New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-30
THE ELECTRIC EXHIBITION.
MARKING A NEW ERA IN SCIENCE.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. POOLING WOODPECK-
ERs-sUBMARINE CABLEs-FORECAsTINGE EARTH
QUAKEs-A PEEP AT THE VERY CRADLE OF
ELECTRIC sCIENCE-GENERAL REVIEW OF THE
EXHIBITION-A FAREWELL VIEW OF AN ELEC-
TRICAL COMFY ISLAND.
IFRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.1
PARIS. Sept 5.-This morning we must start on
our last walk through the Electric Palace. Pity,
for the real fur" is just about beginning. 1t
would be pleasant to join in the round of explana-
tory lectures in which Professors Hospitalier Du
Moncel. Niaudet and other great electric lights
will walk from point to point-like modern
OF the old Greek ripatetics--expounlin ding and
Illustrating as they go. We have not the
little balloon slide along its wire track in the g.l-
lery, padded by electricity, heard the cata-
mount yell with which Mr.. Brush's big candle
sometimes vents its ill-humor when not treated to
its mind. We have not winked beneath the blaze
of light from Mr.. Edisons big engine nor eaten
electric wafes from the kitchen upstairs, nor done
quantities OF things it would be nice do for the
trunks are packed and tickets taken. and Time
and the steamer-wait for man. But we have
seen enough to think fol a long time to come
and what we have not noticed our wiser and more
lucky successors shall do for us. So en- route and
make the most of the present hour.
And first OF ALL let get our long deferred ride on
the Slemens railway, which is in operation, though
III rather helpless and temporary fashion. 1t has
been necessary, in view of the difficulty of nsula-
ton we have already noticed to get the current
from two wires suspended on posts beside the track
from which the fluid is carried by means of wires
attached to little pulleys running along the con-
ductor, through the motor and then back by the
same aerial road. Not at all the original Semens
device you notice. nor one which could he made
useful for long periods distances 1t has come TO
perceptlble grief once twice already. Yesterday
afternoon the scientific calm of the Palace was
broken by vigorous shouting and haooing as of
hosters trying to head of runaway horse, and
the visitors were startled but not little amused to
see the little wagon come laundering in to the east
door at nearly top speed, group of attendants run
ming before and throwing down in its way railway
ties or other obstacles. which it went bobbing
ana hopping with al elephantine gravity very
funny to Witness 1t had its wilu way till brought
up all standing against the little ticket Office at The
end OF the line, nearly knocking the ticket woman
through the wicket, shaking up the passengers and
creating most admired confusion. literally sur toue
Ia tgne 1t made its entry, TOO, with all the honors
the current breaking the car passed the end of
the conductor, and letting off a flash of lightning
when gave the whole incident peculiar look OF
MephistOphelian dIablerie
Our own voyage is not so dramatic. We simply
buy a ticket at the box office and climb to the roof
the conductor toots his horn, and away we trundle
AT a maximum of some six or seven miles an hour
to the Place de la Concorde. Then another ticket
and in less time than 1t takes TO write it, we are
trundled back again to the Palace. Only this and
nothing more. No matter have hidden by cleo
trlcity. The " first step which cos,s" has been
taken, and what is to follow Will presumably be
only matter of detail. Let the long-suflering
quadruped take courage he tugs at his street carr
the electric engine is the horizon and far in the
dim future is haven of rest for his weary bones
Ii seems safe to predict that long before the CEN
tury is out we shall have electric dummies running
on surface or elevated roads, through the streets of
NeW-lork but under what baptlsma name Edison
or Slemens or other. 1t would the present show
lng be entirely unsafe to say.
And so back to our round of examination
Prominent among the exhibits along the north.
east wall is the new underground cable method by
which Mr.. Brooks wraps his wires in oakum and
then strings them along throup lead other pines
HlIed with petroleum, one of the complete in
snators known. Within the next few years it
seems likely enough that legislation or public con-
venience and good sense will sweep away the net
work of aerial wires which now cumber orr house-
tops topple over chimneys, droop in sleetv fcs
toons along our streets and switch uuwary bus
drivers OH their boxes. The underground line
many are found to SAYS the line and the only
line of the future. Have you ever by chance
taken run along the Paris egouts or sewers ON
that strange dark and not so very ill-smeinp food
which nows beneath the Rue de Rivoli, riding
triumphant through corridors of trim masonry IN n
men pushing and pulling like an underground
edition OF the Princess in the Hugucnots"P II so
you can see how neatly the Paris street system
lehds Itself to the Brooks or other similar method
Oh wire-laylng; and they going to try it, What
godsend 1T would have been to the late-not
Iainented-Louls Napoleon to have Mr.. Brooks and
MS petroleum. with his compendious method of
getting up portable earthquake at short notice
and ounicrchecking superficial turmoil by a subsoil
CONFUSION from central battery at the Tmeries!
just opposite stands an odd apparatus of SEEM
lnglv the most absolute simplicity; merely a nlain
ollve-brown cylinder. three or four feet long
ana two III diameter, mounted on PLAIN stand and
furnished with two brass rods and knobs
But the innoceDt-looking dram is really one of the
most potent engines of modern science the largest
Ruhmkorf induction coil" presumably, in exist
ence. Under its smooth brown coat are wound two
or three miles of coarse wire and somewhere be
tween thirty and fifty miles of finer texture Knit
It's connecting screws with the wires of Bnnsep
battery and the strange creature wakes to nensest
lie. Between the knobs of its electrodes the live
lightning leaps clear over three feet of empty air an
lnsuator so perfect that the thinnest film of atmos
phere suflces to check weak spark. Guide the
current properly and il will 90 through two OF
three inches of solid glass you would drive
toothpick through sheet of paper. Break and
insuate Judciously, and you get rafting thunder
of discharge like the platoon fire of "a regiment
enough TO drive sensitive person out of the labora
tory. And what makes it act so? Again the old
story; induction. good friend, induction, mere
nulu cantankerOnsness what clever Boston
woman once called the cussedncss of Inanimote
objects" The strong full, but more sluggish cur-
rent poured through the heavy inner coil sets up a
reverse tide, OF tremendous tension, in the outer
anu THINNER wires. Once more, how closely the