A Chase by Electricity.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 426, 7 December 1889, Page 3

A Chase by Electricity.

-PjtLsfDLvr 'Bk<JwS,o£ th.c electrical YjUlroaVL ;between Ihe 'Mills and Shoretown, <;l>ad every reason to be proud of Ih* ~3ucc«os, * • »\ gainst) greab opposition in Shoretbwn ho had established an electric railway between ' that place and the Mill?. It had been in successful operation for a week and every ono was de ighted. ' The close of a hot summer day found him, riding in an electric car to his summer retreat ab the Mills. There had been a meeting of the E'ectric Corporation, and he carried many valuable papo.s aijd securities with him, in order to study them and to make certain calculations before t lie meeting of the directors',,, which would take place on the following" day. • Closely absorbed in the' perusal """of" the evening paper he did not notice' £he only other occupauts of the car — two-* men who conversed together and apparently did nob notice him. When President Brown descended from the car a3 it reached his residence, the two men joined the conductor of the car and rode on in deep conversation with him. The termiiius of the railroad was but a short distance from President BrQwn's house. The electric car ran into a tempos ary shed and the two men and -the conductor sab in bho. car balking -together ; for it lacked ten minutes of the time o1o 1 the return trip to Shor,etown, ' Twelve o'clock to night we meet you here,' .said the shorter and daiker of the two men, whom his .companion addressed as Dan, turning to the conductor. ji The conductor nodded. Theman called '< Dan then asked many questions in regard to thb inmptea ot President Brownls house and the disposition of the rooms. ' Bill,' said he to his companion, 'after we have got what we want we can make the distance between here and Shoretown in twenty minute*. The current is kept on till one ?' Bill looked at the oonduotor* who nodded affirmatively. 'What is that?' said Dan pointing to another electric car which stood beside them in the shed. ' Oh, that one is laid up for repairs,' replied the conductor. , The bhiee men then proceeded to discuss together the robbery of President Brown's house ; for the two burglars had ascertained that he had carried', home with him that evening valuable bonds and securities. The conductor had been jndu'qed to join them in robbery/ After the attempt they could geo on the electric car which would be in waiting in the she! where it usually remained for the oarly morning trip to Shorefcown, and easily get the start of any attempt to pursue them. After conversing together for some time the iwo men left the car and prowled about President Brown's place in the twilight., while the conductor ran the electriccar back to Shoretown, promising to be ready at midnight to take the burglars and their booty. President Brown, unconscious of the conspiracy, ate a hearty dinner, and amu3cd himself in catechising hjs eon Robert/, who

j had returned from college for the summer's { vacation, upon the eubjeot of electricity. 1 ' You can't get much from books on the subject,' said the father. ' You must"w"ork with practical men. My foreman would teach you in a. day in the shop more than you would learn in a year in college. 1 A •Now, father, that is too bad. I did not expect to hear you taking the side of the narrow practical man against the scholar,' replied Robert. * The scholar who has studied iho subject in books and in laboratories can acquire all that your piactical man knows in a quarter of the time it has taken him to acquire the little information he flaunts in your faco. It makes me indignant to hear theso ignorant practical men talk. Practical plumbers, and practical politicians, and practical electricians ! What we want aie theoretical plumbers, and theoretical politicians, and theoretical electrician?. 1 „ Mrs Brown smiled in admiration at the eloquence of her boy. but the Piesidenfc said to himself : • The boy is in a fair way of being spoiled by those college professors.^ I will give'hftn a. les*son.' 