' and so prohibited by section 31 of article 4 of volved in that case; it authorizes the carriage of passengers only the constitution. The argument is that the ordinance attempts to and in the absence of a showing that it is proposed to locate poles confer corporate powers and privileges: that it is a special act of or structures in such manner as to interfere with a property own- legislation, that in enacting it, the City Council was simply exer- er's right of access to his property, it must be held that the pres- cising legislative power attempted to be delegated to it by the ent case is ruled by the La Crosse case upon this question. State, or in other words, was pro hac vice the Legislature; that AS TO COMMERCIAL RAILW AYS under the constitutional provisions above cited, the Legislature itself could pass no such laws, and that the City Council can "2. It is claimed that section 1862 R. S., under which the de- possess no greater power than the Legislature. fendant corporation is incorporated, is unconstitutional because it "This is an important contention, and, if it is well founded, is attempts to authorize the formation of street railway operations fraught with serious results to many interests, for it cannot be vested with the power to carry freight as well as passengers, thus doubted that the power supposed to be granted to municipal cor- making it a commercial railway, and also authorizes municipal porations to grant such privileges as are herein questioned has corporations to grant the use of streets to such railway companies been very frequently used. for the carriage of freight and passengers, and nowhere provides "But there is a radical difficulty with the first premise, which de- for the payment of compensation to the abutting owners. molishes the entire argument. While such franchises as were here "It may be admitted for the purpose of the case that a railway granted are legislative grants, they are not corporate powers or authorized to carry freight as well as passengers becomes a com- privileges within the meaning of the constitution. When granted mercial railway instead of a street railway, and that such a rail- to a corporation, they become the property of the corporation, way, when laid in a street, becomes an additional burden on the and so may be called franchises of the corporation, but they are fee, and cannot be laid without the consent of, or compensation not 'franchises essential to corporate existence, and granted as made to. the adjoining owners. (Chicago & Northwestern Rail- part of the organic act of incorporation.' State ex-rel vs. Portage way Company vs. M. R. & K. Railway Company, 95 Wis. 561.) City Water Company (present term). But this hardly meets the question. It is true that our statutes "Some confusion undoubtedly exists in the cases on this sub- contain no provisions authorizing such companies to condemn ject, and such franchises have been sometimes called 'corporate private property in the streets of cities or villages, although such franchises,' as noted in the case last cited, but this does not affect condemnation may be had outside of cities and villages, R. S. the true character of the franchises. The distinction was pointed Sec. 1863a. out by Chief Justice Ryan in the railway cases, 35 Wis. 425, on "It is not quite clear how this deficiency in the law affects the page 560. Speaking of this very clause of the constitution, he said corporate character of the defendant corporation. It may lender that the phrase 'to grant corporate charters,' and further 'a fran- it impossible for it to lay or operate a track for the transportation chise is not essentially corporate, and it is not the grant of a of freight without actually purchasing the right from private own- franchise which is prohibited, but of a corporate franchise; that is, ers to cross their lands, but the Legislature certainly had power to as we understand it, franchise by act of incorporation.' This con- authorize the formation of just such corporations, and if it neg- struction was followed and approved in B. R. I. Company vs. lected to provide the corporation, when formed, with a means Holway, 87 Wis. 584, and, indeed, it seems, upon reflection, the essential to its successful operation, the result would seem to be a only reasonable construction which can be placed on the consti- very unfortunate one for the corporation, and perhaps one fatal to tutional provisions. Such franchises as those before us may be' its business success, but not fatal to its corporate character. If sold and assigned, if assignable, or the corporation may be de- such a corporation attempt to condemn, it could be successfully prived of them by forefeiture, and yet the corporate existence defeated by the fact that it was given no such power, and if it at- would be in no way affected. This consideration effectually dis- tempted to lay tracks without condemning, it would be stopped poses of the argument on this point, and renders it unnecessary to with the proposition that it was taking private property without inquire whether there may not be other infirmities in the argu- compensation. ment which are equally fatal to it. OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS ANOiHER CLAIM OVERRULED

"Passing this question, however, there are other considerations "4. Another claim made is that the Council had no power to ex- which seem to us to answer the contention without serious diffi- tend existing unexpired franchises long before their expiration, culty. The law should be sustained, if possible, on any reasonable and that even if it had such power the ordinance is void because theory. Every intendment is in its favor. We think it may rea- it is unreasonable. It may be noted in passing that neither of the sonably be said that this law was only intended to authorize cor- plaintiffs owns any property abutting on any of the streets con- porations to use streets with the consent of the city for carriage taining existing lines of railway, and hence, as abutter, they would of freight as against the rights of the public only, and not as seem to have no interest authorizing them to attack these parts against private owners, leaving such private owners in full pos- of the ordinance extending to the life of previous grants; but session of their rights to stop the construction, insist on com- granting that they are entitled to raise that question, we do not pensation or give their consent, as they chose. Such was sub- think the ordinance can be held void on either ground. stantially the construction placed upon the act authorizing tele- POWER OF CITIES poles in graph companies to place their streets in the case of "The statutes (Sec. 1862, R. S.) gives the municipality power to Krueger vs. Wisconsin Telephone Company, 106 Wis. This con- grant to street railway companies the use of streets without limita- it struction seems to us to be entirely reasonable ; deprives the tion, save that such grant be made 'upon such terms as the proper of substantial right, and has the additional property owner no authorities shall determine.' This is certainly a very broad grant merit that it does not violently disturb the many valuable rights of power, certainly more comprehensive than the statute of In- public private, doubtless, and property interests, both and which, diana, under which the case of City Railway Company vs. Citizens' arisen, founded in faith upon the validity of the legis- have good Street Railway Company, 166 U. S. 557, was decided. In that lation attacked. case the law required that street railway companies should first RIGHT TO USE THE STREET 'obtain the consent of such Common Council to the location, sur- "Furthermore, it will be noticed that the corporation does not vey and construction of any street railway through or across the obtain its right to use any given street from the terms of its public streets of any city, before the construction of the same,' charter. It might exist for a century, and if no municipality saw and it was held that where a thirty-year franchise had been fit to grant it a franchise to use its streets, it could do no business. granted in 1864 to a street railway company for a term of thirty- In the present case, the city has not chosen to grant it any right years, the unexpired franchise might legally be extended in 1880 to carry freight upon a single street: all the franchises which it (fourteen years before its expiration) for the term of seven years,

owns by purchase, as well as the franchise now in question, simply so that it would not expire until 1901, and that the continued op- confer the right to carry passengers only. or. in other words, to eration of the road was sufficient consideration for such extension. build and maintain a street railway in the usual and ordinary sense "The case seems strictly applicable here. In the present case of the term, and we do not see how it can for a moment claim some of the existing franchises already owned by the defendant November io, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. railway company expired in the year 1924, and some in succeed- "Section 1862 does not require the franchises to be granted by ing years, and they were all extended in terms until the year 1934. ordinance, hence it may undoubtedly be done by resolution. The We are unable to see that there was lack of power to do this, nor resolution was first introduced on the night of its passage, hence that the extension of time was unreasonable. Many of the fran- the publication of notice was for two weeks previous to 'any ac- chises were granted in very recent years, some' of them as late as tion.' as well as to final action, and the charter provisions as to the year 1890, and franchises for terms of forty and fifty years, the reference of ordinances to committees does not apply to reso- and even longer, are frequently upheld by the courts. We have lutions. Considering these facts, and the evident strenuous at- been unable to find by an examination of the ordinance that its tempt to conform to all statutory requirements, it may be doubtful terms are unreasonable, at least to such an extent as would justify whether any court would feel that valuable franchises should be a court in declaring it void. To arrive at such a conclusion, the forfeited—even at the suit of the State, even though it might con- unreasonable character of the ordinance ought to be very clear. clude that there was some irregularity in the proceedings. It is "5. We pass now to a number of objections which may be con- enough, however, that the question is not open in this action. sidered together. They are, in effect, objections to the regularity CHARGES OF CORRUPTION of the Council proceedings in the adoption of the ordinance. It "The same considerations in effect apply to the charge of cor- is said that section 940B of the Revised Statutes, which requires rupt practices. It is not charged that any member of the Council the application for the franchise containing the substance of the was corrupted, but that certain citizens who opposed the ordinance privileges asked for to be filed with the City Clerk, and published were bought off with money. This charge is explained in the in the official paper for not less than two weeks previous to action answer as follows: The ordinance allowed the railway company on such publication, was not complied with; it is also said certain to use a viaduct for the building of which a number of property provisions of the city charter, requiring all ordinances to be re- owners had paid about $6,000 special assessments. As the build- ferred to appropriate committees, and not to be acted upon ex- ing of the railway across the viaduct turned it partially into a rail- cept after report nrade by the committee, has not been complied way bridge it diminished its usefulness to the property owners with; it is also said that it appears that the officers of the railway who had contributed to its erection. They objected to such use company used corrupt methods in securing the passage of the unless they were repaid what they had put into it over and above ordinance, in that they agreed to pay large sums to certain citizens their share as general taxpayers. In this situation the officers of to induce them to cease their opposition to the passage of the the street railway company agreed to make good to the property ordinance. owners what they had paid by way of special assessments. This "It is sufficient to say, with regard to these claims, that what- was done without concealment, but was known to all. Even were ever may be the rule elsewhere, it has been held in this State that we disposed to find fault with the transaction, the rule of the Sted- these questions cannot be raised at the suit of private parties. man case plainly covers it. (Stedman et al. vs. Berlin. 97 Wis., 505.) That case was a tax- "We have discussed the case as presented upon the second mo- payer's action in equity brought to set aside the grant of a fran- tion to vacate; any separate discussion of the first motion is un- chise to build and maintain public waterworks in the city of Ber- necessary. Our conclusion is that both motions should have been lin. The grantee of the franchise had accepted the franchise, and granted. given bond for the performance of the requirements of the ordi- SUPREME COURT'S ORDER nance, but had not commenced to construct the plant. "By the Court. —Ordered reversed and action remanded with, "It was charged in the complaint that the franchise was void directions to vacate the preliminary injunctional order and for because the provisions of section 940B, R. S., had not been com- further proceedings according to the law." plied with, and that it had been procured by the grantee by means of improper and undue influence exercised by him upon the mem- <>«• bers of the Common Council. This court held, however, that the Street Railway Patents remedy to set aside a franchise irregularly or fraudulently granted under the circumstances there presented was by quo warranto or scie facias, at the suit of the State, and not in an equitable action [This department is conducted by W. A. Rosenbaum, patent at- at the suit of private parties. torney, 177 Times Building, New York.l

COMPANY EXERCISING ITS PRIVILEGES ELECTRIC RAILWAY PATENTS ISSUED OCTOBER 23, 1900 "The present case is substantially identical in its essential facts 660.315. Automatic Railway Switch; W. Schoenewald, Phila- with the just cited. It is true that no formal acceptance of the one delphia, Pa. App. filed Oct. 17, 1899. Details of a switch adapted ordinance had been placed on file, but the company was shown to to be actuated by levers carried by the moving car. be in possession of its already constructed lines, and transacting its business thereon, selling tickets at the reduced rate, and per- forming the obligations required of it by the terms of its new franchises. It was certainly quite as much in the exercise of the privileges conferred by the franchise as was the grantee of the franchise in the Stedman case, who had not commenced even to build his plant. The principle here adopted is quite analogous to that applied to an application for leave to bring action in behalf of the State to annul the franchises of such a corporation on ac- count of misuse or nonuse thereof. Such leave will not be given as a matter of course for every dereliction of duty, but it will be granted or not, as the interests of the public seem to demand. (Sate ex-rel vs. Janesvillle Water Company, 92 Wis. 496.) "So here, upon the facts presented, it is not at all certain that the present franchise would be set aside at the suit of the State. It appears that a notice containing a full copy of the proposed ordi- nance was published for more than two weeks prior to the final passage of the ordinance. This is claimed to have been insuffi- cient by the plaintiff, because he said it ought to have been pub- lished two weeks before any action was taken by the Common PATENT NO. 660,487 Council, and because the ordinance was amended in some minor details just before passage. Now it may be a serious question 660,353. Railway Crossing Structure; W. C. Wood, New York. whether section 940B, R. S., means that the publication shall be N. Y. App. filed May 9, 1900. At the intersection of converging made for two weeks before any action, however slight, or before rails is a seat or floor, formed of iron, applied in a molten state to final action. The section simply says: 'Before action.' It appears the rails, and serving as a binder. A wearing piece of special con- also that the ordinance, as originally presented, was referred to a struction is removably attached to the seat or floor. select committee, who reported a substitute ordinance, and be- 660,422. Car Truck; J. S. Francis. Bloomington, 111. App. filed cause it is claimed that the requirements of charter have been met. May 16, 1899. Details of an all-metal truck. notwithstanding there were some minor amendments made, after 660,465. Track' Cleaner; E. Sarver, Deadwood. South Dakota. the report and before passage. Furthermore, a resolution was App. filed Jan. 20, 1900. Comprises revolving cutters, adapted to passed by the Council at the same meeting, when the ordinance remove the packed snow and ice from opposite sides of the rails of was passed granting time, the same franchise in identical terms the track. with those contained in the ordinance, and, it is claimed, and with 660,484. Rail-Joint; H. M. Boyd, Sierra Blanca, Texas, and H. apparent reason, that if the ordinance fails, still the resolution may Redmon, Cynthiana, Ky. App. filed Jan. 31, 1900. Provides a be effective, fastening means for rail-joints consisting of complementary parts STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 45. of similar formation, which are adapted to embrace the bottom and while the second operating device serves to register the fare top sides of the foot and the sides of the web, and extend along the selected by the position to which the first operating device has underside of the head. been moved. 660,487. Electric Brake; F. E. Case, Schenectady, N. Y. App. filed Aug. 5, 1898. The brake shoe is applied to the outside of the wheel, the wheel being provided with a properly machined surface. PERSONAL MENTION The shoe is adapted to follow the end play of the axle to avoid vari- ations of the air gap. MR. GEORGE H. WALBRIDGE, of the J. G. White Company, 660,546. Sander, B. B. Jenkins, Toronto, Canada. App. filed of New York, and Miss Mary G. Taylor were married on Oct. 17. July 17, 1899. Consists of a hopper having a slide-valve at the bot- tom, which is operable from platform of car. The opening of the MR. JAMES ROSS, vice-president of the Montreal Street Rail- valve vibrates an agitator and loosens up the sand. way Company, of Montreal, Que., has just returned to Montreal after a two months' trip to England.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY PATENTS ISSUED OCT. 30, 1900. MR. J. A. BENDURE, purchasing agent and superintendent 660,565. Street Car Fender; H. Furstenau, Wandsbeck, Ger- of the Atchison Railway, Light & Power Company, has been en- many. App. filed March 3, 1899. Comprises a netting and a gaged to superintend the reconstruction of the Colorado Springs frame having rollers adapted to run on roadway ahead of the car. Street Railway Company. 660,610. Supporting Strap for Cars; L. T. Yoder, Pittsburgh, GENERAL BENJAMIN FLAGLER, of Niagara Falls, died Pa. App. filed Nov. 27, 1899. Consists of a series of straps rigidly Oct. 30. General Flagler's military connections are well known, secured to the overhead rod and to each other at their crossing and he was also a prominent business man in Western New York. points, and having loops at their lower ends. He was president of the first street railway at Niagara Falls, first 660,645. for Railway Cars; E. L. Lowe, San Fran- vice-president of the Niagara Falls Power Company, and presi- cisco, Cal. App. filed March 23, 1900. Consists of a brake block dent of the Bank of Suspension Bridge since its organization in and shoe having their contacting surfaces inclined, the opposite 1886. side of the shoe being parallel with the railway track. 660.647. Brake-Operating Mechanism; J. E. Normand, Water- MR. GORDON CAMPBELL, who for seven years has been town, N. Y. App. filed July 29, 1899. The brake shoe has but a connected with the North Jersey Traction Company and its prede- single point of support, a spring being arranged to hold the shoe cessor in the capacity of purchasing agerjt, has accepted a posi- initially in the correct position, but which, when the brake is tion with the Union Railroad Company, Providence, R. I. Mr. applied, is flexible enough to permit the brake to assume its cor- Campbell is to begin his duties at once, his office being that of rect relation with the face of the wheel. general superintendent. For two years he occupied the position 660.648. Brake-Operating Mechanism; J. E. Normand, Water- of master mechanic as well as purchasing agent in Jersey City, so town, N. Y. App. filed July 29, 1899. Comprises brake beams that he has a thorough knowledge of all the departments of a with an equalizing lever connected thereto, and' an operating lever street railway company, and will undoubtedly prove a most satis- for applying pressure to the equalizing lever, there being a univer- factory addition to the personnel of the Providence company. sal joint between the equalizing lever and the operating lever.

