414 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol XIII. No. 330 



is destructive to the strands, and the solid jaws are brought into 

 action too quickly ; yet the first cable was in continuous use from 

 the opening of the railway to Nov. 7, 1886, and the second was 



3. Can a sufficiently powerful grip be devised to haul the heavy 

 trains in use on elevated railways, provided the ability to grasp the 

 cable is demonstrated ? 



still serviceable in April, 1888, while the roller-packing gives a ser- 

 vice of 20,000 miles. 



But grips on each car, and ten miles per hour, regardless of its 

 inapplicability to curved lines or inability to take hold of the cable, 

 would not answer for elevated railways ; and a cable moving at a 



4. Will any saving be effected in operating expenses by substi- 

 tuting cable and stationary engines for the system now in use? 

 To each and all of these questions the Rapid Transit Cable Com- 



FlG. 4. 



greater speed would, if brought into contact with such rollers, 

 very soon destroy the packing. 



1. Is it, then, possible to run a cable at sufficient speed to provide 

 rapid transit ? 



2. Is it possible, provided the required speed can with safety be 

 obtained, to grasp the cable with any effective gripping-device with- 

 out great destruction to either cable or grip, or both ? 



m 



lA\) 



l/\l 



pany of New York reply in the affirmative, and endeavor to prove 

 their position as follows : — 



I. The present elevated railways in New York are operated at 

 an average speed, including stops, of 12.18 miles per hour, or 17.86 