'You say that you Tiave read a book on electrical "tt»ofc6rp, and that you have studied the ' tlreory-of their action and their conBtruction. There ia at present in the terminus station just beyond .youc house anelectrical ear which is out of order, something is the matter with tho motor, which our practical electrician, -c.au jome^dy ,to-_ morrow. Why won't you tak*o a look at it\, and sec how far your theoretical knowledge, will carry you.' ' _ - T ■•'-.• 3*^" • * I claftn an expcVbV'wnges,' said Robert,, Jaughingly, as he rose. ! ' ' • ' ; " ' 1 What 'do you suppose the boy inteitds' lo do?' > iesi?ferttßrov/n to bis-.viio, rts •Robert left the d ill net -table, limited a lantern and ordered a man setvunt to .iccora^ pany him-to the teun^j;il>shed.. -<• - -<~ . 'I think fie .intends to/exauuno "the'etac.-. tricnl car,' roplied, Br6\vn s ?-&ud a ' j?\\o added L with inateriia'i'' pndej v^ BelieAC he, will find out what' tire trouble' is. 'T r< v * The Presido'nVsimlcd ironically," and pro-\ cot dec! to read'trie evening'paper. TflSbcrt', who had developed a renfarliable mechanr- ' pal tasto while fn 1 college\ arid who had ex* amined tho construction 1 of electrical cars on the line, which had been lately established near thc;coll£ge^ had not much hope of asceitaining- tJ)P cause of the difficulty lv the meter. He had qften pcen. howe\er, , how s.mall u cause could prevent the action of the meter, and tho chance of -correcting his father of an error in judgment was too .good "to/be tieglecdecl. " His only chance of success ~vk as in finding something wrong with the con nee ion which led to the lever and brushod which turned the curreut into" the me tor ; for he had not the tools for taking up the flooring of the car to examine the motors which were underneath fche flooring, and which were connected with the q ar which propelled the wheels of the car. He unscrewed tho capstan liko support at tho end of the car and carefully examined the wires and connectors, " Tdhis great joy he found btiat one of tHe'lattpr had been forced out of place'and had been burnt out ; it was but tho labour of a few moments torepair this. The standard was replaced in position. The trolly on the top ot the car ; through which the electrical current descends from the overhead wit e- to. the motor, turns this and returns, through tjie wheels and the tiack to the distant station at SlioreCown, w''sw ''5 then swung in p'aco. President Brown heard, an exclamation from his wife, 'Robeibhas fixe 1 the car and is riding up and down in. front oT the' house . * The President "wont to the' door, paper in hand, arid felt "prouder'than evof'bf'hid" boy. He 'took: out- a h'ftsy"dollar -bi.lt and 7put it into Robert's hand "when the litfceF entered. '-That is-wlmt I .should" have had to pay atrexporb,' he remarked.- ' ,' Robert returned it, remarking loftily, ',1' woi k for piinciplo'a-nd not for lucio^. > ;, '.', ' What 1 note\en torhicrntuc principles?' lemaikeJ the Pres.u.lcnV//' , „ t. ,- ~ \ti \ou will 'allow mo to critfCis6"'y6 > n'r < 'new.eleetiie railway., father, I *sboal& »uy" that -yoijr overhead \v»reria strung! tocf ow. "AVhy, a tall man Gould.easily reach it-Jionvthtf-ftmof the car. • ' - - < r - t ]!9-o-We" ; but a fool or a knave would try, 1 replied president Brown. ' I am afraid the world holds sonic of bptli/ yaid IJobeit, ' ' r ; wr ' That bojM«- ! «6Tmg to jnako &omctrung.U. ' they <Kjn t £ 4 4posl i him at c*ollrfge/ remarked -j 1 He^Kleiftr BrfJwu • ffo his Svife; # as h6 1-8 tired *for tho nigL\ . -All's Btoavii', w^O had-^ilwdy*S re"?peofeed .jpoljegefbced men* saifl nothing, -fbr sJ>oJQ}t..that-lio'berb's4occ6rif nde'ddd oa .•words ,to eniiahcQ Ji,un Witit evening m-hor i husband's estimation. v ( - " - . . 7 It -vva's closely op mid,nigh,t when tha two bur^la'rs rode^out of the ; laot electric oar, The conducjto£ lan them into tho .terminal.' fetation ; put out. tlje ligfitsand everything i was appAr-ently quiet for the night. In a few moments however, the conductor carcful}y. opened the door of the car shed a'nd put everything in readiness for a swift tun back "to vShoretovyn.. Robert had been dreaming of a new invention which had the wxugs j)f a bird and tho screw of a steamw"l««n he was aroused by. an outcry, -Springing otit of bed and rufhing to*U»« windrow he saw two dark fprmi di^apj,)/?avii>g v°'Y°.F l^° roo^ °^ tae house. His father ijted ► ajp!is v ol shot standing' in .the glare* of the :^ao which flared ftom a suddenly lit burnej-. 