660.649. Equalizing Lever; J. E. Normand, Watertown, N. Y. App. filed July 29, 1899. Comprises a system of equalizing levers ENGINEERING SOCIETIES adapted for use with a power brake, which may be also added to the rigging of a hand-brake system. regular 660.650. Air Brake; J. E. Normand, Watertown, N. Y. App. ENGINEERS' CLUB OF COLUMBUS.—A meeting filed Sept. 21, 1899. Comprises an automatic valve mechanism; of this club will be held Nov. 17. W. H. Miller will present a adapted under variations of pressure in the train-pipe, firstly, to paper entitled, "On Application of Brakes." permit free communication between said service reservoir and BROOKLYN ENGINEERS' CLUB.—At a regular meeting said reinforcing reservoir in either direction under normal or run- of this club, held Nov. 8, Macdonough Craven presented a paper ning conditions; secondly, to close communication to or from said entitled, "The Burning of City Wastes: When and Where Ad- reinforcing reservoir and to open communication between said visable." service reservoir and said brake cylinder, under ordinary condi- tions; and thirdly, to open communication between both said AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.—A reg- reservoirs and said brake cylinder under full service stop con- ular meeting of this society was held at the Society House, New ditions. York, Nov. 7. Two papers were presented for discussion: "Canals 660,673. Railway Switch Operating Mechanism; W. Warneke. Between the Great Lakes and New York," by Joseph Mayer, and Milwaukee, Wis. App. filed July 2, 1900. Details of switch "Great Lakes to the Atlantic," by George Y. Wisner. mechanism adapted to be tripped by a device lowered from the — platform of the car. 660.779. Fender for Trolley Cars; L. Madas, New York, N. Y. NEWS NOTES App. filed Aug. 17, 1900. Structural details. 660,805. Actuating Device for Railway Appliances; E. A. PINE BLUFF, Ark.—G. F. Carter and R. M. Nuall, of New York, are Sperry, Cleveland, Ohio. App. filed May 17, 1897. A movable here in the interest of a new electric railway project. It is said that they part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or will make an effort to secure a franchise from the City Council at once. W. vehicle, and suitable connections between said movable part and H. Keyser, of Chicago, now holds a franchise for a line here, but, as no the appliance to be actuated whereby the said appliance may be work has as yet been done, it is believed that it will undoubtedly be forfeited. actuated in either of two directions or left quiescent by the torque NEW HAVEN, CONN.—A head-on collision occuned between two cars condition of said wheel or wheels. of the Fair Haven & Westville Railroad on Oct. 30. The motorman of one 660,825. Actuating Device for Railway Appliances; E. A. of the cars was severely injured, and the cars were badly damaged. Sperry, Cleveland, Ohio. App. filed Oct. 17, 1899. Relates to the ATLANTA, GA.—An accident to one of the engines in the Atlanta Railway automatic operation of switch points. (See preceding patent.") & Power Company's plant caused a temporary suspension of traffic on its 660.903. Buffer for Street Cars: P. M. Kling. St. Louis, Mo. lines from 6:55 p. m. to 10:30 p. m. on Oct. 25. App. filed June 11. 1900. Details of a spring buffer. AURORA, ILL.—The Aurora, Yorkville & Morris Railroad has just been 660.904. Car Seat; P. M. Kling. St. Louis, Mo. App. filed completed and placed in operation. June 11. 1900. Structural details of a reversible seat. CHICAGO, ILL.—A car of the Chicago City Railway Company crashed into 660,958. Car Wheel; I. Hogeland. Indianapolis. Ind. App. filed a south-bound Illinois Central suburban train, Nov. 2, severely injuring the and three passengers. May 16. 1900. A car wheel comprising a center having a stepped motorman periphery, two of the faces of which, at opposite sides of the cen- CHICAGO, ILL.—A peculiar accident happened on the State Street cable line 24. consisting of a grip car, an ordinary trailer and an tral face, are radial, and a tire having a stepped interior cor- Oct. A cable train electric motor car run as a trailer, when going at full speed, struck an obstruc- responding with the stepped periphery of the center; all of said tion in the slot at a switch just south of Madison Street. The shock telescoped mating faces being grooved or corrugated and spaced to receive the grip car and first trailer. Seven persons were injured. packings or cushions between them. CHICAGO, ILL.—The Paige Iron Works' plant at this place was destroyed TT.867 (reissue"). Mechanism for Operating Fare Registers; J. by fire Oct. 27. The company will rebuild the plant as soon as insurance F. Ohmer and H. Tyler. Davton, Ohio. Provides means whereby matters can be adjusted, and its numerous contracts will be filled as promptly a single operating device arranged to receive motion of only one as possible consistent with the delay. The temporary offices of the concern kind or in only one plane determines by the amount of such mo- will be at 33 Ontario Street, just across the street from their property, and at tion the particular class of fare to be indicated and registered, 11 Fifth Avenue. November 17, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1 127

Opening of a Large Interurban Road

The Ohio River Electric Railway & Power Company opened its new line in Southern Ohio on Wednesday, Nov. 14. This new road runs from Racine to Middleport, a distance of more than 12 miles, passing through the towns of Syracuse, Minersville and Pomeroy. It is expected that there will be a large freight business in addition to the regular passenger service, and electric loco- motives are included in the equipment.

Chicago City Railway to Retire Bonds

It is announced that the Chicago City Railway Company will WEEKLY NEWS ISS °5 retire its bonds which expire July, 1901, by issuing new stock. There are $4,619,500 in bonds outstanding, and they bear interest

at the rate' of 4J/2 per cent. The new stock is to be offered at par SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1900. "to present stockholders. The company has issued $500,000 new

stocTv this year, making the present total $13,500,000. There is still PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY $500,000 of stock authorized, but not issued. A new issue of THE STREET RAILWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY $5,000,000 will be authorized in all probability when the bonds are retired. This will bring the total capital stock up to $19,000,000. Main Office: No Changes in St. Louis NEW YORK, Beard Building, 120 Liberty Street. The St. Louis Star recently contained the surprising an- nouncement that President Edward Whitaker, of the St. Louis Branch Offices: Transit Company, and George W. Baumhoff, general manager Chicago Monadnock Block of the company, were to resign. It was announced that Capt. Philadelphia 929 Chestnut Street Robert McCulloch, of Chicago, formerly of St. Louis, was to re- London Hastings House, Norfolk Street, Strand turn to St. Louis as successor to Mr. Baumhoff, and that Murray in other Principal Cities of the World. Correspondents Carleton, the present vice-president of the St. Louis Transit Com- pany, was to succeed Mr. Whitaker. Our St. Louis corres- Long Distance Telephone, "New York, 4044 Cortlandt."* pondent, who was communicated with as soon as this news was Cable Address, "Stryjourn, New York."—Lieber's Code used. received, telegraphs us that Mr. Whitaker emphatically denies that either he or Mr. Baumhoff have resigned or will resign. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Norfolk Houses Destroyed by Fire In the United States and Canada $4.00 per annum ( $6.00 Lighting was In all Foreign Countries, per annum A 25/ The car house of the Norfolk Railway & Company 3ifr. I destroyed by fire, Nov. 11, together with fifty cars. The fire was Subscriptions payable always in advance, by check (preferred), money order discovered at 1 a. m., after the cars had all been turned in for the or postal note, to order of C. E. Whittlesey, Treasurer. night. There were sixty-one cars in the house at the time the fire was discovered, but by heroic efforts eleven of these were saved. Entered as second-class matter at the New York Post Office. The loss is estimated at $150,000. The fire has crippled service in Copyright, 1900, The Street Railway Publishing Co. the city, and there will be no relief until cars can be obtained from other cities. The company has already begun the work of securing EDITORIAL NOTICE. new cars, and expects to resume regular operations in a few days. The origin of the fire is unknown. The news issues of the Street Railway Journal are devoted primarily to the publication of street railway news and current happenings related to street railway interests. All information regarding changes of officers, new equipments, ex- Lynn & Boston to Increase Its Capital tensions, financial changes and new enterprises will be greatly appreciated for use The Massachusetts Railroad Commissioners have just issued an in its columns. order approving an issue of 10,160 shares of additional capital All matter intended for publication must be received at our office not later stock by the Lynn & Boston Railroad Company, of Lynn, in ad- than Wednesday morning of each week, in order to secure insertion in the current issue. dition to its present outstanding capital of $2,271,000. The value

Address all communications to of the shares, to be offered proportionately to stockholders, is $130 THE STREET RAILWAY PUBLISHING CO., per share. The order is on the petition of the company that it may 120 Liberty Street, New York. issue $1,500,000 additional capital. In approving the new issue of stock the board recommends that the company continue to limit

its dividends to 6 per cent per annum, until the impairment of capital shall have been made good, and requires that the existing Contents of this Issue contract providing for the issue of coupon notes to the value of $310,000 shall be canceled. It orders that, of the increase granted, Opening of a Large Interurban Road 1127 $124,000 shall be used to the refunding at par value of outstanding Chicago City Railway to Retire Bonds 1 127 bonds issued Oct. 9, 1894, amounting to $161,200. The Board also No Changes in St. Louis 1127 orders that $607,000 shall be applied to the payment and funding Norfolk Houses Destroyed by Fire 1127 at par value of outstanding coupon notes amounting at par value Lynn & Boston to Increase Its Capital 1127 shall be applied to the necessary cost of Chattanooga Purchase and Improvements 1128 to $789,100; that $54,000 that shall Details of the Birmingham Consolidation 1128 the purchase of additional rolling stock; $138,000 be ap- of in the station First Annual Meeting of the J. C, H. & P. Ry. Co 1128 plied to the necessary cost improvements power Municipal Ownership Discussed at Chicago 1128 at Salem, and $29,000 to the necessary cost of improvements in the The Brockton Street Railway 1128 power station at Wakefield; that $21,000 shall be applied to the To Test a Massachusetts Street Railway Law 1129 necessary cost of the Essex Falls transmission line, and $14,000 The Electric Conduit Railway— Its Development and Con- to the necessary cost of equipment for the sub-station at Essex struction 1 130 Falls, and that $29,000 shall be applied to the necessary cost of the The Annual' Meeting and Report of the Manhattan Railway new building and equipment of sub-station at Gloucester, and any Company 1133 excess in the proceeds of said stock over and above the amounts The Annual Report of the Montreal Street Railway Company 1134 aforesaid shall be applied to the payment In the Public Eye 1134 required for the purposes railway Street Railway Patents 1134 for permanent improvements and additions to the street Personal Mention 1134 property. —

1 128 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 46.

Chattanooga Purchase and Improvements were presented by Professor Edmund J. James, of the University of Chicago, and Colonel E. R. Bliss. Both the speakers urged The Rapid Transit Company, of Chattanooga, Term., has just against municipal ownership. Professor James fears that munici- purchased the property of the Chattanooga & Lookout Mountain palization will greatly increase what he terms the "functionary Railroad, Lookout Point Incline Company and Lookout Incline class" —those who would strive to obtain a position under the Lulu & Lake Railway, and has announced that important im- municipality, and then become inactive and remain dormant—and provements are to be made in its system. The properties pur- the large increase in political patronage. chased were mainly owned by J. T. Crass. The purchase price is Professor James said, in part: "Private management is, on the not announced. The improvements to be made in the system whole, more efficient, and operates under favorable conditions at a of larger include extensions, additions to power station, and the general lower cost production, and leaves, therefore, possibly a margin of profit for the community. This, in spite of the fact reconstruction of the property just acquired. The lines of the that individual instances may be found of very capable public Rapid Transit Company will be extended to the top of Lookout management; in spite of the fact that municipalities may be able Mountain, a line will be around Lulu Lake on the mountain, and to borrow money at lower rates of interest than private corpora- a loop will be built at East Lake, and cars run directly from the tions; in spite of the alleged fact that public employees have a city to all points, including the top of the mountain. The Sher- keener sense of loyalty to the community than private employees man Heights line will be extended to Boyce Station, and a loop to the company; in spite of the fact that with every passing year will be built around East Lake. The power station equipment will the efficiency of the municipality as a business agent is increasing. be more than doubled, and, when all these improvements are com- Another reason in my mind for rejecting municipal ownership pleted, there will be a network of lines touching every suburban as a general and satisfactory solution at present is that such a so- point. lution would end in increasing enormously the functionary class in our society— the class which, instead of depending upon its own Details of the Birmingham Consolidation right arm and good cause for getting on in the world, depends on getting a place at the public crib, where, protected by the conserv- The details of the Birmingham, Ala., consolidation, which was atism of public employment, it may lead a life, if not of ease, at concluded Oct. 17, 1900, and which has previously been noted in least of inertia, lack of initiative, and lack of strenuous effort. the Street Railway Journal, have been made public. The con- This objection holds especially against a permanent civil service solidated companies are the Birmingham Railway & Electric Com- the absolutely essential condition of reasonable efficiency in pub- pany, Birmingham Traction Company and the Birmingham, lic, as in private, employment."

