system are, however, so well known, it is needless to go over them. I
therefore will confine myself to the electric and cable systems.

With electricity single track lines, crooked streets, all descriptions
of turnouts, crossings, branches, etc., are as easy to construct and
operate as with horses. With the cable system they are either
impossible or enormously expensive.

With electricity the line is not a unit, so that the complete stoppage
of the whole line is absolutely impossible. With cable it is a unit
and it is possible.

With electricity the life of the conductor is infinite; with cable,
two years.

With electricity, and the improvements now being made in traction
wheels, etc., the heaviest grades are as easily surmounted as with the
cable; although it is true that for grades exceptional in character,
such as 20 per cent. grades or over, I should be willing to give the
contract to cable.

With electricity any speed can be attained by the individual cars.
They are absolutely independent. Lost time can be made up, etc. With
cable the cars are dependent upon speed of cable. Lost time cannot be
made up except on down grades.

With electricity work done by engine is synchronous with work done on
the track at any time of the day or night, with the loss of 35 per
cent. due to the conversions in each case. In other words, for every
horse power of useful work done on track the engine does 1.54 horse