"B" Cost per car mile for repairs upon electric cars, including all labor connected with the cleaning and repairing of same and material used. "C" Cost per car mile for all other expenses not named in the foregoing: Office expenses, salaries to officers, wages of receivers, conductors, motormen, linemen, barnmen, trackmen, switch-boys, taxes, insurance and interest upon property and equipment, legal expenses, etc....... "D" Average number of passengers carried per car mile...... Then by adding together all station expenses "A," cost of repairs "B," and office and miscellaneous expenses "C," we would have the cost to operate an electric car, one car mile, which equals.. And cost to carry a passenger, one car mile, equals...... FURTHER REMARKS OF MR. WILLIAM M. RAMSEY. Mr. William M. Ramsey I would say, in answer to the gentleman who has just spoken, that he is entirely in line in the position he has taken in the matter. The Committee, in their investigation, came across several cases similar to his own. He has suggested a committee, which I hope will be appointed. I might argue in support of the report which the Committee presented this morning for quite a time; but I will spare you that, and give you one argument which may have some weight. The Committee forwarded its report to the second largest cable road in this country for a preliminary reading, and such additions and corrections as might be deemed advisable. The report was returned to me the day before yesterday with the simple statement-"The views of our board on this important subject are fully expressed in the attitude which they have taken in regard to further extensions in some thirty miles of electric railroad which we are about to build." REMARKS OF MR. EDWARD J. LAWLESS. Mr. Edward J. Lawless I had the honor to be connected with one of the first cable lines ever built in this country, and was intimately connected with various cable lines throughout the country, and instrumental in having them constructed. I was always. a strong advocate of the cable, and still am, in its proper sphere. Now, you will see some very interesting figures in this statement. Referring to page 5, Road No. 1; wages twenty-eight cents per hour. Compare that road with No. 3; wages eighteen and three-quarter cents; yet the cost of transportation, conductors and motormen of the latter road was 7.4 as against 4.7 in the former. Now then take the mileage of cable road No. 1 running trains, and compare it with electric road No. 2, running single cars. Count the cable train as one car and you will find the difference in the gross operating expenses per car mile very slight. Again, here are some more interesting figures. Take table No. 4 of cable roads. This road is perfectly willing to give the receipts per car mile, and what is very surprising to me its operating expenses amount to 41. I do not know whether the road is now in existence; but if it is, it cannot continue very long on that basis. Receipts, 15; operating expenses, 41. Take No. 5 of cable roads. This road is willing to give receipts, but not operating expenses. That is a small cable road. Take No. 7, another small cable road. This road is willing to give operating expenses, but not receipts. Now, the conclusion to be drawn is that a cable road, where you run a small number of cars in a sparsely settled district, is not suitable for the purpose. A cable line, in order to be successful, must be in a thickly populated district, and must be a comparatively straight line, for every curve you have adds materially to the cost of operation. When it comes to heavy grades there is no question about the superiority of the cable, because cable roads can surmount grades where electricity could not begin to. I have operated a cable road in Kansas City where the grades were over 18 per cent. I have never seen an electric line that could do that. In the year 1886, when I made a tour of this country to investigate the electric system, and although then it was only in a crude state, I saw that the day was not far distant when they would be in a majority, and I think the facts prove it. The sphere of cable roads is limited; but in that sphere it holds its own. There are some districts where I claim cable roads can be operated more economically than electric roads; but in the district where I am located I would consider myself a fit subject for the lunatic asylum if I recommended the cable as a method of power. Mr. Richardson: Where is that? Mr. Lawless, Paterson, New Jersey: We have innumerable curves and twists and turns, and a not very thickly populated district, and consequently a cable line would be out of the question. The results were rather in favor of cable lines as against electric lines three or four years ago, but now I will say, since the single reduction motors have come into use, and the cost of repairs have come down to a minimum, even in thickly populated districts, the electric line is going to press the cable line very hard. The single reduction motor, as compared with the double reduction motor, is a great improvement, and I feel satisfied, speaking not as an electrical expert, but judging from my observation, that before long the gearless motor, or some other in which we do away with the wearing parts, will take the place of the single reduction No doubt electrical experts will criticise me for making that statement, but such is my belief, and time will show if it is correct. motor. Referring to the question of car mileage, I find upon investigation that some roads have made wonderful results in the operating expenses per car mile. Where the electric lines are running in sparsely settled sections, the results are better than with cars run in