Powdcrly & Bessemer Railway Company, and the official title of Colonel Bliss said, in part: "The policy of municipal owner- ship does not attempt to destroy monopoly, but to create perpetual the consolidation is the Birmingham Railway, Light & Power monopoly. Its advocates propose that the city shall monopolize Company. The capital stock of the company is $1,500,000, divided all these utilities, taking them out of the hands of private corpora- in 15,000 shares, of a par value of $100. It has been decided to is- tions in order to secure for the public the full measure of all pos- sue bonds to the amount of $3,500,000. They will be fifty-year sible benefits to be derived from them. They present this as a bonds, of the denomination of bear interest $1,000, and at the rate business proposition in no wise related to socialism. As proof of of 5 per cent. They are to be payable in gold, and to be a first this they quote Lord Salisbury, who, when once accused of tend- lien on the property of the company now owned or hereafter ac- ing toward socialism, replied that it was simply a question of busi- quired. Of the stock of the consolidated company, 10,000 shares ness, and that each age, and each people, and each country must are to be held in the treasury for further use; 5000 shares are to decide for itself as to what work it would do as an owner and be delivered to the stockholders of the Birmingham Traction Com- what work it would let out to private corporations. This state- ment assumes that the question is still an open one. It does not pany, and 500 bonds are to be delivered to the bondholders of said involve the taking over of large property interests already estab- company; 100 bonds are to be delivered to the bondholders of the lished and in successful operation under private management, or Birmingham, Powdcrly & Bessemer Railway Company and the the assumption by the municipality of a large amount of indebted- outstanding bonds of the last named two companies are to be de- ness in the form of capital already invested in these public utilities. livered to the consolidated company and canceled. The remaining It is. well known that at that time the conditions existing in Great bonds of the consolidated company are to be left in its treasury Britain and in the countries of continental Europe were vastly for the purpose of acquiring other property, or making further different from the conditions now existing in the United States. consolidations with other companies. Nowhere in Europe was there a system of urban transportation worthy of the name of street railway, and gas and water supplies First Annual Meeting of the J. C, H. & P. Ry. Co. were totally inadequate. Investors hesitated, and investments were The first annual meeting of the Jersey City, Hoboken & Pater- correspondingly slow in the development of public utilities, and in son many instances investors, appalled by the gigantic demands made Railway Company, of Hoboken, N. J., was held Nov. 5. The by the rapid growth of many of the European cities, absolutely re- company is a most important one in New Jersey, and is a con- fused to assume the risk. It was, therefore, true that in its appli- solidation, November, 1899, of practically all the electric railways cation there it was a question of business rather than of socialism. in Northern New Jersey, which were not already under the con- If Chicago to-day was without a complete system of street rail- trol of the North jersey Street Railway Company. This latter ways, without an ample supply of gas, and without an efficient tele- company is also controlled by the same interests. The Jersey City. phone and electric lighting service, the question then at issue Hoboken & Paterson Railway Company is a union of the North might be as Lord Salisbury stated it; but when the question arises Hudson County Street Railway Company, Paterson Street Rail- regarding industries that have been developed by private corpora- way Company, Paterson Central Electric Railway Company, tions, are owned by them, are in successful operation under their Saddle River Traction Company, Palisades Railroad Company, management, and in the main meet all public requirements, in the White Line Traction Company, Paterson, Passaic & Rutherford logical sequence of events. Lord Salisbury's statement must be and each klectric Railway Company, Jersey City, Hoboken & Rutherford reversed. Under such conditions, each age people, and F.lectric Railway Company and Paterson Horse Railway Com- each country must decide for itself what work shall continue to be pany. done by private enterprise and what work shall be let out to po- litical corporations. Municipal ownership, under existing con- The report of the company for the year, it is said, shows a sur- ditions in this country, does not mean the wiping out of mon- plus of $100,000. At the meeting of the company many new direc- opoly; it means the destruction of private property, for the pur- tors entered the directorate. The old directors who were re-elected pose of enabling a municipal corporation to enlarge its functions are: David Young, John F. Shanley, William C. Shanley, A. P. and render an industrial service previously rendered by a private Hexamer, Edward L. Young, Gen. B. W. Spencer. The new corporation." directors who have just been elected are: Dennis McLaughlin, E. F. C. Young, William B. Gourley, Randal Morgan, Gen. Will- iam C. Heppenheimer, Chandler W. Riker, Charles A. Sterling. The Brockton Street Railway-

John R. Lee, J. E. Hulshizer. Since the beginning of the year twenty-two street railway com- panies to the north and south of Boston, controlled by the Massa- Municipal Ownership Discussed at Chicago chusetts Electric Companies, but operated independently, have been merged into two companies, viz.: The Lynn & Boston Rail- At a banquet of the Merchants' Club, of Chicago, held Nov. 10, road Company and the Brockton Street Railway Company. The municipal ownership of public utilities was discussed, and papers Lynn & Boston, on the north side, has purchased the stock of ten November 17, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1 129

companies, viz: Reading & Lowell, Woburn & Reading, Wake- panies obtained a controlling interest in thirty-three companies. field & Stoneham, Mystic Valley, Salem & Wakefield, Gloucester, By consolidation these thirty-three companies have dwindled Essex & Beverly, Gloucester, Gloucester & Rockport, and the down to eight, one in Rhode Island, one in New Hampshire, and Rockport Street Railway. A full account of this consolidation was the other six in Massachusetts. The most recent consolidations given in the Street Railway Journal for March 24, 1900. The have been the Taunton Street Railway with the Globe, Lowell & Brockton Street Railway Company, on the south side, has ab- Suburban with the Lowell, Lawrence & Haverhill, South Shore sorbed eleven independent lines, viz.: Needham & Boston, West & Boston and West Roxbury & Roslindale with the Brockton Roxbury & Roslindale, Norfolk Central, Norfolk Suburban, Bos- Street Railway Company. The capital stock of the Brockton Street Railway Company, prior to the purchase of the West Roxbury & Roslindale and the South Shore & Boston, was $2,312,400. This has been increased since the consolidation to some $3,500,000, and the company has obtained authority from the Railroad Commissioners for the right to issue $400,000 additional stock for the purpose of paying the floating indebtedness of the company. Horace B. Rogers has full charge of the entire Brockton sys- tem.

To Test a Massachusetts Street Railway Law

The city of Worcester, Mass., is determined to have the courts decide the respective rights and liabilities of the cities, towns and street railway companies under the law passed by the Legislature in 1898, which provides for the removal of snow, and has brought suit against the Worcester Consolidated Street Railway Company to enforce payment of bills amounting to some $12,400, being the expense incurred by the city during the past two years in re- moving snow from the tracks and streets. Prior to 1898 the street railway companies paid into the State- Treasury a franchise or corporate tax apportioned according to the market value of the company's stock, less the local taxes on real estate paid direct to the different cities and towns by the companies. This corporation or franchise tax was paid to the dif- ferent cities and towns in which the holders of stock resided, and. in addition to this tax, the street railway companies were obliged to keep the streets in which their tracks were located in good re- pair, and to remove snow and ice therefrom. The removal of snow and ice from the tracks to the traveled way, by the companies has been a source of contention since the very first. On many oc- casions have the street railway employees and the employees of the cities and towns been in conflict in the streets over the removal of the snow. This state of affairs continued until 1897, when Gov- ernor Wolcott recommended the appointment of a committee by the Legislature to investigate the subject of the relations between street railway and municipal corporations. In its report to the next Legislature (1898) this committee recommended that the dif- ferent municipalities should have full control of the public ways, and be held responsible for their condition. For various reasons it was agreed that no set rule could be established as to the com- pensation to be paid to the different cities and towns by the street railways for the removal of snow and ice from the streets in which they operated cars, and a bill was finally presented to the Legis-

lature, which, it was thought, would end the controversy. This bill provided that the corporation or franchise tax should be appor- BROCKTON STREET RAILWAY AND CONNECTING LINES tioned according to the market value of a company's stock, and that the amounts so collected should be paid by the State Treas- where street railways were ton, Milton & Brockton, Quincy & Boston, Brockton & Bridge- urer to the different cities and towns water, Brockton & East Bridgewater, Taunton & Brockton, and operated in proportion to the length of single track, instead of it in which the stockholders resided, as New Bedford, Middleboro & Brockton Street Railways. paying to cities and towns held in cities and towns At the beginning of the year the Brockton Street Railway heretofore, for in many cases the stock was road existed. In addition to this, and the real estate Company operated only 47 miles of track, connecting Brockton where no the companies should be obliged to pay with a few suburban towns within a radius of 6 miles from the taxes, it was provided that into the treasuries of the different cities and towns in which they center of Brockton, but it has gradually extended its lines in all tax," on the gross receipts. Com- directions by purchasing the system of the adjoining companies operated cars an "excise based panies whose gross income per miles of track were less than until to-day, as will be seen by the accompanying map, it connects 1 per cent on the gross receipts; those more with the Boston Elevated Railway Company at four different $4,000 were taxed per cent; those more than points, besides reaching about every point of any importance than $4,000 and less than $7,000, 2 $7,000 less per cent; those more than $14,000 and along the South Shore and the Old Colony districts. One line, and than $14,000, 2j 4 l per cent; those more than $21,000 and less starting from Milton Lower Mills and extending southward to less than $21,000, 2 /2 per cent; those reaching $28,000 or more, per New Bedford, is the longest street railway line under one manage- than $28,000, 2->4 3 ment in this section of the country. The company now operates cent. different cities and towns by the street cars in Dedham, Needham, Norwood, Walpole, Hyde Park, The taxes paid to the indirectly, through the State Treas- Milton, Quincy, Weymouth, Hingham, Nantasket, Braintree, railway companies, directly and Randolph, Holbrook, Avon, Rockland, Abington, Whitman, urer, were to be applied toward the construction, repair and main- removal of therefrom, en- Brockton, Stoughton, Easton, Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, tenance of public ways, and the snow from the removal of snow, or of East Bridgewater, Rayham, Taunton, Middleboro, Lakeville and tirely relieving the street railways in keeping any portion of the streets, road or New Bedford, and less than two years ago the lines were operated any responsibility or over which they operate cars, in repair, ex- by seventeen different companies.. The most recent additions to bridges through their location grants and where they were this system have been the lines of the South Shore & Boston cept as required in surface of the street in repairing or renew- Street Railway and the West Roxbury & Roslindale Street Rail- obliged to remove the way. ing tracks. of the act by the City of Worcester and the It is surprising to note the changes that have taken place in The interpretation Railway Company differs materi- Eastern Massachusetts since the Massachusetts Electric Com- Worcester Consolidated Street 1 130 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 46. ally, and the courts are sought as a last resort. President Dewey, which has not as yet filed a report. The amount to be paid by the of the company, has written the following letter to the City So- several companies follows: licitor in reply to the city's demand for payment on account of ex- Worcester Consolidated Street Railway $14,882,09 pense incurred in removing snow from the streets during the past Worcester & Suburban Street Railway Company 1,688.18 two years: Worcester & Clinton Street Railway Company 78.32 Worcester, Mass., Oct. 20, 1900. Worcester & Marlboro Street Railway Company 8.50

A. P. Rugg, Esq., City Solicitor, Worcester, Mass.: Total Dear Sir— In regard to the bills of the City of Worcester against the $16,657.09 Worcester Consolidated Street Railway Company, of which you have sent me a memorandum, I do not find, upon investigation, that there is any obligation to the bills numbered 2413 and 2491 on the part of the company with reference The Electric Conduit Railway—Its Development and Street and Southbridge Street. The bills numbered for work done on Pleasant * 2028, 2179, 236G, 2369, 2370 and 2417, amounting to about forty-four hundred and Construction twenty dollars ($4,420), are for work and material used in the repair and maintenance of public ways, and this company is advised and believes that it BY F. G. CUDWORTH is relieved from any liability for such bills by the provisions of chapter 578 of the acts of 1898, even if there was any legal obligation therefor previous to The history of the development of the electric conduit railway the passage of that law. That act passed by the Legislature in 1898 pro- failures vides for an excise tax to be paid by the street railway company, and to be is but a repetition of the successes and that have marked "applied toward the construction, repair and maintenance of the public ways, the development of every branch of electrical science, and its and the removal of snow therefrom," and the company does not think that present high state of efficiency stands as a monument to the un- the Legislature intended that it should contribute by the payment of this tiring energy and perseverance of the electrical workers of the tax for the repairs and maintenance of the highways, and in addition thereto last quarter of the nineteenth century. still pay for such repairs and maintenance as it had previously continue to Commercially speaking, electrical traction dates back scarcely done. fifteen years. It was introduced into the United States in an ex- As you are well aware, the various questions that have arisen under the perimental railway at the Chicago exposition in 1883, four years street railway law of 1898 have never been passed upon by the courts, and the respective rights and liabilities of the cities and towns and street railway after it appeared at Berlin. companies unuer that law have not yet been determined. You are also aware In the fall of 1884 there was opened to the public at Cleveland, that lawyers differ as to the interpretation of various provisions of that law, Ohio, 1J/2 miles of underground slotted conduit road. This was and the street railway company, having been advised that it is not liable for probably the first attempt to operate, on a commercial scale, any the bills presented by the city, must decline to pay the same, and it does not form of street railway, by electric traction, in the United States. seem reasonable that it should be expected to do otherwise until the matter It was certainly the first attempt at slotted conduit construction has been adjudicated by the courts. in this country, and while this attempt may not be safely styled In this connection I desire to call attention to the fact that during the two a complete success, it was by no means a failure, being operated years that the street railway law of 1898 has been in force the city of Worcester for sufficiently has received about twenty-seven thousand dollars ($27,000) as an excise tax, nearly two years. The service was not satisfactory provided for by that law, to be "applied toward the construction, repairs and to warrant its continuance. maintenance of the public ways and the removal of snow therefrom." Ac- In the Cleveland construction the Bentley-Knight Company used cording to the bills rendered this company, the city has during the past two a wooden conduit, placed midway between the rails, the conductor years expended about forty-four hundred dollars ($4,400) for repairs and bars being supported in very much the same way as in our more maintenance of highways which it claims this company should pay by reason recent construction. Their motor was hung from the car body of certain conditions in its franchises; it also claims to have expended about midway between the two car axles, and was connected to the eight thousand dollars ($8,000) in the removal of snow. axles by wire cables. This was, perhaps, the weakest point of the Assuming that this company had been required to pay the entire cost of Bentley-Knight construction. While they realized one of the essen- removing snow from the streets where its tracks are laid, which was never required, nor, so far as I know, ever suggested before the law of 1898 was tial features of the motor problem, they did not at that time grasp passed, and assuming that but for that law it would have paid the several the importance of the other, viz., that of positive gearing. bills mentioned, amounting to about forty-four hundred dollars ($4,400), the Late in 1884 there was witnessed the erection of the first practical toal cost to this company for repairs and maintenance of highways and re- overhead copper trolley wire in the United States, by J. C. Henry moval of snow would have been about thirteen thousand four dollars hundred at Kansas City; 1885, 1886 and 1887 saw rapid advancement made ($13,400), whereas it has paid to the city of Worcester by virtue of said law of in both line and motor construction. Early in the latter year 1898, to be devoted to the same purposes, about twenty-seven thousand dollars Sprague commenced the construction of overhead trolley lines at ($27,000), or twice as much as it would otherwise have been called upon to pay.

Richmond, ; St. Mo., Del. it On the other hand, assuming that the city has expended eight thousand Va. Joseph, and Wilmington, But dollars ($8,000) for the removal of snow, and fails to recover from the street was not until 1888 that the commercial street railway was in prac- railway company the sum of about forty-four hundred dollars ($4,400) which tical operation in the United States. In this year several roads the company claims it is relieved from paying by reason of the provisions of began to operate and to carry passengers on schedule time. the law of 1898, the city will still receive from the company the sum of Among the most successful lines were the Sprague road, at twenty-seven thousand dollars ($27,000) or about thirteen thousand six Richmond, Va. ; the Thomson-Houston system, at Washington, hundred dollars ($13,000) more than it would have received if the law of 1898 D. C, and a conduit road installed by Bentley & Knight at Al- had not been enacted. legheny City. In consequence of the street railway law of 1898 the city also receives each That the early workers upon the problem of electric traction year the tax upon the capital stock of the company which previously belonged to the Commonwealth, and which amounts to about fourteen thousand dol- realized that the only feasible method of operating cars electrically lars ($14,000) a year, so that the city treasury has been further enriched to that was by some means of underground propulsion is proved by the extent by reason of this law, which is claimed by some to be most unfair and repeated attempt, both in this country and abroad, to construct unjust to the city and its interests. a successful conduit system. As the city will receive for the past two years a profit of at least thirteen It was recognized from the outset that this system must be much thousand five hundred dollars ($13,500) from the excise tax, and about twenty- more costly; nevertheless, the urgency was felt to warrant the out- eight thousand dollars ($28,000) from the corporation tax, or tax upon the lay, and numerous and expensive attempts were made to con- capital stock of the company, making a total of about forty-one thousand struct a conduit suitable for the successful and economical opera- five hundred dollars ($41,500), which it would not otherwise have received, it tion of cars. There is little doubt that this problem would certainly seem as though it had derived some material benefit from the would have law. Yours truly, Francis H. Dewey, been successfully solved at this time, had not Sprague early in President of Worcester Consolidated Street Railway Company. 1888 demonstrated the entire practicability of the overhead trolley, and thus offered a substitute. An unsuccessful attempt was made last year to have the law much cheaper repealed. The act provides that after three years from October, During 1888 and 1889 Bentley & Knight were making for the 1898, the cities and towns may petition the Railroad Commission- West End Street Railway Company, of Boston, the most preten- tious efforts to solve the underground ers for a revision, and that the Commissioners shall, after de- problem ever undertaken. termining the average cost for the work done by the different The West End Company at that time was the largest street railway in the world, in of in cities and towns for construction, repairs and maintenance of the not only miles track but number of cars streets and public ways, and the average annual payments made operated. by the different companies, determine the percentage of the gross The signal failure of this experiment, after almost six months receipts that shall be paid to the different cities and towns annu- of attempted operation, during which time the system met with ally, the proportion to be fixed at a rate equal to the annuai cost daily, almost hourly, breakdowns and delays, convinced the offi- incurred by the different cities and towns during the preceding cials of the West End Company, and the public in general, that three years. the underground conduit road could not be successfully operated, and led to the equipment of the entire The city of Worcester will receive this year (1900) $16,657.09 in West End system with the the way of an excise tax from the various street railway companies, overhead trolley. This failure of the West End Company to con- with the exception of the Worcester Webster Street & Railway, *Paper read at Brooklyn Engineers' Club, Oct. 11, 1900. November 17, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1131

