Mr. Bartholomew will generate his electricity from water power--
the cheapest power on earth."

"Humph! I've got my answer right now," said Ned Newton. "If
there is no other good reason, this is sufficient."

"There are plenty of others," drawled Tom, smiling. "Good ones.
For instance, heat or cold has nothing to do with the even
running of an electric locomotive. It can bore right through a
snowbank--a thing a steam engine can't do. It runs at an even
speed. Really, grade should have nothing to do with its speed.
There is a fault somewhere in the construction of the Jandel
machine or the H. & P. A. would have little trouble with those
locomotives on its grades.

"Then, all you have to do to start an electrified locomotive is
to turn a handswitch. No stoking or water-boiling. Does away with
the fireboy. One man runs it!"

"Why!" cried Ned, "I never stopped to think of all these
things."

"No ashes to dump," went on Tom. "No flues to clean, no boilers
to inspect, and none to wear out. And they say that on the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, at least, their freight
locomotives handle twice the load of a steam locomotive at a
greatly reduced cost."

"Sounds fine. Don't wonder Mr. Bartholomew is eager to
electrify his entire tine."