Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-02-14
The Future OF Electricity,
From the Scientific American.

as a message bearer, light ekers health
restorer, and otherwise, it requires no
prophetic vision other than that which
knowledge gives to foresee an extension
Of the uses Of electricity in the immedi-
ate future infinitely beyond any thing
that the multitude anticipate. The
truth is, men have but barely begun to
suspect the capacity Of electricity to
serve their kind. However numerous
the means devised for Harvesting the
subtle power or great the social changes
brought about by It's employment, as in
the telegraph and telephone, the vast
field for the application of electricity ~
human affairs has hardly been entered
upon. tfFnA "a e.
The best proof of this truth is seen in
the varied lines of electric investigation
and invention developed during the
years Just past, each with infinite posi-
bilities, and marked by surprising dis
coveries and practical affiliations at al
most every step in advance. These
lines of research point every way: and
it is hard To name a direction of thought
or sphere of practical effort toward
which, or into which, electrical investi-
cation is not working or holding out
promises of great reward to such as will
enter boldly, intelligently, and perse-
veringly upon the quest
Men of middle age have witnessed
the more remarkable of the stages of
social revolution which the utilization
of steam has brought about during the
past fifty years. Ten years ago it did
not seem possible that any power could
ever again enable men to repeat the
giant strides of progress which steam,
in our factories and on the highways of
commerce, by sea and by land, had
made possible. To-day even greater
and more rapid revolutions are impend-
ing from the utilization of electricity,
and men now living will probably see
them brought about.
A few weeks ago we had occasion to
speak of the great changes in social and
business affairs already effected, and
the greater in immediate prospect,
through the development of the tele-
phonic exchanges. In every important
town such exchanges are in process of
development, bringing into vocal COM
munication not only the separate men,
bers of widely extended communities,
but also still more widely separated COM
munities.
Since then novel and import
ant improvement in a special field
of telephone use has been reported from
London. Our readers are familiar with
the principle of MIR. Edison's electro
photograph or loud-speaking telephone.
BY employing his small electro motorto
turn the chalk cylinder the telephone is
made automatic. Instruments of this
sort have been placed in, and a large
number more are in preparation for, the
London Times newspaper office; and
the reporters of the paper, say in Parlia-
ment, instead of reading their short
hand notes to copyists, and transmitting
the long-hand copy to the printer, as
heretofore, now read them directly to
the telephone, thus saving the time of
copying and carrying the report. In the
printing office the compositor sits at a
type-setting machine, and, as the re-
port is delivered 10 him by the auto
matte telephone, he sets the type rs one
would play tune upon a piano. Hav-
ing no copy 20 decipher, his whole at
tention is given to the setting of the type,
and another great saving of time is eff
fected. The indications are that by the
use of photographic and automatic
telegraphy Tin conjunction perhaps with
stenographic type-writers) reports of
public meetings will soon be almost in
stantly transmitted through long dis
tances and At fraction of expense which
l. l.