San Jose Electric Road is not a failure

San Jose Electric Road.

Reports have been circulated from time to time that the electric road at San Jose, Cal., had proved a failure. The road has been referred to a number of times as furnishing evidence that electric railways were not entirely successful under all conditions. These reports were not believed by the WESTERN ELECTRICIAN, and some pains were taken to ascertain the facts in the case. Enough was learned to warrant the conclusion that the company which furnished the apparatus, the Detroit Electrical Works, was in no wise to blame for the failure of the road to give satisfaction to the residents of San Jose. The franchise for the construction of the road provided that either a cable railway or an electric railway with underground conduits be constructed on the streets of San Jose and on the Alameda connecting San Jose and Santa Clara. It was found that a cable road would cost $850,000; the Detroit Electrical Company made an estimate of $430,000 for an electric railway. The local railway company which proposed to build the road did not possess capital enough to pay for the construction, but from the increased value of real estate which would follow the maintenance of a road, it expected to supply the deficiency. The company, instead of giving the contract to the Detroit company, undertook itself the construction of the road bed and a large part of the details. The Detroit Electrical Works provided the motors, dynamos and the apparatus necessary for operating them, but did not build the conduits, merely furnishing the specifications. These plans were not followed. The general construction it is said, was of a decidedly inferior character. In spite of the protest of the Detroit Electrical Works the road with all its manifest defects was started, and for six months it gave satisfaction. Then the Southern California land bubble burst. Less than five miles of the road had been built. The franchise for the equipment of the remainder of the road had expired. To save the franchise the railroad company deemed it best to let what had been done go by default. The Detroit company proposed to put the road into proper shape, but the railway company, pressed by the local authorities to take immediate action on the extension of the line or forfeit the franchise, chose, it is alleged, to assert that the conduit was a failure in order to gain time. Thus it was that the report was circulated that the railway company was unable to secure glass insulators fast enough to keep the road in operation. These are the facts as far as can be ascertained. They would seem to put the blame where it belongs on the local company. This view of the case is supported by the fact that the president of the road expressed his satisfaction with the system during the six months during which it was in operation.