Ka Elele Poakolu, Volume I, Number 15, 15 December 1880 — WIRE TRAMWAYS. [ARTICLE]

WIRE TRAMWAYS.

'l.'he tran«purt of eano from the field to tho mili ib, on eouie of our plantati©nH, a troubleBorne artd cxperj8ivo proce«B. ,Site8 auitable for the cultivation of Bugurcanc and f'or millApurpo8eH cannot alwaye ,be roynd in eloae ,proximity to one another — indeed Hueh r;roximity is the exception r«tber than the rule.. \\'herc the di8tance over whieh eane has to be carr:ed īh conHiderable, and the intervening country ih hppken in character, a eommon expedient i« to ■ con«trucfc water-races and fluming in whieh the eane i« floated down tO' the mill. In thoHC ca«eH in whieh tlie supply of water thus hrought down by the Aumen i« required ut a motive power or for irrigation purpo«eB in the immcdiate rieighborbQod of the mill, ifc i« pro.bable thafc thi« proVe an eeonomieal one. At (!no^a^for in«tance, where thc eane hi carrie<J, no ,le«« thari fjve mileH in thi« mannor, tfie water whieh trari«po.rt« tbe eano Hul;B<:queritly yiei<jH the powcr togririd it,"Jn plat;e« vvbere fche raco w<;uld not; he warited, exoepfc fbr itn u«e in hringirig eane fqrigi;'<J l.o t,iu; mii),! it muiil^ unleHH l.he nature ol' lftrP"i:ount,i'y he very | f'ayoraf;)e, prov<; an expormiv<; part of the nugar- ' gro weni' planl,. fn nu'eh <;ii,«e<j . fchere i«- ljfctle.-I d<)ijf;t fchut the wire trarnwayB, now eomirig »<; mueh into vogue in other eounU'ieu for thj« and «imii<jr purp<;He«, Wouhl prove mueh !««« expen«ive, hotli ii) the matter of fir«t oo«l and in tfmfc 0f rriatrifcerian<;<). Okumlinm'' .loumul for 8<;pfcerrj(;er Ja«l; eontain» an arfci«l<; ori the «ubjcck of' wir« tramway«, in wh/eh <;<;our tfie fbJlowing remark« ; 'I'lie earrjftg<; of fiel<J an<J f'arm prodiie<; olihm <ui<;tfier j opening for the u«e of wire fcmrnway«'. In {Muu» ritim fchey are employed to «onvey «ug arcarj 1 l'min tfie fleld« whero ffc gtom to tho iiugar r/ji)lu 1 fbr enj«hirig. Jrj ,Jamaica fc{ij?.wiHsfl brirjg dowu , afc an inelino of ono fco threo earlo fchat grow p n< ar I hilJ"fcop« fco mii)« «ltuafcwl in tho vall<;y« l;on«afh In MarUniquo and 8fc. K.itfc« tho «amo plan i« wloptod, dolivofing fc!io oano irj unlform quanfcifcie« on the carrier», and 1« «omo inB(unco« carrylm pl<iokod <tmv$ Hjght ovot mothw flold in Whlok «ugar ia growin«. In many oountrie«

wiro triimwuyH nre cmployed for cnrrying thn crops frorn lnrgc beetroot fHrniH t<; n rniiwuy or : p>ort of Bllipment." For thc benefit of thoh<' who lmve ri<;vcr ween 1 < \vire tramway, Home debcriptiori nl the invcntiuN iriay prove uHof'ui. The uhc o( un endl<'hh win 1 rope 118 a ineiinn of (lrawii)g u trnin of c;i rw 1.1 aImoHt 11H old an thc railroad itH(;lf. 1 ri wliul u technically known an n wirt: tramwuy, the rope . . not oniy dra\vs tlic truckH ur eui'h, but H0rvc8 m tlie track itHel(. Thc ī'open are 8U8pended upo» poloH in the in;trincr uhih! for telcgraph wires with the ri<'COHHiiry exception that the poleH an<1 tlieir pro8pceting iinnn are of great Htrength liaeh arrn carn<:h a pulley over wliieh the rop<* rune. Tbe load Imng8 helow tho wire, but clipb ttie ī'ope frotn above, as in all other eaaen in whieh wire rofien are ueed for traction. 'I'hiH in ascompii8hed by uieanH of a sharp ; ourve or crook in the iron bar by_ whieh the car _ ie 8U8pended. /l'heee wire tramways are carried : over hilla and valieys, forming euepenaion bridge« [ over the. latter. They are uBually worked, like { the wire eahlea used on Bome of the street'Trail j roadH in fjan Francisco and elsewhere, -by ;< j etationary engioe, the return, rope being alae j m;tde av:tilable for traffic. In exceptional eaeea where thc cour8e of the tramway ie whollv ' down hill, the rope ean be worked by gravitation I alone. Varioue ingeniou8 contrivance« for eon I necting and diBconnecting the car« at etart anri arrival !iave been patented. Loaded cara enn follow one unother at short interval8, care being taken to regulaie the dianneter, and con«equent strengtli, of the cable to the work required of it The firet eoal: of such i(£aniwuyB varies eo greatiy with the character of tlie work required of tliem that any eHtimatē we might "give could onfy 8uit a Hpeeial eaee. We hear of one recently eon,sfcructed ' for eoal traffic, the buckets or cars of whieh carried 50t) lhs eaeh, aome ten or twelvc of fchem being alway« on the rope together when wd*rk wit« going on. I'Iuh, \vithoufc engine, C0Ht nt the rate of about $2500 per mile.