struct a successful conduit road practically stopped all further consequently it is made much wider, and is, in the Buda-Pest experiments along the line of underground construction, and system, 1)4, ins. wide. gave a great impetus to the overhead trolley. The pronounced In this country many light road wagons have tires only Ya, in. success of this latter system as a means of urban transit led to its wide, consequently the slot is limited to a maximum width of % rapid introduction into nearly every city in the United States, and in., and cannot be used as a wheel groove, as the flange requires the history of the development of the overhead trolley to its pres- a greater width. Again, in the design of "special" work, where ent high state of efficiency within the short space of ten years is there is a complication of frogs, switches, turnouts, the center without a parallel in the annals of the world's engineering. slot renders the design less complicated, and is to be preferred. It is safe to say that, had it not been for the stubborn and per- In 1892 William C. Whitney, one of the controlling spirits of sistent refusal of the municipal authorities of New York City to consider any form of electric trac- tion which contemplated the use of overhead wires, we should have had few experiments in the line of underground construction after the disastrous

failure on the West End road. As it was, the of- ficials of the Metropolitan Street Railway Com- pany were compelled to seek for some system of traction equal, if not superior, to the overhead trolley. They turned their attention to the cable as the most desirable substitute. Plans were pre- pared, and in 1889 construction commenced. Yet on Jan. 1, 1893, the entire railway system of New York City, with the exception of a cable line on 125th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, was oper- ated by horse-power, although the spring of this year saw the Broadway cable line from Fifty- Ninth Street to the Battery (10.2 miles) put in op- eration. Construction was continued, and in 1895 15 miles of additional cable lines on Columbus, Ninth and Lexington Avenues were opened. Dur- ing this period of cable construction the com- pany's engineers had not been idle. It was more and more evident that in spite of the improve-

ments in the cable it would not do for a system as large as that now operating on Manhattan Island. Its gigantic power plants and street vaults, many of these containing sheave wheels a

score of feet in diameter, could only be built and SOME OF THE OBSTRUCTIONS ENCOUNTERED^ , . operated at a tremendous expense. It was recognized that the enormous cost of cable construction would the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, offered a reward of alone limit its extension, and the directors of the Metropolitan $50,000 for a system of mechanical traction suitable for the 190 Street Railway Company cast about for some other form of me- miles of road then controlled by this company in New York City. chanical traction which would equal, and if possible be an im- It was proposed, in order to have the sanction of the State, and provement on, the overhead trolley. that the disposal of this princely reward might be entirely free The growth of electric traction nbroad had not been character- from prejudice, to place in the hands of the State Board of Rail- ized by that which had marked its development in America. Con- road Commissioners both the investigation of the plans submitted sequently the extension of the overhead trolley had been slow, and the final award. The board decided, however, that it and, owing to extended prejudice against overhead wire in gen- had no power to determine the matter, consequently the appli- eral, engineers had spent considerable time in perfecting the un- cants began to forward their schemes to the railway officials, who derground system. At about the time of the Bentley-Knight were, in an exceedingly short time, completely swamped by the multitude received, nearly all of which were of an impracticable nature. It was clearly seen that if any advance was to be made the company must go into investigations on its own account. It was felt that the company could afford to spend a large sum in conducting experiments necessary to develop a system. The problem that confronted it was not only the development of an entirely new system, but with the reconstruction of some 200 miles of lines, so interwoven and united that one system must be adopted for the larger proportion. That this was no easy problem was realized from the start; to install a system that would ultimately prove a failure and have to be abandoned, would mean the loss of the entire sum expended; consequently it was decided to send the company's engineer abroad, not only to investigate the Buda-Pest conduit system, but all kinds of mechanical traction there in use on the continent. After a detailed examination of the workings of the Buda-Pest conduit road, and a careful study of the drainage conditions, as compared with those of New York City, the engineer reported that he considered the underground electric conduit system which had been in operation in Buda-Pest for several years entirely superior to all others examined by him, and recommended its adoption, with modifications, by the company. He had examined, among other systems, hot water, compressed air, gas motor and storage battery. The Metropolitan Company proposed at this DOUBLE CONDUIT LINE ON THE BOULEVARD time to construct some 5 miles of cable road in the northern part of the city on Lenox Avenue. In accordance with the report of failure on the West End system in Boston, a conduit road was its engineer, however, the company decided to equip this line, ex- constructed in Buda-Pest, Hungary, by the Siemens-Halske perimentally, with the electric conduit system, conforming the Company, and, as it was constructed in a very substantial manner, construction as nearly as possible to its standard cable work, so it is not strange that it proved a success from the start. The that in case of the failure of the experiment the road could be Buda-Pest road is built with the slot adjacent to the tram rail changed to cable at a minimum expense. A contract was entered and not in the center of the track, as with the cable and conduit into with the General Electric Company, of New York, by which roads constructed in this country. In this case the slot serves the electrical equipment was to be installed, and the road turned not only for the plow but also as a groove for the wheel flange, over to the railway company to operate for one year. If at the 1132 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 46.

itself is i n leaving a clearance of 3-16 end of that time the road proved unsatisfactory, the electric com- thick, and the slot only -> pany was to remove the equipment without cost to the railway. in. between plow and slot rail. Besides this, the slot rail is sub- Construction was commenced in September, 1894; the first car jected to a heavy strain from loaded trucks passing over it, con- to meet these was operated April I, 1895, and the Railroad Commissioners offi- sequently the rail and yoke must be proportioned cially inspected the road during the same month. excessive strains without being deflected or closed up, and the of a most This is, in brief, the history of the first attempt at operating an foundations necessary to support these yokes must be underground conduit street railway in New York City, and the substantial character. success that marked the early operation of the Lenox Avenue The construction of special work where one or more lines cross road was most pronounced, and the difficulties attending its oper- is in itself a complicated piece of mechanism, but when that design ation much less than those usually encountered in operating an must be made to withstand the strain of a loaded truck carrying overhead trolley road. from 40 tons to 60 tons, it presents a very difficult problem in In the first two years of operation of the Lenox Avenue road mechanical engineering. there developed a few mechanical faults which had to be cor- Taking up the main features of track construction, we will de- rected, but there has b< en no serious interruption of the service, scribe a section of standard track work, giving the method of although the road has been in continuous operation twenty-four construction as adopted in New York City. The yokes are placed hours a day. Snow has given much less trouble than was ex- 5 ft. apart, center to center, every third yoke being a so-called than pected, and it is the writer's opinion that the conduit system can "box yoke." This is a cast-iron yoke, considerably heavier be operated under all climatic conditions with no more difficulties the ordinary yoke, and arranged to receive the insulators for sup- than will be met with in running any form of mechanically oper- porting the conductor bars. The foundations are, in all cases, of ated road. concrete, usually 6 ins. deep under the base of the yoke, and From this successful experiment the growth of the conduit sys- tamped in around it in the same manner that ballast is used in tem in New York City has been extremely rapid. It has been steam railroad work. Actual construction is carried forward in improved step by step. As weaknesses have developed under the the following manner: strain of operation they have been removed and improved in the From a "base line," previously established on the sidewalk, the later construction, until the present standard, now in use by the center of the track is staked out, and the excavation carried down to sub-grade. Forms are now placed in the excavations so that concrete can be laid for the foundation of the yokes. The concrete is deposited along the line of each track, usually some 6 ins. wider than the base of the yoke, and where the feeder ducts are laid at the same elevation as the bottom of the yokes it is made wide enough to receive them. The iron is now placed in the trench, the rails bolted to the yokes, and the track brought to the proper line and grade by means of wooden blocks and wedges. Con- crete is now rammed around the base of the yokes and brought up between the yokes as far as the bottom of the condui?. The track is now ready for the sheet-iron lining. While the conduit

itself is of concrete, it is made by placing sheet-iron forms between the yokes and ramming concrete against them; these forms are afterward removed, leaving a continuous tube of concrete. Earth back-filling is now brought up to within 15 ins. of the street sur- face, and the entire space between tracks, and for a distance of

2 ft. on the outside of the rails, is covered with a 6-in. layer of concrete. This forms the foundation for block paving, and in the case of asphalt, this concrete is brought up to within 3 ins. of the surface. Feeder ducts arc usually laid along the outside of the rails in connection with the track work. There are no special numbers of these tubes, enough being put down to supply the present traffic, and to provide as far as possible for future growth.

Manholes are built about every 400 ft. to allow connection being MANHOLE AND CONDUITS made with the feeder cables and conductor bars. These manholes

are generally about 5 ft. wide and 4 ft. deep, and are long enough Metropolitan Street Railway Company, for all slotted conduit to permit of repairs being made to the cables, and for a new one work, is as near perfection as it is possible to carry a piece of to be drawn in without removing the street pavement, otherwise mechanism. than to take off the cast-iron cover at the street surface. too heavy, and in the The design has been criticized as being The conduit itself is connected with cleaning manholes at in- system, which has lately completed its case of the Third Avenue tervals of from 05 ft. to 125 ft. These are for the purpose of drain- in a de- electrical equipment, it has been modified very marked ing the conduit, and to allow the removal of all accumulations of gree. Radical changes have been introduced in the method of dirt, etc. They differ from the feeder manholes in that they ex- track construction, which time alone shall justify or condemn. tend from outside to outside of tram rails only, the entrance being The tendency of the Metropolitan construction has been toward between tracks. Each is connected to the nearest sewer with a the a firm, unyielding roadbed, wdiile that adopted by Third Ave- 6-in. drain pipe: in fact, the best method is to connect all man- nue road has been the opposite. The latter company in its new holes, both feeder and cleaning, with the sewer, and provide each construction returned to the old form of a longitudinal stringer with a fair sized sump hole, from which a trapped drain leads to beneath the "tram" rail, and, in the reconstruction of its old cable the sewer. lines, the company placed a stiff spring beneath the rail-base to It was the practice, in the early conduit construction, to place would a step back- give elasticity to the road. This appear to be these cleaning manholes 200 ft. or more apart, but it was found the earlier experiments ward, if we are to draw conclusions from that the rapid accumulation of mud, which made it necessary to along the line of underground conduit developments, as the fail- clean the conduit at least once a month in summer and oftener ure of these earlier experiments are all traceable to mechanical during the winter months, was so large that difficulty was ex- weaknesses. perienced pushing the same to the manholes. This was especially It is a comparatively easy matter to construct a track for a steam the case with snow, which, finding its way into the conduit, be- or overhead trolley road, but when it becomes necessary to con- came softened from the difference in temperature, and in a number of overhangs struct a longitudinal slot, the edge which the sup- of cases packed hard enough to break the plow before it was ports, and to maintain this slot at a uniform width .under all con- pushed to the manhole. ditions of temperature and traffic, the problem becomes somewhat Different methods are used in cleaning the conduit, both horse complicated. and hand scrapers being used to drag the mud to the manholes, Many of the common kinds of paving material, granite, wood, where it is removed and carted away. Recently an electric clean- etc.. expand to a considerable extent under different climatic inar car has been developed, which is proving very successful. j conditions, and with a slot in the street the tendency is to expand electrical !| In the operation of the road the current is taken from in the direction of the slot. Consequently it is necessary to con-, the cable to a T-shaped conductor bar. These bars are in 30-ft. struct the slot sufficiently strong to withstand this expansion.' ?ngths. supported at each box yoke every 15-ft. by a heavy bottle- This has been provided for in the more recent construction by J shaped insulator. The bars are placed in the conduit 6 ins. apart, using a comparatively heavy yoke. It will be seen that this ex- j.face to face. pansion is a very serious matter, as the shank of the plow is Y% in.j The contact is made by means of a plow. This consists of a J

1 November 17, 1900. STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 133

clusters of four each steel shank attached to the truck of the car, and extending down designs. The McRoy, earthen tile in —3^4 ft. three styles into the conduit. It carries al the lower end two steel springs, to ins., inside diameter, 6 long. These were laid with which arc fixed cast-iron shoes, shaped a good deal like a large of joints. The first method was to use three pieces of burlap, two spoon howl. These shoes slide along the conductor bars and take pieces being wrapped around the joint dry, the third being dipped the current from the bar to the shoe; from the shoes insulated in hot tar and placed around the other two. The second method copper wires lead to the motor. The path of the current is from used the same amount of burlap, cement being used in place of the the positive bar to the cast-iron shoe; thence along the insulated tar on the last wrap. In the third method a dry wrap was used. wire to the motor, through the motor to the wire on the opposite In this the burlap is put on dry, being held in place by wires or side of the plow to the negative shoe and negative conductor bar. narrow strips of sheet iron. To facilitate the operation, the bars are divided into sections, The National duct is of sheet iron, cement lined, 3^4 ins. diam- eter, 6-ft. lengths. It has male and female joint, and is laid in usually 1 mile in length. These sections receive the current direct in from the power station independent of all other sections on the cement mortar. r road, and as both incoming and outgoing feeders are provided The Camp duct is an earthen tile, 18 ins. long, 3 4 ins. diameter, with independent switches at the power station, it is possible, in and is laid in cement mortar without special wrap. case of trouble on the line, to cut off any particular section with- As regards the cost of underground conduit construction, it is out interfering with the cars on any other portion of the road. almost impossible to give an intelligent answer, owing entirely to Another important fact in connection with this sectional arrange- the local conditions. This is especially true in New York City ment of feeders, in the operation of a conduit road, which does where account must be taken not only of numerous sub-surface not appear in overhead trolley operation, is that as both sides of obstructions, such as pipes, drains, sewers, etc., that must be taken the circuit are insulated from the ground, in the conduit system, up and relaid, but entire streets in a large number of cases have leakage, when it does occur, must arise on one side or the other to be repaved. All this, combined with the extremely high price of the circuit, consequently this sectional arrangement of both of special work, tends to bring the average cost per mile of single conductor bars and feeders makes it possible to correct all trouble track to about $90,000, including feeders. Outside of New York from grounds, and renders the interruption of traffic through the City, where there are less stringent rules relating to the relaying grounding of conductor bars impossible. With the positive and of old pavement, and where there are less sub-surface obstructions, negative feeders connected with double-throw switches, it is a the underground electric conduit system can be installed for $35,- very easy matter to reverse the polarity of the conductor bars in 000 to $50,000 per mile of single track. any one section by simply throwing the feeder switches from one The actual cost per mile of single track in the New York con- terminal to the other. For example: If a ground occurs on a struction has been as high as $150,000, while special work at in positive bar in any one section, no trouble will arise unless an- tersections has cost much higher; that at Twenty-Third Street other ground occurs on the negative side; in fact, several grounds and Sixth Avenue costing $59,650; Canal Street and West Broad- might occur on the positive side without causing any trouble in way, $48,869: one double crossover and two double-track turn- operation. But let a positive and negative ground occur at the outs at Thirty-Fourth Street and East River, $95,333.97.

same time, even if a mile apart, there will doubtless be a serious loss of current, and probably an interruption in the service of the line. In such a case the engineer at the power station reverses The Annual Meeting and Report of the Manhattan the polarity of the bars on one of the grounded sections by throw- Railway Company ing over the switches. The positive side is made negative, and the flow of current is immediately stopped, as both grounds are The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Manhattan Rail- flung on to the same side of the circuit. In this way the only way Company, of York, held old officers trouble that can seriously affect the operation of the underground New was Nov. 14. The were re-elected as follows: George Gould, president; Alfred system is guarded against. J. Skitt, vice-president; D. McWilliams, secretary and treasurer. The voltage adopted on the conduit lines is now the same as W. No changes were made in the directorate, and the outgoing mem- the standard for the overhead trolley—from 500 volts to 550 volts. bers of the executive and expense committees were returned. The weight of rail used has been steadily increasing until at The annual report of the operation of the company for the year present it has exceeded that used by steam roads. Weights in ending Sept. was presented at the meeting; it is appended, a 1898 were as follows: 30 comparison being made with last year's statement: Kinds of rail. Length Wt. pc. Wt. ft. of Tr. Wt. per. yd. 1899 1900 Tram 30 ft. 1070 lbs. 71 1-3 lbs. 107 lbs. Gross receipts $9,325.in $9,950,735 Slot 30 ft. 570 lbs. 38 lbs. 57 lbs. Operating expenses 5,286,182 5,i95.3[2 Conductor bar 30 ft. 210 lbs. 14 lbs. 21 lbs. Regular yoke 415 lbs. Earnings from operation $4,038,929 $4755,422 Box yoke 611 lbs. Deductions from earnings: , 9-in. girder; slot, 7-in Z-bar. Interest on bonds $1,889,680 $1,816,309 The standard for 1900 is a 60-ft. girder, weighing 109 lbs. per 827,608 872,335 yard, while that adopted for the reconstruction of the Broadway Interest and taxes 2,717,289 2,688,644 cable is a 7-in. girder, weighing 107 lbs. per yard. This latter is connected by probably the heaviest and strongest fish-plate ever Net income $1,321,640 $2,066,778 used in a surface road. Previous surplus 4,401,207 4,162,847 The Third Avenue road in its reconstruction work adopted a 60-ft. tram rail of the girder section. On the Third Avenue line, Total net income $5,723,847 $6,229,626 where the old cable conduit was utilized for the electric equip- ^Dividends 1,560,000 1,920,000 ment, the old yoke limited the rail used to a 7-in. girder, having a 4-in. base. Accordingly a rail of that dimension of the standard Surplus $4,162,847 $4,309,626 New York section, weighing 104 lbs. per yard, and in 60-ft. lengths, has been used with the Falk cast-welded joint. The percentage *Four per cent on $48,000,000 in 1900: 2 per cent on $30,000,000 of carbon in the new rail is 0.6 per cent. and 2 per cent on $48,000,000 in 1899.

