siderable service. The sag adds to the weight of the cable and to the friction on the brackets, and these two resistances act as an anchor for the traction cable, independent of the terminal anchorages. For example in the case of a trial plant for a German canal the resistance to be overcome by a motor, or its "draw-bar pull" was to be 645 lbs. Now at one pound per running foot of traction cable, the influence of the motor pull would only be felt 645 feet ahead of the motor. Therefore with motors. distributed 645 feet apart, each one practically has its traction cable anchored from the motor ahead, and,in consequence the combined pull of all the motors is not exerted upon the terminal anchorage. In the first plant, the clamps on each of the lower or traction cable brackets were made with steel jaws, with springs under them, such as are used on grippulleys. When the traction. cable was pulled the clamps gripped the cable, and when the motor lifted the cable, on passing the bracket, the jaws released the cable. These clamps were found to be unnecessary.

In canal practice the terminals will be ten miles apart with tension stations every two miles. At the terminal stations rotary transformers will transform the high voltage alternating current to 500-volt direct current, and send the same each way a distance of five miles. Where the traffic justifies, a line will be placed on each side of the canal, when the insulated or bearing cables will be connected at intervals to feed each other. The anchorage of the traction cable will be made with a series of clamps, and the motors will be passed through them as canal boats through locks. At the end, the motor is released from its traction cable and is conveyed across the canal on a cable, or where masts are allowed on boats in the canal, by a hinged trussed track that can be opened like a gate, or raised out of the way. The handle of the rheostat is easily controlled from the boat by a cord attached to the handle. When the cord is pulled from the opposite direction to which the motor is to be run, the current is admitted in the proper direction, and the motor proceeds. When the cord is released, the handle flies back to a vertical or cut-off position, and the motor stops. When two boats pass, they exchange mo- • tors by simply exchanging tow-lines and controller cords.

The first test of canal boat towing with this system was made on the Delaware and Raritan Canal, at the Trenton Iron Works. The motor was made to go over concave and convex curves and up and down grades while towing the boat.

In reference to the test of canal boat towing on the Erie Canal, at Tonawanda, it is not necessary to make any apologies for the system. Superintendent of Public Works Aldridge, in his report to the Legislature, unqualifiedly endorsed the system and stated: "Early in the season of 1895 application was made to me to officially designate a part of the Erie Canal for the proposed test of the efficiency, economy and practicability of the so-called Lamb System' for improving the present system of towage on the canals of the State. The location selected was a piece of canal about one and one-quarter miles in length at Tonawanda, N. Y. The purpose was to select such a portion of canal as would embrace as many practical obstacles to the success of such a plan of towing as could be found anywhere in a section of canal that length."

In the report of Chas. R. Barnes, electrical expert for the Public Works Department of the State of New York, he sums up by saying: "The electric towing system appears to present

feet in length; it weighed 2,213 pounds. The elliptically grooved sheave was driven by a worm-gear. The voltage, which was gotten from a trolley line, fluctuated from nothing to 500 volts, but seldom equalled the latter amount. The bridges under which the motor had to go were very low, and had to be ap

so many meritorious features that I have no hesitation in endors ing it as the system deserving preference over any other hitherto experimented upon, or likely to be devised in the near future."

So short a time was given in which to construct the trial plant that existing models had to be copied. The motor was over 9

proached by reverse curves on a grade of about 20 degrees. Trenches had to be dug next to the abutments to give room for the motor to pass under the bridges. Both convex and concave curves had to be passed over, and at one point the deflection was about 30 degrees. In spite of the difficulties, the trial showed that the system performed economically and efficiently all that it was designed to accomplish..

In the plant recently constructed for trial on a German canal, the motor has been shortened to less than five feet in length; its weight reduced to 1,300 pounds. The worm-gear has been avoided by a double reduction direct gear, gaining 50% in efficiency over the worm-gear, and the elliptically grooved sheave

has been placed about the cylindrical electric motor, getting a large bearing surface and increasing the efficiency accordingly. At the test made at the Trenton Iron Works this motor, using a 5 horse-power Storey motor, wound for 500 volts, and going at the rate of 2 3 miles per hour, pulled 800 pounds when having the use of only 220 volts. This shows a remarkable efficiency, which is due to the mechanical principles utilized, viz., hauling the motor along by a fixed rope, attached to a capstan operated by practically a winch.

The uses to which this method of telpherage can be put are so numerous that I will not attempt to give descriptions of plans

that have been, and are now, being made for various parties, for such services as fortification work, rice culture, mining plants, ship building and sewer excavating plants. I will confine my descriptions to completed work.

Possibly the most universally serviceable application that has been made of the system is traversing motors with double hoisting drums for quarry purposes. These motors are to go on 700 feet span cableways. Each of these cableways has one end stationary and the other is movable on a curved track. They are designed to lift 10,500 pound rocks at the rate of 50 feet per minute and traverse at the rate of 300 feet per minute. At a test at Trenton made upon a temporarily erected cableway we raised 6,600 pounds, and ran on the cable at the rate of ten miles per hour, part of the time going up a grade of over 15 per cent. There will be no difficulty in these motors raising over 10,500 pounds and running 300 feet per minute. A 15 horse-power Storey motor is used. The rheostat reverses the motor and regulates the speed. A band brake also is used to regulate the stopping. This is controlled by a lever in front of the motorman. There is a safety brake to be used in case the band brake should fail. This is operated by a wheel. The shoe of this brake clamps the upper cable. It is attached to the car proper, and with the wheel handle oscillates with the carriage as it climbs or descends grades. A lever in front of the motorman is used to control the speed of the drums that raise and lower the skip. A friction clutch, controlled by a wheel handle, disconnects the traversing sheave gear and engages the hoisting drums

or vice-versa.

In a place within reasonable distance of an electric plant having surplus power, these electric cable hoists can be erected and operated for a comparatively small cost. In contracting work, where electric lights are also used, these cable cranes can be used to great advantage. In other places the small generating plant necessary to operate these motors will add but little to the expense of an outfit.

Those who think that electrical machinery is of such a delicate nature that it is only serviceable for cities of advanced civilization, should go to the Dismal Swamp, and see a so-called dainty machine doing as rough and dirty work as any service to which a machine could be put. He would see the laborers, over their knees in mud, sawing down giant trees, and hear the woodsman