thickly settled sections. Where you can run at the rate of fifteen or twenty miles an hour, you can make about one hundred and thirty miles a day; in the heart of the town you can make only between eighty-five and ninety miles a day. If you pay the same rate of wages in each case, the results per car mile are better in the former; so that it is pretty hard to get at accurate figures on that basis. FURTHER REMARKS OF MR. WILLIAM M. RAMSEY. I Mr. Ramsey Mr. Lawless did right in calling attention to certain of these cable roads. No. 4, I believe, in particular, having receipts per car mile of 15 cents, and gross operating expenses 41 cents, is an abnormal road. The report was in good faith, however, and was therefore included as a curiosity. omitted the intermediate figures, and ran it along, intending to make allusion to it in the comments at the close of our report. I would add there are several errors in the printing of this report which, of course, will be corrected in the proofs by the printer. LETTER FROM MR. E. G. CONNETTE IN REFERENCE TO REPORT ON POWER HOUSE ENGINES. The Secretary read the following letter from Mr. E. G. Connette, General Manager of the United Electric Railway, Nash ville, Tenn., and Chairman of the Committee on Power House Engines, as follows: OFFICE OF THE UNITED ELECTRIC RAILWAY, Mr. WM. J. RICHARDSON, Secretary and Treasurer, AMERICAN STREET-RAILWAY ASSOCIATION, Dear Sir:-I exceedingly regret my inability to be present at the Convention, but am unavoidably detained. I am still working on the report on Power House Engines, but owing to the replies from the various electric roads coming in so slowly, it has been difficult to obtain any uniformity of ideas from the various roads, but the reports are still coming in, and the Committee will endeavor to formulate a report later on. It will then be forwarded to you, and if the Association deems it proper, the report can be distributed to the various members of the Association. I hope the meeting will be a success in every particular. Very respectfully yours, E. G. CONNETTE, Chairman. ACTION RELATIVE TO REPORT ON POWER-HOUSE ENGINES. Mr. Richardson: I move you, sir, that the report referred to in the letter when received be printed in the minutes, and the dis cussion postponed until the next meeting of the Association. Carried. The Secretary: It seems to me it would be advisable, considering there are necessary notices to be made soon, to defer the reading of the next report in order until the commencement of the afternoon session. It is a lengthy report, prepared by Mr. Crosby, as Chairman of the Committee on Standards for Electric Street Railways. REPORT OF WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION COM MITTEE. The President: We will listen to the report of the World's Columbian Exposition Committee. The Secretary read the report, as follows: CLEVELAND, O., October 19, 1892. TO THE AMERICAN STREET-RAILWAY ASSOCIATION, ports: That under date of May 25, 1892, a circular letter, of which the following is a copy, was sent to every dealer in street-railway supplies, whose address was obtainable, as well as to every member-company: Gentlemen:-The Special Committee, appointed by the American Street-Railway Association for the purpose of securing as commendable an exhibit as possible of all that pertains to the street-railway business at the forthcoming Columbian Exposition at Chicago, desires to urge upon you the importance and necessity of making application at once for such space as you will need to make a proper exhibit of your manufactures. This Association has secured fifty thousand square feet, and the allotments of space as to desirability will be made in the order in which applications are received. Unlike any other World's Fair, the management of the Columbian Exposition will arrange the exhibits regardless of nationality, in departments, each comprising all that relates to any particular industry or subject. All, therefore, that relates to transportation will be in one building, and that devoted to street-railways will all be gathered together in one section of the building. The Exposition will make no charge whatever for space. It will be necessary in estimating the amount of space required, to state just the number of square feet needed for the exhibit, independent of aisle room. A limited amount of power will be supplied without charge. Exhibits will begin to be received as early as November 1, 1892, and no article will be admitted after April 10, 1893. Complete rules covering the entire subject will be sent on application to Mr. Willard A. Smith, Chief of the Department of Transportation of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Ill. Mr. John B. Parsons, Vice-President and General Manager of the West Chicago Street Railroad Company, has kindly consented to serve the Association as its sub-committee, to advise with Mr. Smith in reference to the exhibit under the auspices of this Association. All applications for space and information in regard to the exhibit should be made to Mr. Willard A. Smith, Chief of the Department of Transportation, for which purpose an envelope, duly addressed, is enclosed. The Committee desires specially, as stated in the outset of this letter, to impress upon you the necessity for immediate action as herein before set forth, should you desire to be represented by an exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition. Very respectfully yours, GEO. W. PEARSON, Washington, D. C. G. HILTON SCRIBNER, New York, N. Y. E. B. EDWARDS, Philadelphia, Pa. E. LUSHER, Montreal, Ont. J. L. WILLCUT, San Francisco, Cal. JNO. G. HOLMES, Pittsburgh, Pa. WM. J. RICHARDSON, Brooklyn, N. Y. Columbian Exposition Committee. |