The Metropolitan Company, during the present season, adopted The number of passengers carried is given as 183,788,851 in 1900, the cast-weld joirit for the first time, using it on the old rails of as against 177,204,588 in 1899. This is an increase of 6,584,293, or the Lexington Avenue cable line. This rail was a 7-in. girder 'an average of over 503,000 a day. The percentage of operating ex- badly out of line, and in some cases very much worn. The joint penses to gross receipts, excluding all taxes, was 52.21 per cent for has stiffened the rail a considerable extent, and has made a marked 1900, as against 56.69 per cent in 1899. The percentage of operating difference in the ease of riding, but as to its prolonging the life expenses to gross receipts, including all taxes, was 60.98 per cent of the old rail sufficiently to warrant the expense of the joint, is, in in 1900, as against 65.56 per cent in 1899. the writer's opinion, doubtful. At the meeting of the company President Gould said: "The an- The cost of the cast joint is $4.25. This includes cleaning the nual report to the stockholders shows the satisfactory growth and rail with the sand blast, and furnishing all material necessary to results of the company's business for the year ending Sept. 30. properly weld the same. The cost of excavating and relaying The electrical installation is making excellent progress. The pavement around joint was about $2.70, making the total cost of heaviest work- at the main power station at East Seventy-Fourth joint in the neighborhood of $7. This, at the present market price Street is completed, and the superstructure is being rapidly erected of steel rails ($26) is a little more than half the cost of replacing in anticipation of the first arrivals of machinery, due for delivery with a new rail. next month. The first electric train is completely, equipped, and, Feeder ducts in use in New York City consist of three different through the courtesy of the officials of the Metropolitan Street 1 1 34 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 46.

Railway in furnishing us with the necessary power, it will be put I. A day or two later McCormick put placards in the cars in- in operation on our Second Avenue line without delay. The com- structing women how to get off the cars with leasf risk of falling. pany's general improvements and enlargement of facilities other Innovation No. 2. than the change of motive power will begin to produce results in "Thursday, McCormick reached the pinnacle of fame by run- the very near future. The first stretch of the Fordham extension ning open cars on Cedar Avenue during the snow storm. He got beyond Tremont will be ready for trains in a few days, giving en- in the public eye for keeps by that stroke of genius. trance to the new yards on One Hundred and Eightieth Street, "McCormick is a railroad man from the ground up, and that is with a capacity for cars. 325 The new line from this point to Ford- saying a good deal, for he stands 6 ft. 3 ins. without his boots. ham will be finished early in January. Our plans contemplate the He is built in proportion and commands attention wherever he is. extension of express service from Eighty-Fourth Street to One "The employees of the company like McCormick, and he's on Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Street, on the Third Avenue line, friendly terms with all of them. He's a 'mixer,' and a prominent materially shortening the running time of express trains between club man, but withal devoted to his family and home. He drives Harlem and the lower part of the city. This improvement we ex- a fine pair of horses." pect to put into effect within the next thirty days. Generally, I may say that the outlook for the Manhattan system is most en- couraging." Street Railway Patents

Annual of the Meeting Montreal Street Railway Company [This department is conducted by W. A. Rosenbaum, patent at- torney, 177 Times Building, New York.]

The annual meeting of the Montreal Street Railway Company STREET RAILWAY PATENTS ISSUED NOV. 6, 1900 was held at Montreal, Que., Nov. 7. The annual statement of the 661,045. Mountain Locomotive; G. S. Fouts, San Francisco, company's affairs showed an increase in gross receipts of over Cal. App. filed Nov. 15, 1899. The construction is such that the $109,129 over 1899, and an increase in earnings from op- pull or push of the load is exerted automatically to maintain the eration of $29,153. The number of passengers carried in pressure of certain friction wheels, and to increase the pressure as 1900 was 43,362,262, an increase of 3,175,749 over 1899. the grade increases, whether in ascending or descending.

Dividends, amounting to 10 per cent, have been paid 661,054. Railroad Switch; D. Isard, Camden, N. J. App. filed during the year, totaling the sum of $512,500, and leaving July 28, 1900. The switch point is held in either of its two posi- a surplus of $134,746 over the year's operations. The operating ex- tions by spring pressure. penses show an increase of 1. 11 per cent, as compared with last year, 661,077. Street Car Turntable; O. G. Rieske, Dayton, Ohio. due mainly to the more freqitent and extended car service demanded App. filed July 22, 1899. The car standing on the turntable en- by the city, and other increases, including that of wages of em- gages frictionally with wheels on the table, which are geared to a ployees. The company's rolling stock has been increased during circular rack, when the power is turned on through the car, the the year by the addition of fifty-six closed motor cars, forty-five car wheels drive the gearing of the table, and so rotate the latter. open motor cars, seven supply cars, eighty trucks, and the elec- 661.123. Rail-Joint; W. W. Gillespie, Milwaukee, Wis. App. trical equipments for the cars have been increased by 128 motors filed May 23, 1900. The invention relates to the construction of a and eighty-three controllers. There are at present six extra long sleeve, which is adapted to be placed around the rail-joint, and to closed motor cars, mounted on double trucks, under construction, be secured thereto by molten metal, which is poured into the making in all twenty-five cars of this new type. During the past sleeve and into contact with the rail ends. year the company has paid taxes amounting to $168,679. The operating report of the company for the year ending Sept. 30, 1900, is given herewith, and a comparison is made with the re- port for the year ending Sept. 30, 1899: 1899 1900 Gross receipts $1,660,776 $1,769,905 Operating expenses 912,949 992,925

Earnings from operation $747,827 $776,980 The general balance sheets show: PATENT NO. 661,432

ASSETS 661,305. Working Device for Railways with Automatic Correc- Cost of road and equipment $5,718,209 tion of the Axles; J. De Buigne, Vienna, Austria. App. filed Dec Real estate and buildings 1.557.785 30, 1897. The wheels are mounted loosely on the axle, and are Stores 48,256 movable independently of each other; each wheel has an outer Accounts receivable 43.397 flange instead of an inner flange, and means are provided for im- Cash on hand 178,317 parting rotary motion to each wheel independently of the other. Cash on deposit with City of Montreal 25.000 661,432. Car Truck and Brake; D. B. Van Dorn, Cleveland, Ohio. App. filed March 17, 1900. A car truck having its sides Total $7,570,964 formed of single flat steel plates and edgings of angle-iron riveted LIABILITIES upon the outside of said plates along their top and bottom and Capital stock $5,497,055 smooth plain inner surfaces. Bonds 973.333 661,442. Railway Car; A. Kratz, Baltimore, Md. App. filed Mortgages J. 6,035 March 22, 1900. By means of a system of levers one side step or Accounts and wages payable 69.588 running-board can be lifted while the other is lowered. Accrued fixed charges 90,231 661,453. Railway Car Step; J. A. Kratz, Baltimore, Md. App. Employees' securities 118 7, filed April 21, 1900. A modification of the preceding patent. Unclaimed dividends 1,957 Unredeemed tickets 16,942 Suspense accounts 49,053 PERSONAL MENTION Dividend payable Nov. 2, 1900 135,000 Contingent account 164,333 superintendent for MR. J. B. POTTER, the recently appointed Surplus 560,319 the Webster & Dudley Street Railway, of Webster, Mass., has just entered on his new duties. Total $7,570,964 MR. CLARENCE P. KING, president of the Pottsville Union Traction Company, of Pottsville, Pa., has removed his Phila- delphia headquarters from 721 Walnut Street to the Real Estate "In the Public Eye" Trust Building.

MR. C. S. M'MAHAN, Western representative of the Street One of the Cleveland daily papers contains the following item Railway Journal, with headquarters at Chicago, has resigned about a well known street railway manager: that position, and with Mr. W. R. C. Smith, formerly of the "Ira A. McCormick, general manager of the Big Consolidated, American Electrician, have purchased the Engineer, of Cleveland, has done several things to bring him into the public eye of late. with which they will in the future be connected. Mr. McMahan The first was when he broke all precedents by having signs placed and his associate have our best wishes in the new field in which across Euclid Avenue, telling people where to go to get cars for they are engaged. the East end, the avenue being minus cars on account of the Erie Street sewer. That a street railway company should take the MR. W. E. HARRINGTON, general manager of the Camden trouble to tell the public anything was an innovation with a big & Suburban Railway Company, will sever his connection with the November 24, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL.

St. Louis Companies Liberal

The St. Louis Transit Company and the St. Louis & Suburban Railroad Company, the only street railway companies in the city, have just made the largest subscription yet received to the local World's Fair fund. The subscription is for $250,000, and makes the closing of the local fund of $5,000,000, a comparatively easy matter.

More Subways in Boston

The next Massachusetts Legislature will have before it two bills providing for a subway in Washington Street, Boston. Both bills WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE will agree upon practically all points except that of ownership. The Boston Elevated Railway still adheres to its desire to own and control the new subway, which shall be built at its own ex- SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1900. pense. The other bill provides for construction and lease by the city.

PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY The Boom in General Electric THE STREET RAILWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY We publish elsewhere in this issue extracts from a recent report of the General Electric Company, covering the seven months suc- Main Office: ceeding the period covered in the last annual report. The remark- NEW YORK, Beard Building, 120 Liberty Street. able showing made in this report has been a great surprise to the majority of outside investors, and the stock of the company,

Branch Offices: scarcely any of which is obtainable, has mounted upward in giant strides. Chicago Monadnock Block

Philadelphia 929 Chestnut Street Another Steam=Electric Conflict

London i Hastings House, Norfolk Street, Strand The Maine Central Railroad is now making every effort to have Correspondents in other Principal Cities of the World. the Railroad Commission decide adversely on the petition of the Lewiston, Winthrop & Augusta Electric Railway Company for Long Distance Telephone, "New York, 4044 Cortlandt." permission to construct its proposed new road. It is simply an- Cable Address, "Stryjourn, New York."—Lieber's Code used. other case of electric competition. The Maine Central, in op- posing the grant, raises its familiar protest. The company claims TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. that the State should protect the company's rights, and that the electric railway, if constructed, would virtually parallel the Maine In the United States and Canada $4.00 per annum ( $6.00 Central tracks and prove a competitor fully as much as would a In all ...-< Foreign Countries, per annum 25/ steam railroad.

Subscriptions payable always in advance, by check (preferred), money order Consolidation at Worcester or postal note, to order of C. B. Whittlesey, Treasurer. A special dispatch announces the consolidation of the Worcester Consolidated Street Railway, Worcester & Marlboro Street Rail- Entered as second-class matter at the New York Post Office. way, Leominster & Clinton Street Railway, and Worcester Su- Copyright, 1900, The Street Railway Publishing Co. burban Street Railway. The consolidation was effected by the sale of the Worcester Traction Company's holdings of Consoli- EDITORIAL NOTICE. dated Company stock. The Traction Company will go into liqui- dation. The consolidation will include seven companies with a The news issues of the Street Railway Journal are devoted primarily to the publication of street railway news and current happenings related to street railway total capital of $2,129,400. These companies last year carried 22,- interests. All information regarding changes of officers, new equipments, ex- 000,000 passengers, and earned $1,085,000 gross, and $111,663 net. tensions, financial changes and new enterprises will be greatly appreciated for use The funded debt of the roads is $1,419,500, floating debt, $796,197. in its columns. Oliver Ames, Samuel Carr and T. Jefferson Coolidge, Jr., of Bos- All matter intended for publication must be received at our office not later ton, will be included among the directors of the new company. than Wednesday morning of each week, in order to secure insertion in the current issue. To Build Electric Lines in Cuba Address all communications to capitalists, held in THE STREET RAILWAY PUBLISHING CO., At a meeting of Canadian and American was or- 120 Liberty Street, New York. Philadelphia, Nov. 8, the Cuba Development Company ganized with a capital of $20,000,000. It is announced that the pur- pose of the company is to secure control of electric light and rail- way franchises in Cuba, and to establish electric plants and rail- Contents of this Issue way systems in the principal cities. The enterprise owes its in- ception to Sir William C. Van Home, of Montreal, and he, to-

St. Louis Companies Liberal 1 135 gether with his son, R. B. Van Home, of Montreal, has sailed for More Subways in Boston 1135 Santiago, Cuba, in the interest of the company. Among the most The in General Electric 1 Boom 135 prominent Americans said to be interested in the company are: Another Steam-Electric Conflict 1 135 William L. Elkins, P. B. Widener, Thomas Dolan, George D. Mc- Consolidation at Worcester 1135 Creary and Sullivan, of Philadelphia; R. A. C. Smith, presi- To Build Electric Lines in Cuba 1135 J. J. dent of the Cuba Mail Steamship Company, of New York, and Regular Meeting of the New England Street Railway Club. . 1 135 Percival Farquhar, of New York. Proposed Separate Car Legislation in Georgia 1 136 Freight Service for Providence 1136 Meeting of the New England Street Railway Club The Populations of Cities 1136 Regular New York Meeting of the A. S. M. E 1136 The next regular meeting of the New England Street Railway Municipal Ownership in Chicago 1136 Club will be held at the Pathfinder Meeting Rooms, 67 Federal The Success of the General Electric Company 1 137 Street, Boston, on Wednesday evening, Nov. 28. Electric Traction on Steam Roads 1137 The previous meetings of the club have been chronicled in the The of Street Franchises Taxation Railway 1138 Street Railway Journal, and the papers read and discussions Electric Traction on the Italian Mediterranean Railroad 1140 cannot help but be of great value to the street railway officials. Electric Traction in Italy 1141 The membership of the club now numbers eighty-five, although Street Railway Patents 1 141 three meetings. Personal Mention 1142 it has had but STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 47.