'Turn down the g.as, father!' shouted Robert, rushing into his latherls rgbm/ Hardly had lie said this before the sound of a pistol shot- was heard from without arid a ball bmied 'itself in" tho plastering of the room. Fortuuately no one was irvjured. -Robert seized the pistol ,from-his futliciS hand and flew down the stairs, closely folr lowed by his fathei. When they- arrived upon the, .street an eject- ie car rushed by them, § a,rks llaahing from the wheel-, .. ' There they go I', exclaimed th^ President slackening his pace. ' There is no hope, fhey have got twenty thousand dollars worth of feecurities.' " ; * Come on, father '.' cried Rabeif. i ' v jC'lio' other car, the other car! l Stan'd there/ X will bring it up.' .••"'' * Good ! there is another, to be sure^ 1 - said Prefcident Brown, pausing out of breathY As he stood waiting for jfaberl, the tiiansorvant arrived with , a double - bm-relleda shot gun. .•;,,-"• ' .- , ' What an*excel}pu;t policeman you \yould make, J tunes,' Bald' President lirown," ♦ to think qf that gun.' James' modestly replied thatJiis grandfather had been in the King's body guard. While they spoke Robert came down the * track on tho front platform of the electric icar with his hand on the lever. His father 1 and James rapidly jumped aboard, shouted out to Mrs Brown and the other inmates of tho house who began to gather about them,' not to be alarmed and disappeared in the gloom. Robert turned an the full strength of tho electric current and the occupants of the car seemed to be riding on a thunderbolt. ' We cannot hope to diminish the distanco between this car and the one we are pursuing,' paid Robert in reply to an interrogatory of Inn father. 'On the other hand the other car cannot increase the distance between us, Tho current of electricity divides and just as much flows from the overhead wire into our motor at into those ahead of us. ' Yes,' repliod the President, ' but the other car is neaiing the central fetation and gets more power.' * It is not very far ahead of us,' said Robert peering into t](e darkness. ' * J can

see the flashing of the sparks. Moreover, most -of! the resistance to ,the. flow of tho electric current is in the motor of tho car and little in the overhead wire between this car and the one ahead.' Tho burglars were olated at the success of their night's work.' They examined their boojby by means of a dark lantern as they sped 4 " along. A feeling of greod enteredHhe hearc of the short and dark one cailed^ Dan, as he reflected that he must share \yith two others. At that moment tho tail burglar caught sight of the pur- ■ suing car, and ca'led the attention of the others to it. The conductor was astonished and <V bit terrified ; for the car had been pronoujrcced unserviceable by the practical electrician of the company. Who could be running it ? Perhaps it was runniug on by its owrf weight. • Weights don't run up hill !' said the tall butrglar with an oath. •We are pursued.' •, 'I have got on all the current there is,' said the conductor crowding on the lever. 4 Bb'sk&SjAv'e a't-6 going up grade just here.' ,; T-he»£*peed, of the car. .had slackened for it was a steep-incline. The three men discubsed^ho A situation. The conductor ex- ' •ptoined'tkat tfie'bnly way td'geb ahead of tjhe pursuing car was to cut the qyer1 head w:ue Ju«fe bfihiud. them. This would pve, vettf ,an jf , e^etrysU>\ . f,roin ve«dhjin.£ jt.be • pur.su in£ car,,, and would not jnterfere with.its'^iassß^e' 3 dpwii their own trolly into ; fihetr own- m&to-i'.' <■-'•" ■ . vTbe^arlibirrglaiv Dan; who had* tudied the,subjecbjqf -the execution of criminals by' ■eleafctiqjb.y. "wjiicli' had, just become a law,. in . the Sta'tib 1 , and wlfo Unew something of the perils of '-"'h'frnflling elcctiic "wires', Was' strojj^ly an ioxoiuvof'dutting thb'vVire. •He Bai J!ito.fe il »:jt8 ft !;Vpow)amon-: ' tty Rotting gn.. 4o£\c-f J>he pa*; you .can reach. tho gveihead >; wire;' and by means of these, pliersj > *t{i£fy,is*; ~thom- oub-'-bf 'Gh^ir'kifc x>i burglars' tools,' "' $m\ catrißfttetlycut the wire.? ■ - ' ''" - < Th# taH^bslwjflojC 1 readily assented .'to euoh ' jan'e^svj jOjid cut,e way of distancing their 4>u\s'uors. " The.conductb'r, ,qu,ickly. br.Qtf'jrhL