Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-11-20

thing to meet all the requirements OF
the case. Last September Mercer Otsy
OF the Yellow Jacket communicated With
T. A. Edison, the great inventor. and
sndeavored to enlist bis abilities In the
cause. Following 10 his reply:
MrxLo PARK. n. j.. Sept. "a. 1879.
Mercer Oy. ESQ. Gold Hill. Nevada
Dear sir: Referring to yours OF the
l4th. regarding signaling 10 mines, l
think there need bs no difficulty In a..
ranging such apparatus. but / should
like further particulars.
First-what are the exact Gguals re-
quired?
Seconds Il required to talk to the
engineer from the cage at any distance
from the top2
Third-Or will . mere signal answer
suppose what you most require 10 .
means OF sending . message to the sngi.
nser while moving or standing still. and
IL this 10 the case II Ia merely . question
Of expense. providing you do not drop
the cage more than GO feet per second.
Very truly, Ia !. EDISON.
Following 10 the reply Of Mr.. 0tsy:
GoLp HILL. October 2. 1879.
T. A. Edison, Msnlo Park, N. j.: /
am in receipt Of your favor OF the Gath
ult. In answer to your queries
"Fint-what are the exact signals
REQUIRED 2" The present system Of bells
runR from bottom Of the shait, 200 feet
deep, by pulling OF bell rope 10 unrslia-
BILE and difacult as we'll - tedious.
"Second-Is It required to talk to the
engineer from the cage at any distance
from the top Z" No any signal that
will communicate with the engineer from
the bottom OF the shalt. or any part
thereof. whether the cage II ascending
or descending. will answer.
"Third-or will . mere signal an.
swer 2" Yes.
The speed Of lowering and hosting
men will not exceed IS feet per second.
and for hosting rock will not exceed 40
feet per second.
Under present arrangements We have
no means Of the engineer communicating
with the station tenders ct the different
stations Of the shalt.
To illustrate: The cage being at the
top Of the shaft and the station tender
At the 27O0 level wants IL sent down; at
present he rings four bells. Owing to
the great distance the signal OF four bells
does not at all times sound correctly.
sometimes three bells only reaching the
engineer. And again the engineer can
not communicate from the top with the
station tender at all. 20 that II the cage
Is detained at the top for any purpose.
the ,tation tender will continue repeat.
ing bis four bells till the cage starts
down; whereas II Il could DO % ar.
ranged that the station tenders signal
could bs answered back BY the engineer.
tho former would know that his wishes
we're understood.
Again, Il sometimes happens. a. II
did last week In the G. 4 @. shaft. that
in ascending the shaft the cage jumps
the guides. The engineer. Of course.
knows nothing Of this and the men are
nearly certain TO bs killed. II the men
on the cage could instantly communi.
cate with the engineer he could promptly
stop.
What ws want IL . reliable and simple
signal or mode Of signaling. easily kept
in order and that any o Of ordinary
intelligence can use. Our new engine
for hois,ing 10 now being placed In posi-.
ton and will probably be running In 40
days and u possible We would like very
much to Introduce at the commencement
your system OF signals. The item Of
expense 10 Q secondary confederation
when compared with the safety enjoyed
by those most interested.
Irsmain yours. etc..
II. OTrY.
Following 10 Mr.. Edison's Last with
reference to the subject:
MrsLo PARK. N. j., November 10. 1879.
Mercer Otey. Esq. Gold Hill-Desr
Sir: have put the signal business In
the hands Of Jesse II. Burnell, an &C.
couplished electrician, whose address 10
ll2 Liberty street, New York. He 10 at
present working ct IL. We have had
several consultations and will soon. i
hope. have II perfected.
Very truly, 7. A. EDISON.
The only feasible plan yet brought to
light by the inventive brains Of ths Com.
stock. or ct least made public, II that OF
/ E. James. Superintendent OF the
Yellow Jacket. II 10 practicable and
simple. His idea 10 to stretch . com.
mon gas pipe up and down the shalt
and to terminate the upper end with .
huge microphous near the engineers
ear. A metallic rod. suspended on tie
cage and one at each station. to Be used
In signalling. and the apparatus 10 com.
plets. This rod can DO seized and with
Il the tube b thunped and the micro
phone will tell the engineer exactly what
IL wanted.
The microphons will multiply the
vibrations both along the metal OF the
pipe and Of the air inside 1t 90 that
every blow Of the iron rod on tia tube
would be o. loud a Q bell. IL would
never fail, a. does the bell rope, and 1t
does not need Mr.. Edison's electricity.
Still. II may b we'll to walt and Ne
that the great inventor and the accom-.