The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-17
A story for Lovers OF the Marvellous.

Mean temperature, 7Os.
A story for Lovers OF the Marvellous.
AN ELECTRIC MACHINE THAT WILL TRANSMIT
POWER BY WIRE.
New York SUM-
TO utilize the vast power generated by
nun,berless rivers and tideways, by trans
mittinc Il from regions where not used TO
points where 1t is invaluable, has long puZ-
lied scientists. In places away from the
scaboard and the great water-courses cspe-
ciallv power has heretofore been obtained
onIy by the erection of expensive machinery,
| the constant generation OF steam, ana tue
consequent consumption OF vast quantities
of coal brought from distance.
While visiting tie mining regions OF the
Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains IN
his late western tour, Professor Edison was
struck with the difficulty there bad by
miners in drilling and boring, though IN
many cases in the vicinity OF rapid-hoW-
inp ,nountain streams. Except in "piacer'' -
mining. where the ore is washed out
of the bed or banks OF a river, or
where expensive steam drills are USED, tne
work of mining Is laborious. While
watching miners drilling by hand, means
OF facilitating this work evolVed ltseil
from Edison's fertile brain. Turning TO
his intimate friend, Professor Barker, OF
the University Of PENNSYLVANIA, he e%-
claimed, abstractedly: why cannot the
power Of yonder river (pointlng 10 the
Platte river on the plain thousand 1cet
neloy) be transmitted to these men by
eIectriclty?" This thought seemed not to
90 from Edisoa's head, and all the way
across the plains on their journey home he
and his friend Barky," as he calls him,
discussed various problems for the trans
mission CT power.
Before starting for the West Professor
Barker had visited Ansonia, Conn.,, where
his old friend Mr.. William Wallace is en-
uaged in the manufacture OF electrical ma
chimes. Mr.. Wallace has profound sclentlhc
research, and besides the mechanical part OF
his business, he devotes himself enthusiastic
allv to that part OF physics that conprchends
electricity, magnetism, and the polarization
CT light, He showed Professor Barker an
instrument to which he had devoted the best
wears OF his life, but which was yet IN q
crude condition. He is still experimenting
With it. but he believed he would so perfect
it as to transmit power from one point to
another by means OF electricity.
When the Edison party bad arrived IN
New York, Professor Barker bethou@nt
himself Of the instrument previously SHOWN
him by his friend, and which at the time lie
had only cursorily examined. He invited
Professor Edison to visit Ansonia with
hin-on invitation that was at once ac-
ceDted. Last Sunday was the day fixed
nnon. The party consisted Of Professors
Edison and Barker, Professor Chandler OF
the Board of Health, and Mr.. Edison's as
sstant, Mr.. Bacheller.
II was an agreeable surprise to the party
to find that Mr.. Wallace had perfected bis
machine. Being exceedingly modest, and
caring not Cor notorety, he had shown the
instrument to few, and these only persons
whose lack OF scientific knowledge pre-
vented them from comprehending its use
fulress.- Mr.. Wallace calls it telemachon,
and he smiled with pride as he rointed 10 4
number Of these machines, each one an i'm.
provernent upon its predecessor, and each
having required years to design and nearly
900 to construct.
Mr.. Edison was enrapturcd. tie fairly
eloated over it. Then power was applied
TO the telemachon, and eight electric lights
were kept ablaZe at one time. each being
equal to 1000 candles, the subdivision OF
electric. lights being thing unknown to
science. This filled up Mr.. Edison's cur
of joy, Hc ran from the instrument to the
|
str,lment. He sprawled over a table witt
the simplicity OF child, and made all kind:
OF calculations. Hc calculated the power
OF the instrument and OF the lights, tht
probable loss Of power in transmission, tht
amount OF coal the instrument would save
> in day, week, a month, year, ana tht
result OF such saving on manufacturing.
The cool, impassiyc Professor Chandlc
also went about, notebook in hand, inform
, ing himself upon the miDutest details.
That Il man like Mr.. Wallace. after study
: ire privately upon the subject for years
. should calmly, deliberately, and withou
ostentation, bring out before them an in
strument calculated to revolutionize the en-
tire manufacturing business, filled the pal |,
with amaZement.
By means of it power may be obtained
from places where riyer.poWer or tidaI
power is abundant, or may be generated
where fuel is cheap, as at the coal-mines
and by means Of an ordinary cable be trans
: mitted hundreds OF miles. The cable ma.
be tapped at any point, and power use'
therefrom.
i Some notion OF the stupendous result
that may follow should the telemachol
= prove completely successful is given in tn
opinion OF Professor c. W. Siements, OF tt
Royal Society of Great Britain, who has re
Gently visited this country. In recent ad
dress in Glasgow he said that in England
means OF transmitting power by electricit
must soon be the important problem Of tn
day. What are the English people to d.
when their coal is exhausted? or Americ
; and her great water courses he said:
"The amount Of water falling over Nj
: agara is equal to 100,000,000 tons an hour
7 falling 100 feet. The amount of coal re
oulred annually to raise such weight u
; to the point from which it fell, which is
: measure of the amount Of power Yielded b
that water in falling, would require th
consumption OF 100000, 900 tons of coal
year, which is the amount now consume
/ by the entire world. Now, il fifty per cent
OF the power used to drive the first dynamo
lelectric machine may be recovered from th
second; and hence, If the whole power o
, Niagara could be utilized it could be di;
4 xt.S J,.,% %oI S<nt os