"Accidents" will be discussed at the next meeting of the club, New York Meeting of the A. S. M. E. and Charles S. Baxter, attorney for the Boston Elevated Railway The forty-second meeting of the American Society of Mechani- Company, will open the discussion. Mr. Baxter is a graduate of cal Engineers will be held in New York, Dec. 4-7. The meeting the Harvard Law School, and has been connected with the legal will be opened at 9 p. m., Dec. 4, at the society's parlors, and the department of the West End Street Railway and the Boston Ele- president will deliver his annual address. On Wednesday, Dec. vated Railway since his graduation, or about twelve years. 5, the society will hold three sessions, morning, afternoon and "Trucks" will also be discussed, but no assignment has been evening. The morning session will be devoted to business, after made on this subject. which the following papers will be presented: "Comparison of Rules for Calculating the Strength of Boilers," H. de Proposed Separate Car Legislation in Georgia Steam by B. Parsons; "A Record of the Early Period of High-Speed En- There is much discussion throughout the State of Georgia re- gineering," by Charles T. Porter; "Steam Engine of Maximum garding the separation of the whites and blacks in the street cars, Simplicity and Highest Thermal Efficiency," by Robert H. memorial to their repre- and the Macon grand jury has prepared a Thurston. sentatives in the Legislature recommending that they introduce The afternoon will be devoted to renewing old acquaintances and endeavor to have enacted a law requiring all dummy, electric and general social intercourse. The evening session will be de- and street railways to provide separate or compartment cars for voted to the presentation of the following papers: "Note on the white and negro passengers, so as to prevent the commingling Centrifugal Fans for Cupolas and Forges," by William Sangster; of the races and to provide for the indictment and punishment of "Power Plant of the Massachusetts General Hospital," by F. W. the president and general manager, or officer.; in charge, of such Dean; "The Construction of Contracts," by R. P. Bolton; "An railways violating this law, as well as the employees of such rail- American Central Valve Engine," by E. T. Adams. On Thurs- ways in charge of the cars in which such violations occur. day the society will be the guest of Columbia University. Presi- dent Low, of the university, will receive the members, and Freight Service for Providence luncheon will be served in the engineering building. After Railroad Company, of Providence, R. I., has secured The Union luncheon themechar.ical laboratories will be inspected, and the loco- the services of a man who has had a long experience in freight motive Columbia, as well as the Allis experimental engine, will be traffic to look over the territory occupied by its lines and the lines inspected. The entire university plant will be thrown open to the of the Island Suburban Railway Company, and submit a Rhode visitors. Four papers will be presented at the morning session on general scheme for connecting manufacturing plants and business Thursday, and in the evening the members will be tendered a re- and steamship wharves. The company houses with the steam road ception by the president and president-elect. The closing session consultation with the principal manufacturers of the has been in will be held on Friday morning, when five papers will be presented. city, and the universal opinion is that the should supersede the horse. Shippers have been asked to give an approximte estimate of the number of tons handled, and to say what proportion goes by rail Municipal Ownership in Chicago and boat. This will enable the company to determine about the number of freight cars needed. The idea is to have one car do the work of six two-horse wagons. The company has invited sug- The following most interesting editorial appeared in the Chicago gestions and opinions from all interested. Chronicle of recent date, relative to the proposed municipalization of the local electric railway lines: The Populations of Cities "As far as Illinois and Chicago are concerned, there is nothing practical in the discussion regarding public ownership of street The populations of some of the principal cities of the United railways, gas plants or other public utilities. Under the present States for 1900 are given herewith, as disclosed by the census. constitution the State cannot loan its credit nor raise a tax for any with records of and the total increase Comparisons are made 1890, work of public improvement without a vote of the people. The and increase per cent are given in every case: people never will vote for such a measure. In- Per "As to Chicago, municipal ownership is equally impracticable. crease Cent 1900 1890 The city cannot contract a debt which would be necessary if its New York 3,437,202 2,492,591 944,611 37-90 power was to be exercised for the purchase or construction of Chicago i,6o8,575 1,099,850 598,725 54-43 street railways or gas plants or any other public work of general Philadelphia 1,293,697 1,046,964 246,733 23-57 utility. There is an impassable .stone wall in the way of any proj- St. Louis 575,238 451,770 123,468 27-33 ect by which the State of Illinois or the city of Chicago might Boston 560,892 448.477 112,415 25.06 become proprietor of railways or supplant existing corporations Baltimore 508,957 434,439 74,5i8 I7-I5 of any kind, private, quasi-public or public. Neither the State nor Cleveland 381,768 261,353 120,415 46.07 the city has the money or can obtain the money necessary for the Buffalo 352,219 255,664 96,555 37-77 purpose.

San Francisco 342,782 298,997 43,785 14-Si "If it was practicable for the city of Chicago to own and operate

Cincinnati 325,902 296,908 28,994 9-77 the street railways and other public utilities it would be inexpedi- Pittsburgh 321,616 238,617 82,999 34-78 ent. Unless a thorough civil service system was established—bet- New Orleans 287,104 242,039 45,o65 18.62 ter as a system and better administered than any national, State Detroit 285,704 205,878 79.828 38.77 or city civil service now in existence—the administration of the Milwaukee 285,315 204,468 80,847 39-53 public utilities would be pervaded by extravagance, by favoritism, District of Columbia (in- by the worst evils of the spoils system, by inefficiency, probably

cluding Washington) . . 278,718 230,392 48,326 20.98 by corruption. Newark 246,070 181,830 62,240 35-33 "We can imagine the riot which would occur in the appointment Jersey City 206,433 163,003 43.430 26.64 of all the officers and employees in the street railways, for instance. Louisville 204,731 161,129 43,602 27.06 Not fewer than 18,000 or 20,000 voters are in the service of the Minneapolis 202,718 164,738 37.78o 23-05 present street railway corporations. If all these men held merely Providence 175,597 132,146 43.451 23.88 political places they would rule the elections in the city and in Indianapolis 169,164 105,436 63.728 60.44 Cook County. They might rule the State. Kansas City, Mo 163,752 132,716 31,036 23.39 'The favoritism which might be practiced if the city should build St. Paul 163,632 133,156 30,478 22.89 and operate street railways would be appalling. Lines would be Rochester 162,435 i33,8o6 28,539 21.31 constructed in all directions to 'develop' property or to serve Denver 133,859 106,713 27,146 25-44 private interests in other ways. Cars would be run on time tables Toledo 131,822 8i,434 50,388 81.88 arranged for private accommodation. The street car system would Allegheny 129,896 105,287 24,609 23-37 be used for party, personal and private ends, not for public ends. Columbus 125,560 88,150 37,4io 42.44 "These are practical considerations, entirely disconnected from Syracuse, N. Y 108,374 88,143 20,231 22.95 a discussion of the socialistic principles on which the theory of Omaha 102,555 140,452 *37,897 26.98 municipal ownership is founded. They are conclusive against all schemes of municipal ownership under our constitution and laws. Decrease. The people are opposed to revolution." November 34, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1137

throughout the is large The Success of the General Electric Company territory traversed by its system there a number of water powers, and it was hoped that these could be utilized for use on some of its feeder lines through the employment An interesting example of the present abounding prosperity is of electricity. The electric traction experiments made by the com- furnished by the condition of the General Electric Company. The pany have been of two kinds. For certain lines where the traffic stock of this company has recently increased as much as S J points A was considerable and the train service sufficiently frequent, the in one day, but this has been due to a perfectly healthy rise in its company has adopted the direct distribution system by means of value, and not to manipulation by speculative interests. It has a central station and overhead lines. For other lines, where the been greatly accentuated by the fact that but little stock is to be traffic was quite small, but where it was thought that travel might had in the open market, and that the activity has been confined be increased by a more frequent service, a number of accumulator to small orders. The public has but recently taken an interest in cars has been run. Experiments have been carried out not only the affairs of this company, remembering only the conditions ex- to determine the \alue of motive power, but also whether by means isting a few years ago, when it was engaged with a deficit, so that of it. or at the same time, the company could make a reduction in there is at present a widespread demand from outside sources for its train force and station attendants. The system of direct dis- all the stock that can be obtained, owing to the general awakening tribution from a central station will first be considered. to its true value. The attention the stock has been receiving on the New York DISTRIBUTION FROM A CENTRAL STATION

Stock Exchange, and the surprise of the people who have begun This is soon to be in use on the Lecco-Sondrio-Chiavenna di- to realize the profitable course of its business during the last few vision, a single track line which has a length of 109 km. The years, have been largely due to the report of its condition made by maximum grade on this line is 2.2 per cent. The minimum curve the company in connection with its application for the listing of radius is 300 m, and there is a large number of tunnels. The $4,415,000 of additional common stock, which is to be used in the traffic is considerable throughout the year, as the region tra- taking up of the outstanding debenture bonds. The report to the versed is essentially an industrial one. The line is operated en- governors of the Stock Exchange shows on a seven months' basis tirely by electricity. (the period covered by the report) that the company has an earn- The passenger trains will be drawn by a 300-hp motor car, which ing capacity of something like 30 per cent per annum. The re- has a weight of about 50 tons, and is capable of carrying sixty port is for the period subsequent to that covered in the company's passengers, as well as carrying 2 tons of baggage and of drawing 1 of current year. last annual report, or from Feb. to Aug. 31 the four ordinary cars at a speed of 60 km an hour on grades of 1 per at The October dividend of the company was the rate of 8 per cent. For grades higher than this the speed is 30 km per hour. cent, but prior to that the dividend had been 6 per cent. The freight trains will employ a 600-hp electric locomotive, with a It appears that the present dividend might have been paid draw-bar pull of 250 tons, and having a maximum speed on grades in of last five years, that the compa'ny is any year the and earning of 1 per cent of 30 km per hour. now about four times the present dividend rate. The electrical installation is being made by Ganz & Company, The profit and loss account for the seven months referred to is of Buda-Pest, and three-phase current will be used for distribution as follows: and by the motors The power station is at Morbegno, and is op- Sales of goods $14,803,383.83 erated by water power. There are ten sub-stations, which receive Expenses 11,810,999.86 current from the main station at 20,000 volts. The transmission line consists of three conductors with a diameter of 7 mm. At Profit $2,992,383.97 the sub-stations the voltage is reduced to 3000 volts by transform-

Royalties, etc 492,590.00 ers, at which pressure it is distributed to the motors along the line by two wires of 8 mm diameter, the third conductor being formed Total profit $3,484,973.97 by the rails. Two trolley wires are suspended 6 m above the Interest, preferred dividend, etc ; 264.995.36 rails, except in the tunnels, where they are lowered to a height of 4.50 m above the rails. They are supported in turn by the steel Surplus $3,219,978.61 span wires, which are attached to poles or eye-bolts anchored in Paid on common six months (3 per cent) 548,280.00 the masonry, with a second insulation of porcelain in the span wire. Wooden poles are used in the open line. Balance (equal 14.6 per cent) $2,671,698.61 The power station contains four 2000-hp units, alternators being In other words, the company earned on the common stock in direct-connected to the turbines. The former supply current at 15 cent, seven months 17.6 per equal to a trifle over 30 per cent per cycles. The head of water is 30 m. sales annum. The of the company last year mounted to $22,- The trolley used on the car is of a special form, and consists of 379,463. At the rate of sales for the seven months of this year the a light metal frame work, carrying on its upper part two rolling total sales for the year will be something like $25,223,000. contacts. The pole is kept pressed against the overhead wire by a Its position on Aug. 31 as to assets and liabilities shows: double system of springs, which is controlled by pneumatic means Capital assets: from the motorman's cab. Tne air pressure is supplied by a West- Plant and factories $3,896,748.05 inghouse air pump. The current at 3000 volts is taken directly to Patents and goodwill 2,000,000.00 the motors, the rotors of which are provided with liquid rheostats. Securities real estate and 7,119,937.40 Each car is fitted with four motors and a series-parallel controller, capable of connecting the motors either two in series or all in Total capital assets $13,016,685.45 parallel. Under the former conditions the speed is 30 km, and Deduct preferred stock $2,551,200 under the latter 60 km per hour. To avoid any possibility of the Debenture bonds 5,298,000 7,849,200.00 introduction of a high potential in the car, the motors are me- tallically encased, and this case is grounded. The system, as de- Balance capital assets $5,167,485.45 scribed, has been employed at Buda-Pest on a line 1600 m in length Current assets: during December, 1899, and will be put in operation on the Lecco- Cash $2,310,314.74 Sondrio-Chiavenna line during the spring of 1901. The gener- Notes and accounts 7,379,836.46 ators have been supplied by Schuckert & Company, of Nuremburg. progress Work in 1.527,337.86 The rest of the work is being done by Ganz & Company. Inventories 7,788,893.56 THE ACCUMULATOR LINE

Total capital and current assets $24,173,868.07 The line to be equipped with accumulators is that between Bo- Deduct accounts payable 873,138.94 logna and St. Felice, and has a length of 84 km going and return- ing, with a maximum grade of 0.6 per cent. The freight traffic is

Net capital and current assets '. $23,300,729.13 carried on by steam locomotives, as there is only sufficient freight Common stock 18,276,000.00 for the operation of one train per day. The transportation of passengers and baggage is effected by four motor cars. Each car tons loaded. Profit and loss surplus , $5,024,729.13 seats sixty passengers, and weighs 45 when The battery charge is sufficient to run the cars 100 km. Each car is —: equipped with two Ganz 50-hp motors. The type of accumulator Electric Traction on Steam Roads* used is the Pescetto. Each car carries 280 cells, each composed of eight positive and nine negative plates. The weight of each cell The Societe Italiennc des Chemins de fer Meridionaux, which is 24 kg, and its capacity is 148 amp. hours. The batteries are in operates the Italian government steam railroads in the Department groups of three, which can be used in series or in parallel. When the Adriatic, has devoted considerable attention of to the use of in series the speed of the cars is 45 km per hour, and when in electric on its lines, one special reason being fact power the that parallel 75 km. The cars are equipped with Westinghouse air brakes. • Paper read at the International Railroad Congress, Paris, September, 1900. STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 47.

