EDISON'S STORAGE BATTERY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 93, 28 July 1910, Page 4

EDISON'S STORAGE BATTERY.

REVOLUTION IX TRAMWAY EQUIPMENT. "I DO NOT HESITATE TO' SAY THAT THE PERFECTED--I.DI SOX BATTERY .STANDS TODAY AS THE GREATEST MONUMENT iu MR. ERDISON'S GiENLUS." The Wanganui Chronicle wrote to MrThomas A. Edison, asking for information -as to his storage battery, more particularly in so far as it affected the problem of electrical tramway By last week's mail the Chronicle received the following letter, together with. the enclosures mentioned therein:— Orange, New Jersey, June i. The Wanganui Chronicle, Wanganui, New Zealand. My Dear Sir,— Yours of April 20th, addressed to Mr. Edison, was duly received, and, in accordance with your request I send you under separate cover catalogues relating to the Edison Storage Battery. The battery is now being manufactured on a large scale here, and is being quite rapidly introduced into use with electric vehicles. Mr. Beach is developing the tramway Held with considerable success, although wo have no direct connection with kirn, 'except to supply him with batteries! I do not hesitate to say that the perfected Edison battery stands to-day as the greatest monument to Mr. Ediron'a genius. The results that have been obtained from it in efficiency and durability have been really remarkable. I thank you for your interest in the matter—Yours very truly, PRANK L. DYER, Vice-President Edison Storage Battery Co. Curiously enough, an Invercargill citizen wrote for information about the same time, apparently addressing his inquiry to the company managed by Mr. Beach. The answer he received confirms Mr. Dyer's reference to the success with which Mr. Beach is meeting in the development of the tramway field. The letter is so interesting, and so important, in view of our tramway proposals, that we publish it hereunder: New York, May 25, 1910. Dear Sir,—Your favor of April 12tb has been received, and we note with pleasure and interest that you are about to. construct an electric railway. I am also sending you under separate cover some catalogues and descriptive matter of the car and battery; we have had the benefit of several months' experience with the car in commercial work. We put the car that » described in the printed matter inregular daily commercial service on the 28th and 29th' Street Crosstown road' in the city, and I enclose herewith a sheet showing the record of operation of this car in this service. This represents the car's performance in regular commercial service through, the down town streets, which are densely congested, in New York City, the same a» any other car of the ordinary trolley type.

These cars are well constructed, and everything about them is first class in every respect The batteries are Edison batteries, and are guaranteed against loss of capacity for three years. Tin's guarantee is not intended aor does it cover the full life of the battery bv any means, because the battery will :ast a great many more than three years. Unfortunately, just how many years it will last we do not know as yet, rs we have not had them jatt over five years, but everything that they will last ten or twelve years; however, we feel that a guarantee for three vears should be ample for a device of this character, and, therefore, do not guarantee the batteries for a. i longer period. In a general way, if you Install this system in your city instead of the overhead trolley system, you will save about one-third in the original investment, and you will save about one-third' also in the cost of operation. In order to help you to get at theactual cost in your specific case, if yoir • will kindly send us a plan, of the proposed road, together with statement as to number of cars needed, with a sclio<!>!> ns to how they are to be operated, and other data of that description, we will very cheerfully work out for you a definite proposition to, cover your particular requirements. It is not practicable to alter thesecars into cars suitable for trolley work; neither is it possible for the Edison storage batteries to "break down." These batteries never break down, and the combined car and battery is more reliable than a trolley car, and the only thing that can put the car out of commission is a wreck. Therefore, if you desire,to go ahead and induce your people to use these cars, we would be vwy glad to provide you with all the •ammunition" to convince your friends. as you would be able to convtnee any reasonable man that this is the modem 11 nd right way to drive street cars. Yours very trulv, R. H. BEACH. Federal Storage Battery Co. In an enclosure the maximum speed is given as 15 miles, and the ears have been run in all weathers; length of route, 4'/ 2 miles; number of curves per trip, 40; average number of stops (for passengers, 8 per mile; charging period: of battery, 44 hours; seating capacity. 2rt. with standing room for 15; car miles run per day, 57 miles;-number of battery charges per day, one. During the 00 days' run there were no repairs, replacements, or interruptions, which in a good indication of the reliability of the new car. These instructive and authoritative imrtieulnrs regarding the Edison battery as applied to tramway propulsion cannot fail to he interesting. They ii"liVate that the results have been highly satisfactory, and fully warrant the assumption that the time is at hand when the new type of car will com° largely into use, especially in localities where the population is limit"d. The information certainly renders it desirable that those interested in new t ran'way ventures should thoroughly in-vstV-ito the possibilities of the Edison CWi>,-)7i< , ' : self-contained car before comj"ilf:, i- their respective communities to the heavy and nerhaps altogether un-nceess-ir'- cost of a system requiring to he enu'pned with overhead gear. We '"av add Mint the Borough Council of Tnvercargill is so much impressed with the importance of the matter ns to be cnn*i(lerinT the advisability of despatching (Jie eitv engineer and a renresentn*;ve of the Council to make on-the-spot investigations in New York.