WIRE-TRAMWAYS. 347 



improvements at several places in Switzerland, the Tyrol 

 and Germany, with the object of transporting larger pieces of 

 wood, and especially logs and butts for sawmills. At present 

 there are two kinds of wire-tramways, those with one or tw r o 

 wires. 



1. Double Wire-Tramways. 



These consist of two wires about 3 centimeters or 1 inch 

 thick, each of them composed of a wire-rope made of 6 strands 



Fi<r. 223. Giindlischwand wire-traimvay. 



of wire closely twisted round a hempen cord and extending 

 without supports from the top to the bottom of a declivity. 

 One serves for the descent of laden cars, and the other for the 

 ascent of the empty ones. The upper ends are fastened to 

 large trees and run over a pair of iron rails, which are curved 

 downwards in front (Fig. 223). The lower ends are wound 

 round horizontal cylinders, which can be turned by means of 

 levers and cog-w r heels, so as to stretch the wires (Fig. 224). 

 The log which is to descend the wire, is suspended from it 