The Taxation of Street Railway Franchises People note the great prosperity of a few exceptionally favored transportation lines, and deduce extravagant generalizations from the experiences of these few; but they forget or overlook the very BY TIMOTHY S. WILLIAMS, VICE-PRESIDENT OF BROOKLYN RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY much larger mileage of tracks into sparsely settled districts, the competition for sufficient revenue to pay operating expenses, taxes and interest, the foreclosures and reorganizations, sometimes the I am glad of the opportunity which the invitation of your club selling for non-payment of taxes, the assessments of stock and affords me to speak upon the subject of taxation from the point bondholders, the reductions of interest charges, and finally the of view of a corporation enjoying numerous and valuable public absorption and support of the weaker by the stronger companies. franchises. The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company is the largest It has been this process of decapitalization which has finally taxpayer in the Borough of Brooklyn, and with three or four ex- brought substantially all of the railroad properties of Brooklyn ceptions the largest taxpayer in the entire Greater New York. It, under a single management. The latest efforts at reorganization therefore, has a very live interest not only in the expenditure of just before acquisition by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company public money, but in the proportion of that expense which it pays. reduced the bonded indebtedness over $5,000,000, and the annual The company's policy and practice is to bear cheerfully and to pay fixed charges over $600,000, and the $25,000,000 of added Brooklyn promptly all taxes lawfully assessed against it, but to resist those Rapid Transit stock took the place of nearly $40,000,000 of stock which it believes are illegal, excessive and inequitable. It is a of the absorbed companies. The consolidation of properties was a matter of no small gratification to the company's present officers business risk, inspired by the hope that with reduced fixed that in the five years of their connection with the company not a charges and with the economies which were expected from joint single tax has thus far been resisted which the courts have not operation the combined properties could yield profits instead of subsequently set aside or reduced in vindication of the company's losses, and, by multiplication of facilities, still further expand the action. growth of the city. The very first result of these reduced charges Taxes upon corporations are of so many kinds that few persons and economies has been that railroads which for years had failed have any appreciable idea of their aggregate amount. The Brook- to pay their taxes are now contributing largely toward the ex- lyn Rapid Transit Company paid last year in direct taxes to city penses of State and city government. The first, and as yet the and State and in indirect taxes to the city as part of the $737,000, only, beneficiary of our economies, therefore, has been the city burdens imposed upon its franchises an additional of sum $305,000, treasury. a total amount of $1,042,000. This was nearly 10 per cent of its Tax reform is too often an attempt to shift burdens from one set gross earnings, and it was nearly three times the amount of the of shoulders to another or to furnish revenues for extravagant year's profits. For every dollar placed to the credit of the com- officeholders to spend, and inasmuch as all taxation is unpopular pany's stockholders $3 went to the credit of the city and State. in proportion to the number of people it affects, the tendency of Nearly $2,900 a day had to be set aside for the expense of govern- the legislative mind is to restrict new taxation to as narrow a field ment! The average profit per cash passenger after paying oper- as possible. Consequently, instead of assessing property uni- ating expenses and interest on cost was only six-tenths of 1 cent, formly and equally, legislators have devised special burdens for the and it, therefore, required the carrying of cash passengers 483,000 unfavored few, until to-day the dead, the bibblers and the cor- every day in the year in order to yield profit enough to pay the porations pay substantially all the State expenditures, and if the company's taxes. latest effort at tax reform is successful the corporations alone will NO FICTITIOUS CAPITALIZATION pay a very large proportion of the cost of city government. The dead cannot cry out in protest, the bibblers are ashamed to, and But lest somebody may criticize that these figures are large be- the corporations are too often afraid that protests will only bring cause of the great proportion of expense which goes to pay in- fresh burdens in the shape of official oppression or political black- terest on what is called fictitious capitalization, I will answer that mail. even if there was no interest to pay whatever—if tracks and fran- HEAVY SPECIAL BURDENS chises and power houses and cars and real estate were all created These spasmodic and one-sided attempts to divide and distribute for us by some good fairy and entailed not a single coupon or a the cost of government have fallen with particular weight on cor- guaranteed dividend check— still it would be necessary for us to porations enjoying public franchises, and their results on street carry 145,000 cash passengers every day in the year to give us railway companies are well illustrated by the obligations, direct money for our taxes. But no fairies are making free presents of and indirect, which are now borne by the Brooklyn companies. such properties, and that part of our expense which represents in- In the first place, so far as real and personal property are con- terest on cost of properties is as legitimate as the employees' wages, cerned, we are in the same category and on the same level with and to-day you could not duplicate the properties for many mil- all other taxpayers, with this exception—that the tax assessor can lions more than, the par value of the stocks and bonds whose in- always find and locate our personal property—cars and motors and terest swells the cost of carrying passengers. That capitalization trucks and tools and supplies—but he very seldom finds and as- represents investments extending over forty-seven years; and yet, sesses the personal property of individuals. We pay each year on at the end of the forty-seventh year, out of an enterprise which our power houses, our car houses, our lands, our tracks, our ele- has been the foremost factor in Brooklyn's growth, and whose de- vated structures and all our other kinds of real property over velopment has added hundreds of millions to the values of city and $330,000 a year. Thus far we are on an equal plane with other suburban property, for every $3.62 which was earned for the in- property owners. Beyond that our payments are special burdens vestors (stockholders and bondholders representing forty-seven —imposed because we are corporations and because we occupy years' capitalization) one dollar was earned and set aside for city public streets. These special burdens began in 1853, when we were and State treasuries. charged with certain paving obligations, and a license fee for every From these figures you will see that instead of the people com- car operated, and although that car license fee was declared to be plaining, as we occasionally hear them, that the company is in- "in full satisfaction for the use of streets," and although we believe stituting economies in the operation of its railway in order to pay this declaration, confirmed as it afterward was by legislative act, dividends on so-called "watered stock," they might better com- constitutes a contract which, if insisted upon, would relieve us plain that we are obliged to reduce unprofitable car service in from many later purely franchise taxes, we have borne without order to have money enough left to pay our taxes. If the city and active complaint each additional burden until the latest crowning State would relieve us from the burden of paying taxes and would imposition contained in the so-called franchise tax of 1899 has share with us the cost of new improvements and extensions, I forced us to cry out in protest and to appeal on grounds of law think our stockholders would be quite willing to divide with them and equity to the courts and to the people. equally all the net profits of operation. The fact is that all the net Without considering the effect of the new franchise tax at all, earnings of last year, after paying operating expenses and taxes, we are paying directly and indirectly over $700,000 a year in what were less than 6 per cent of the total cash invested in the properties are purely franchise taxes. There are two kinds of franchise taxes from their origin to the present time, and those who talk about —one the tax which a company pays for the privilege of being a "watered" stock do not tell what is the truth—namely, that every corporation, and the other the tax which it pays for its occupation outstanding bond on our entire system represents its par value in of public streets and places; but the Legislature had confused property, and every share in Brooklyn Rapid Transit stock has the two long prior to the adoption of the new fran- behind it in actual cash investment considerably more than its chise tax law. Otherwise it would have treated all corporations present market price. alike. Charters are largely free; no special legislative acts are SOME THINGS THE PEOPLE FORGET longer required; any set of men can get together, and upon com- plying with certain formalities and paying the incorporation fee Increase in corporate capitalization excites attention and fre- Legislature has said that certain quently adverse criticism, but decapitalization passes unnoticed. become a corporation. But the kinds of corporations enjoying public franchises, like gas and elec-

* Paper read before the Municipal Club, of Brooklyn, Oct. 23, 1900. tric and street railway companies, shall pay a much larger tax for November 24, 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1 139 the privilege of doing business under a corporate name than other THE CITY NOT A MODEST PARTNER will kinds of corporations, and there is absolutely no justification for I think anybody who has watched the growth of Brooklyn this discrimination except upon the theory that the tax is based agree with me that compensation for railway franchises has by no upon the occupation of public streets and places. For this priv- means been limited to the moneys which the corporations have ilege, therefore, our companies paid to the State last year over paid into official treasuries. I have shown that for every $3.62 $200,000. We paid to the city for the privilege of carrying the which went to the credit of bondholders and stockholders last year people across the Brooklyn Bridge without extra fare, $170,000. out of the profits of the business $1 went to the credit of city and We paid in car licenses and percentages to the city over $30,000. State. But if I were to point out to you the amount of increased And we paid in paving and repairing city streets, in removing taxes which have each year during the last forty-seven years gone snow and ice, in lighting certain streets and public places, and in into the city treasury by reason of the increased taxable valuations free transportation of policemen and firemen, over $300,000. All which have followed the extension of our railways and the vol- these are franchise taxes, and to impose fresh ones, more than half untary reduction of fare, the savings to the people by the reduc- as large as all the others combined, is a tyrannical exercise of the tions in cost and time of service, and the distribution of millions

taxing power, which, if applied to individuals generally, would of dollars every year for wages and supplies, you would agree with

cause a popular revolution, but if applied and enforced against me that the city has not been by any means a modest partner in corporations, will mean for some of them bankruptcy, and for our enterprise—but that for every dollar of profit which has been others restriction of improvements, curtailment of facilities, pos- taken out of all the railways of Brooklyn from their beginning to sible reductions in wages and much lessened profits. the present day, the city and its people have received tenfold dollars and more. I had the curiosity to verify one phase of this THE BEST FORM OF COMPENSATION partnership interest when the franchise tax bill was pending in the But this question of taxing public utilities is much larger than Legislature, and for sake of illustration I took from the assessment any question of the dollars and cents which go into city or State rolls the valuation for the year 1895 (the year prior to the opening treasuries. It is a business question, and should be determined by of our Fifth Avenue extension from Thirty-Ninth to Eighty-Sixth business considerations. Individuals or corporations which re- Streets) on either side the avenue, computed the tax on this valu- ceive valuable privileges from a city should make ample compen- ation, and then compared both valuation and tax with the valuation sation, but the nature of that compensation is a problem of states- and tax for 1899, four years after the line had been in operation, benefit, manship, of foresight, of municipal of practical business and I found that for every dollar which the company's investment judgment. had earned $4 had gone into the city's treasury from the increased Three general courses lie open as original propositions: valuation. (1) The municipality may remove all obstacles to private in- $2,700,000 SAVED EVERY YEAR TO THE PEOPLE BY THE BRIDGE itiative and enterprise, and grant franchises in perpetuity under SERVICE as to rates reasonable, but not necessarily contractual, limitations Another illustration which is still fresh in your memories and fare, of car service and taxation; or which must come home to you every day is the extension of our (2) It may create and operate at public expense all transporta- lines across the Brooklyn Bridge. For that privilege we not only tion lines; or paid to the city treasury, in hard-earned cash, last year, $170,000, (3) It may reserve the ownership of. or the right to acquire the but, with an added expense of operation represented by running tracks and franchises, and lease for limited periods and upon con- cars 7000 miles a day more without additional fare, we are saving ditions upon, the operation of cars to a cor- I which may be agreed to the 300,000 persons who daily cross the bridge 2 /2 cents each, poration created for that purpose. or over $2,700,000 every year, and this after private operation sup- I of legislation am frank to admit, considering the tendency and planted municipal. But even that is not the full benefit. Ask the the increasing public demands, that the third course as an original real estate men of Brooklyn what has stimulated their business proposition is the best from the selfish point of view of the cor- during the last three years, what has trebled and quadrupled the poration. Then the contract between city and corporation would values of suburban lands, what has turned farms into city lots, and clearly define the powers and rights of each. There would then be increased tremendously the population of the city, and they will tell no legislative or political attacks, no freshly recurrent tax bills to you that the primary factor in these results has been the extension stimulate economies and frighten stockholders, no sense of obli- of trolley lines across the bridge and the cheapened rate of fare gation on the part of the corporation beyond the terms of its con- which gave Brooklyn her advantage in its competition for house- tract, a plain business proposition to make the most money pos- holders with upper Manhattan, the Bronx, Jersey and Staten sible during the of the lease. But from the city's point of term Island. What is the annual tax of $170,000 paid into the city view, as an initial proposition, such a course would be fatal to treasury compared with the $2,700,000 a year directly saved to the municipal progress and development. It is only to be com- people of Brooklyn and the millions more which have been added mended when a city has attained its principal growth, and then to the value of their property? Well could the city afford to abolish particular with reservations depending upon the conditions and the the bridge tax altogether, and to pay a handsome bonus every attained. objects to he year to the railways than to have its people deprived of such sub- PRIVATE ENTERPRISE VS. MUNICIPAL stantial and far-reaching benefits. As between the choice of private construction and operation and The corporation which I represent is proud to have been so in it wants to municipal construction and operation, assuming for the sake of potent a factor Brooklyn's development, and never shirk its responsibility for encouraging and continuing Brooklyn's argument what is not true, in this country at least, namely, that it in fairness is equally in- governmental activities are as honestly and economically admin- prosperity. But submits that Brooklyn solicitous for the railway's de- istered as are private activities, the facts of experience speak more terested in and should be equally loudly than the words of theory. The transportation conditions of velopment and prosperity. You cannot, if you would, and you if destroy the partnership binds our European cities have only to be compared with those of American would not you could, which ties. relations of corporation to city cities to illustrate in a general way the results of municipal enter- interests with common The prise on the one side and those of private enterprise on the other. are reciprocal. You cannot impose hardships and burdens on us yourselves. injure in- Neither in mileage of track to population, in motive power, in without some injury to We cannot your own. are no equipment, nor in rates of fare for equal distances, do the trans- terests and welfare without injuring our We suppli- public ask nothing fair portation facilities of European cities anywhere nearly approach ants for favor not deserved—we except are to build a legitimate business enter- those of the foremost American cities. In much-heralded Glas- treatment. We here up prise, in success the city has been in_ the past, and always gow, with a population of 800,000, there are only 73 miles of tracks, whose will be, the chief participant, and as the city's largest taxpayer, and and the fare is 6 cents for a distance not greater than 6 miles. In instrumentalities for the city's material Berlin, with a population of nearly 2,000,000, there are only 260 one of its chief good, we ask and have a right to ask the enlightened and liberal co-operation miles of track, and the maximum fare is 7J/2 cents. In Paris, with its peopled a population of 2,500,000, there are only 206 miles of track, and the cf both its government and maximum fare is 8 cents. In London, with a population of 4.500,-

000, there are only 245 miles of track. And in ail these cities the At the solicitation of J. I. Beggs. general manager of the Mil- operation of the minimum rate of fare with increased rates for waukee Electric Railway & Light Company, C. W. Wetmore and longer distances has congested the population, prevented the terri- George R. Sheldon, of New York, directors of the company, re- torial growth of the cities, and imposed a higher average rate for cently made an inspection of the company's property. Under the the distance than is charged in America, although the wages paid new franchise grant, the company is to make a number of im- to employees here are considerably higher and the cost of opera- provements in the properly, and Messrs. Wetmore and Sheldon tion thereby greatly enhanced. In Brooklyn, on the other hand, were acquainted with the new work proposed. Mr. Beggs an- with 1,200,000 people, there are over 500 miles of track, and the nounces that the Racine power house is to be enlarged, and. in longest distance for 5 cents is nearly four times the distance which fact, virtually rebuilt, owing to increased business. Plans are one can be carried for the same money in any European city. now being drawn for this improvement. 1 J 40 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No. 47-

Electric Traction on the Italian Mediterranean Railroad on the distribution system is 8 per cent. The insulators are tested to a potential of 40,000 volts. Formost of the distance the trans- mission line is carried alongside of the track, which is on its own The Societa Italiana per le Shade Ferrate del Mediterraneo, right of way. The Wirt lightning arresters are used. The fre- which operates the two large systems of the Italian Government quency is 25 cycles per second. railways, including that of the northern part of Italy, has re- The transformers are of the G. E. air-blast type of 180 kw each. cently been making some electric traction experiments. The Their efficiency is as follows: With full non-inductive load, lines equipped are near Milan, and consist of a main line from 97 per cent; with three-fourths inductive load, 96.6 per cent; with Milan to Gallarate, which has a length of 40.3 km of double track

one-half non-inductive load, per cent ; with one-fourth non- with a maximum grade of 0.6 per cent, and an average grade of 95.8 inductive load, 92.8 per cent. The transformers are capable of carrying an overload of 25 per cent for one-half hour and 40 per cent for several seconds. The rotary converters are of 500 and 200 kw each. THE TRACK

The third rail is a 45-kg (91 lbs.) T, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and rolled in 12-m (39-ft.) sections. It is held in an iron clamp supported on a composition insulator, which, in turn, is supported on a cast-iron chair. The rail-joints are connected by a single

FIG. 1.—SECTION AND PLAN OF THIRD-RAIL INSULATOR

0.2 per cent, and three single track branch lines from Gallarate, having a length of 26 km, 31 km and 33 km respectively. The grades on these branch lines vary from 0.8 per cent to 2 per cent. Electric traction was introduced on these lines in 1898, and has re- sulted in a large increase of traffic, owing to the greater frequency of the trains. The most desirable train has been found to con- sist of two long double-truck cars, one a motor car, the other a trail car The motor car is equipped so as to be able to attain a speed of 90 km per hour on the 0.2 per cent grade. During the season of light traffic and on the branches, motor cars are used without trailers. The train service is as follows: Every hour a train is run between Milan and Gallarate, stopping at all way stations. Twenty minutes after the departure of the way train, a second train is sent out, stopping at only a few of the stations. Fifteen minutes after this train an express train is started out, which stops only at Gallarate, and then continues on one of the branch lines, stopping at all stations. Ten minutes afterward a second express train is sent out, going through Gallarate without FIG. 3. — LINE INSULATOR stop, and then taking one of the other branch lines. Ten minutes afterward a third express is sent out, which goes out on the third branch line. Passengers from intermediate stations between Milan fish-plate with a flexible copper bond with Chicago terminals. and Gallarate for any one of the branch lines can take either of the The third rail is fed every 100 m (328 ft.) The third rail is car- first two trains and change at the latter station for the branch ried outside the service rail at a distance of about 675 mm (3 ft lines. During the year the total number of axle kilometers run 2y2 ins.). The rails are bonded for the return by the same type ol "ii the system was 19,898,340. bond as in the third rail. ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION ROLLING STOCK After a study of the different systems of distribution, it was de- cided to adopt the alternating current of distribution with con- This consists of twenty motor cars, all of the so-called Ameri- tinuous current motors and the third rail. can type. The car body has a length of 17.89 m (59 ft.), a height The power station is at Tornavento, which is 11 miles from of 4.145 m (13 ft. 8 ins.) and a width over sash rails of 2.96 m Gallarate, and is operated by water power for the greater part of (6 ft. 5 ins.). Each is divided into two first class, two second the year. It contains eight turbines and three compound con- class and two third class compartments, making a total carrying