crff'Go/& slow "pace", 'and' the' burglar rabidly, mounted to the' bop of bhe car. , VMipd;,,you'cu<xh hold of the .wire with', one liand.. while you cub with the other,, said' Che burglar Dan, knowing in his . heart that this was the way to receive thedeadly eh'qck -of the extra current which fcvoultl pa^s through the body endeavouring to bridge .the interval between the cut wire?. Ttie cat: was now running very slowly. "'The rush of the pursuing car , could b« heard througii a piece of wood be- | hiqd.fel.iem,. -^. ., --• l^ajj's . evil eyes peered down the slope; lie could see tho electric spaiks Hying fuom the tVolly of tho oncoming . car. All at once tkero "was a tremendous- flash of light which, illumined 'the ground - about tho car containing the burglars. Then ajieuvy fall. ' The wire' is cut. Tub on all tho current,'said Dan, rushing to ' the lever and ■crawling jb on. • That fool of> a i cliap has got the w^ole current through ,him andisti dead man !' As he spoke bhe Jieavy figure which had been rolling in a«;ony on tho top of the car, fell over the side into the underbrucib. Dan and the conductor heard the car behind them slacken ; bhey perceived also that their own car had los£ ita onward "motion and was beginning bo run backward down the slope., In cubbing tho wire they had ovei looked the fact that tho overhead ,\viro mu3t be cub near one of its cross supports in order that it mighb not fall and brail on bhe ground, thu& giving no point of application, bo bho trolly. , 'Dan swore a greab oath, grasped bho booty and jumped' from the car. The cub wire was vibrating againsb tho lails bursting 'into bho elecbi ie .light wJienever .ib m.ade conn'ectip'n".vvibh these. RoboVt from the 'frorib'plattonn'of hi 3 car book in the sibua- ' tlon' immedia'bely. 1 ' Ca.lling' to his tatheV and Jamesj'lVGi lcnped-from-fche'car.^ 0 , bhe jfhau servsnrif, dotermined to obtain a leputhtiqn.foi:valour, tiro.d, ©/I'oneJbarrct'of th 6 shotgimjab .the eleptria. ligjit which was dajiQing'tfp and down bhe brack. IU-esidenb -Brown seized bhe gun.exclaimin.g^ ' Man', "you are capable of killing tho President andhis ooi'porutiou Of the road, bo say nothing 'of injuring bhe road bed. Robert, where are you ?' ," . They, hoard a shout a short distance ahead and : h»3tenod'tp-thojspot ffo'm which ib pro-.-ccedjefJ rM ,Xho olqc.br.ie li^ht had dittap'peai-edj 1 .foij B'oterLhad Hfbftd; bho danglitig fe-ii-e by' ;aUb\cl{,iJd'tft#t ib jjalonger made*c t on 6e v ction •with the raits., Jtle had bheo .lighted* fcho* Hupp-iii i the car ; Jia'd taken oi^o of bhehrout aiii^-was, beirtlln^ oVera.Uank form* which '^vi^aS'Stre'tohea upon the track. <■ .' "")»' Herb, fabltei', are your securities,' he ex* Olniined", ifqldirtg out a bug, 'and hei'o. me. two iiobbers, killed by electricity ap- ■ parenbly. . > |f fhis^ short dark fcllo.v,'contihued Kobea-b as tho President reached the tpob, ; waa.caughb in the trailing who 'as be Jeipftd^froru-the oar. See how 'the electricity burnt his legs. Thab ball fellow on bho oilier side blie track evidently was the orte who cub bhe wire, for see, he still holds tlfe pliers in his convulsive g-ra^p. I "' ' This is 'extraordinary !' exclaimed President Brtfwn, ' killed by bhe thunder-bolt oii which bhey were riding !' The conducbor of the car, who had lurked in the gloom of the woods scrutinizing the party, ljojd by a strange fascination to see what had impelled the pirrsutng car, for lie?lvoew that it cp.,uld nob b^ ojectiicity, fled to. wards Sbprebown. ,Hp nm^b Uav^'bhe sbate i to.a^oid blie cxaminabion' whigh was sure to I pome, **' . „ . , ♦ , | ' The -men under bhe orders of llobort, lifbed bhe bodiesof bhe bwo burglar? into the j advance eleetvid car, and tlien pushed the car on until bl»ey came to a place where bhe overhead >vire was supported.' Then th« brolly which connects the overhead wire . with the motor \£as-'bwu'ng into position. Pie«»idenb Brown discharged .bhe. remain.ing barrel of the s\iot-gun"in"to the air ; .and gave the guntd James, fcellinp- him to return and probect the^fetpgrtes^ind nob to, toJl'tao bi^ a sbory of" his valour to Ann the house'ijjajd. Then bhe father and son rode blie dead burglars inbo Shorebowu. ' ruoi\"J < 6HV'Ti^ViJteJpu l ii.^" 1