FIG. 2. —SECTION OF TRACK SUPERSTRUCTURE densing engines, each directly connected to a 750-kw three-phase capacity of about ninety passengers with sixty-three seats. Each generator. There are also two exciters. The generation and car is equipped with a Westinghouse air brake with motor com- distribution is at 12,000 volts, which, at the sub-stations, is reduced pressor. There are four motors on each motor car with two to 650-volt direct current by rotary converters. The transmission series-parallel controllers and four contact shoes, two on each line between Tornavento and Gallarate is supported on wooden side. The motors are of the G. E. 55-H type, with a rated capacity poles with porcelain insulators. Six bare copper wires, each of 160-hp each. with a diameter of 7.8 mm are employed. The maximum drop The steam power station was installed by Franco Tosi, of Legnano, the motor cars by Miani Silvestri & Company, and the

Abstract of a paper read before the International Railroad Congress, Paris, electrical equipment by the Compagnie d'Electricite Thomson- September, 1900. Houston de la Mediterranee. —

November 24 1900.] STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. 1141

Electrical Traction in Italy San Felice (26 miles), this last being for passenger traffic only, and to be operated with storage batteries. The electric railways still on paper can be counted by tens. (From Our Special Correspondent.) There are a number, however, that appear to be well under way. According to the latest official count, there are now 1987 miles The Fossano-Bra road has begun actual construction, and the of street railways in Italy which are operated by mechanical trac- Fossano-Mondovi line is about to change over from horses to tion. Of this number only 160 miles are electrically operated, and electricity. Power will be transmitted from Cherasco, where the they are distributed as follows: river Tanaro can be made to furnish about 2400 hp. The work (') Piedmont (City of Turin) 31.26 miles is being done by the Italian Electric Improvement Association, of " Lombardy (Milan and Varese, 3.68 miles) 38.369 Milan, and three-phase current at 10,000-volts pressure will be used " O Liguria (Genoa and suburbs) 25.65 for the transmission. " Tuscany (Florence and Leghorn) 34-24 At Val Brembana a project for a road is being pushed by L. :l " ( ) Umbria (Perugia) 26.65 Magrini, an engineer who proposes to develop about 1000 hp from " Lazio (Rome) 17.802 a fall at S. Giovanni Bianco. A storage battery is talked of for " Campania (Naples and suburbs) 4-36i this station. " Sicily (Palermo) 6.000 The line proposed from Samaden to Tirano is an extension of the Campolongo Tirano steam road, which The remaining eight provinces—Venice, Emilia, the Marches, was changed over to Abruzzi and Molise, Apuglia, Basilicata, Calabria and Sardinia electricity. This line is 3-ft. 3-in. gage, and there are some 7 per cent grades; the sharpest curve is a 130-ft. radius. are without electric traction. In fact, the Marches, Abruzzi and on Direct cur- Molise, Basilicata and Calabria, though teeming with millions of rent at 800 volts will be generated by water power at Mount Paschiano, it is inhabitants, are without street railway traction of any sort, whether where thought that 3000 hp can be developed. mechanical or animal. A company has been formed to construct a line from Vaghera to Varzi, and it has been a yearly subsidy of for thirty Much is being done, however, to change this condition of affairs, voted $5,000 and before long many of the existing lines which are using steam years from the town of Retarbido. It is expected that the com- pany will receive further grants from other towns along the line. or horses will be changed over to electricity. A number of new lines are being rapidly pushed to completion. The apparatus Power will be taken from the river Staffosa. The total cost is put at which will be used on them is of the following makes: Thomson- $290,000. Houston, Siemens-Halske, Schuckert & Company, Helios, All- A company bearing the name of Torre del Greco-Torre An- gemeine Elektricitats Gesellschaft, Ganz & Company. nunziata-Castellamare Railway Company has taken over the fran- chise of the Torre del Greco-Castellamare line. The electric railways now operating in Italy—including those just opened, namely the Palermo-Monreale, built by Schuckert The Rome-Frascati line is to be operated electrically, and the power plant has already been installed at Ciampino by the Thom- & Company (which presents some rather interesting features) ; the Sampierdarena-Conegliano (by the Allgemeine Elektricitats son-Houston Company. 4 The Val Sabbia is to have a long-distance road running from Gesellschaft, of Berlin), and the Musco-Miano, near Naples ( ), Brescia, through the Edolo and Presseglie valleys into the Val which is being extended to San Giuliano in Campania—are almost all standard gage and equipped with the overhead system. Sabbia, about 4 miles from Vestone; thence, following the Chiese The owners of the franchises for a small number of roads which through Vestone and Anfo, and going as far as Ponte Caffaro on use accumulators have come to terms with the towns in which the border of the German Tirol. they operate, agreeing to pay for the right to substitute the over- A company is being formed to build a line from Gadova to either or electricity; if latter head system for accumulator traction ('). Vicenza, to be operated by steam the The new roads, also, with few exceptions, are standard gage form of energy be used, power will be taken from the Brac- trolley roads. Among them may be cited the Milan-Affari line, chiglione. which has just abandoned horses for electricity; the Milan-Corsico Bergamon and San Pellegrino are also to be connected. A line, which will do the same thing in a few weeks; the Milan- Milanese firm has contracted to furnish electric power at $26 per horse-power. The towns along the line have voted all the subsidies Monza line (9 miles), which will go into commission about the first of the year as competitor for the traffic which the Mediter- asked by the promotors. line miles long) ranean Railway is now attempting to care for with two storage The Camerino-Castelraimondo (7 also has battery cars (Hensenberger type), with bodies built on the Amer- been granted a subsidy, which consists of $8,000 for seventy years ican principle, a description of which has already been given in and $36,800 for a sinking fund. the pages of this journal. The line from Bettole di Varese to Luino, being built by the The city and suburban systems of Catania, now building by Electric Railway & Tramway Company, of Varese, is 15.3 miles long, and is to cost $397,000. The government has granted a the Helios Company, comprises 9J/2 miles in the city and 10 miles of a mile, for thirty years. in the suburbs; it will be operated by steam-driven generators, and subsidy $640 good Thomson-Houston at 400-volt pressure, the current being used for light as well as equipment will be used. power. The suburban system of Spezia is also a Helios outfit. In addition to the foregoing, there are quite a number of elec- cable proposed. This one When finished it will have nearly 14 miles of line, and the power trically operated roads summer was plant will contain two 250-hp Tosi compound engines driving opened between Saint Vincent, a watering place, and the Fons generators, and also a battery of accumulators. Salutis Spring. Schuckert & Company have under construction some lines in the There are still many lines that have not been mentioned which later, their of province of Como. The Thomson-Houston Company is build- must, sooner or change methods traction and adopt ing a line from Ventimiglia to Bordighera, which is to be operated electricity. Among these are the systems of Alessandria, Verona, by water power, with a gas plant as a reserve. This line will be Padova, Bolognia, Bari, Messina, etc. In many of these places, extended as far as San Remo. The Allgemeine Elektricitats however, progress is blocked by the refusal of the operating com- of the municipalities. this Gesellschaft is building a line nearly 9 miles long between Genoa panies to listen to the demands In con- and Voltri. nection it is interesting to note that for the fiscal year 1900 the In addition to the above there is the work being done by the city treasury of Rome will be enriched by some $80,000 as its share great steam railroad companies of the Mediterranean and Adriatic in the profits from the street railways of the city; while in Milan slopes, who have acquired water-power rights capable of develop- the city will receive $200,000. ing an aggregate of 100,000 hp, and who are introducing electricity on the following lines: Milan-Gallarate-Arona, Gallarate-Varese-Larieno (66 miles), Seco-Colica Sondrio and Colico-Chianenna (68 miles), Bologna- Street Railway Patents

companies in Turin, one of which, (1) There are two operating the North [This department is conducted by W. A. Rosenbaum, patent at- Italian Company, has contracted to add some 13 miles of double track to its system before 1902. torney, 177 Times Building, New York.] (2) The earnings for the last fiscal year on the various lines of this system, including the hill lines, worked by electrically driven cables, footed up to ELECTRIC RAILWAY PATENTS ISSUED NOV. 13, 1900 Sturla-Nervi line was in $606,989, notwithstanding that the actual operation Switch; Brown, during a few months at the close of the year only. 661,491. W. M. Johnstown, (3) The roadbed of this line has grades of 6% per cent and curves of 42-ft. Pa. App. filed Oct. 14, 1898. The invention has to do with the radius. mechanical construction of the switch, with a view to obtaining the Naples Tramways has three 300-hp steam- (4) The present power plant of simplicity, the braking force being the usual "bucking" of the driven generators, and is to be increased by the addition of a water-power plant. motors. (5) The North of Italy Company, in Tunis, has agreed to pay the city for 661,516. Trolley; H. S. Goughnour, Johnstown, Pa. App. the right to use the trolley system, at the rate of 2/5 cent per car mile and 50 filed March 1900. The spring attached to the trolley is auto- per cent of the net profits. 21, 1 142 STREET RAILWAY JOURNAL. [Vol. XVI. No, 47.

matically thrown out of use when the pole rises above its wire, a handsome diamond ring and gold watch chain by the em- and this allows the pole to fall to a horizontal position. ployees of the company a few days ago. .Mr. Conway has been in 661,540. Railway Switch; C. F. Kress, Jr., Johnstown, Pa. the service of the company thirteen years. App. filed March 19, igoo. The heel of the switch point is pro- MR. JOHN PILLING, of Newark, Del., president of the vided with a circular enlargement, through which the grooves in American Hard Fibre Company, died Nov. 8. Mr. Pilling the rails are extended, the enlargement forming a support for the was born at Chowbent, England, March 6, 1830, and was compelled to pivot pin and rendering it unnecessary to extend the tongue in go to work at the remarkable early order to provide for the proper support of the pin. age of eight years. At the age of eleven years he had served an apprenticeship at making horseshoe nails. His father came to America with his family in 1841, and both father and son worked in various mills until 1848, when they entered the employ of Joseph Dean & Son, near New- ark. Mr. Pilling advanced slowly until he received $10 per week for his services, but resigned this position to accept one at a salary of $5 per week, which, however, gave an opportunity to learn the entire business. He later severed his connections with Messrs. Dean & Son to accept a position in Philadelphia, but returned in i860 to enter partnership with William Dean. This partnership lasted until 1882, when the concern was incorporated, with Mr. Pilling as president and Mr. Dean as treasurer. Mr. Pilling was married twice, and is survived by his second wife and three chil- dren by his first wife. PATENT NO. 661,516 MR. W. E. HARRINGTON, who has recently tendered his resignation 661,572. Air Brake Mechanism for Cars; D. Beemer, Detroit, as general manager of the Camden & Suburban Rail- Mich. App. filed way Company, of Feb. 25, 1898. The air pump is geared in -a Camden, N. J., was born in Wilkesbarre, Pa., special manner to the car axle. June 3, 1866. He is the son of David C. Harrington, an attorney- 661,600. at-law, and was Trolley Wheel; T. I. Duffy and C. S. McMahan, graduated from the Mechanical Engineering De- partment of the Chicago, 111. App. filed July 16, 1900. Contact springs between University of the ha rp and the wheel are inserted in a special manner. Pennsylvania, with the degree of B. in 661,714. Telephone Circuit; I. H. Farnham and G. W. Davis, S. 1887. In 1888 he Wellsley, entered the Mass. App. filed May 11, 1900. Circuits and apparatus employ of Keasbey Mattison, for telephoning between cars and central station. The circuit ex- & of Ambler, Pa., as tends a designer, and in along the road, and is provided with plugging in points 1889 and where the apparatus on the car can be connected. 1890 supervised the construc- tion of an electric railway aS Atlantic City for the Pennsyl- vania Railroad. In 1891-92, as general manager of the con- solidated electric railways at Wheeling, W. Va., he super- vised the reconstruction of the lines and entire system. Dur- ing the next two years he acted as supervising and consulting engineer for a Pennsylvania syndicate, and from 1893 to 1896 acted in a similar capacity for the Camden Horse Rail- \V. E. HARRINGTON way Company, Camden, Glou- cester & Woodbury Railway Company, General Electric Company, Cutter Electric & Manufacturing Company, of Philadelphia, and other companies. While in the employ of the Cutter Company, Mr. Harrington invented and commercially exploited and introduced its PATENT NO. 661,921 entire line of I-T-E circuit breakers. When the consolidation of

the electric lines centering at Camden, N. J., was completed in 661,841. Switch Controlling Device for Surface Cars; C. G 1896, Mr. Harrington was selected as general manager of the sys- Bauer, New Rochelle, N. Y. App. filed March 26, 1900. The tem. The consolidated company is known as the Camden & Su- motorman is enabled to force a hook down into a slot in the road- burban Railway Company, and, at the time Mr. Harrington as- bed for engagement with switch-throwing mechanism located sumed charge, the system comprised 35 miles of track, which was therein. in bad condition, and with no systematic organization. During 661,880. Electric Brake Controller; J. C. Lincoln, Cleveland, Mr. Harrington's connection with the company, the entire system Ohio. App. filed Oct. 2, 1899. The trolley current is used to has been almost entirely rebuilt, and 16 miles of new track has excite the fields of the motors when the brake is first applied, and been laid. A new car house and power station have been designed such currents are allowed to flow through the fields after the and built under his supervision, and a park has been laid out. The motors have ceased rotating. This brings the braking force into latter contains a theater, merry-go-round, boats, etc., and has been action at once, and holds the car on a grade after the braking remunerative to the company. Mr. Harrington has always had force afforded by the generating motors ceases. the greatest consideration for his employees. He has established 661,921. Convertible Car; O'Leary, J. Cohoes, N. Y. App. a reading room for them, and was instrumental in organizing an filed Aug. 22, 1899. The sash and panels can be moved up into a association, which holds monthly meetings, and provides instruc- chamber under the roof of the car. tion and entertainment for them. The service stripe system was also introduced by Mr. Harrington, and a stripe is given for each five years of service. Faithful service is also rewarded by each em- PERSONAL MENTION ployee being presented with a uniform after five years of service and each succeeding year until ten years are reached. After com- MR. B. pleting each succeeding year until fifteen years have J. FISHBURN has just been elected president of the ten years, and Roanoke Street given a uniform and an over- Railway Company, of Roanoke, Va., to succeed been completed, the employees are H. S. Trout, resigned. coat. For each year after fifteen years have been served, the men are presented with two uniforms and an overcoat. Mr. Harring- MR. C. A. BABTISTE has been appointed Western manager of ton was president of the Electrical Section of the Franklin Insti- the Street Railway Journal, vice Mr. C. S. McMahan, resigned tute in 1898, and has been a member of the American Institute of Mr. Babtiste's headquarters will be at our present office Room Electrical Engineers since 1889. He has presented papers on en- 1520, Monadnock Block, Chicago. gineering subjects before various technical bodies, including the American Street Railway Association. Mr. Harrington has ma- MR JOHN T. CONWAY, the retiring assistant general man- tured no definite plan for the future. He will take a well deserved ager of the Brockton Street Railway Company, was presented with rest of a few weeks.