The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-06-29

water wheel or whirlmill, or even from
horse or hand labor. This has effected q
perfect revolution in the electric world ::
it has brought electricity from the field OF
scientific research and delicate appliance
into the field of actual mechanical labor 4;
aud this not only rs substitute for other
modes of doing mechanical work, but in
another infinitely more valuable charac.
ter-that of vehicle by which such
power can be carried at small expense,
and practically without loss, from any
place at which there is the meons of
producing it to any other distant spot
where il may bo desired to apply it. A
very simple illustration will make this
plain. A windmill is the cheapest of all
sources Of powerful mechanical work, if
wind is always available. But as there Is
generally most wind high up where there
is no shelter, while the work has to be
done on the plain, windmills are rapidly
disappearing. Now, however, that cleo
trio power can be produced on large
scale, the fact that it can be transmitted
along wires makes it possible to use the
prevailing wind on the top Of the hill to
produce electricity, and to use its power
at the bottom Of the hill TO do the useful
work required. In the same way there
may be great water power at spot where
no mill eau be built, and where the la.
Dor and expence of bringing material to
be worked in it would be too great. But
now the water power can be used where
IT Is found. and its strength, converted
into electricity, conveyed to mill cree
TED IN any convenient place, to do the
work required.
Take once again the illustration Of u
wntQrwhnnI In
wheel could give power to grind our corn,
crush our quartz, provided the materials
could be conveniently brought to the
water power. Now, not only can such
water do the same work miles from where
1t is running, by its power being used to
produce electricity not only can it work
our clocks, drive pater familias's lathe and
matters sewing. machine, pump the wa
ter, turn the spit, work the dinnerhoist in
private houses, and thresh, grind, spin,
weave and calender in our faclories-it
can with case do much moro than the
water-power could not do, even if close
Mt hand and with the most complicated
appliances. 1t can make the running
water far away ring our bells, regulate
our clocks, rectify our alcohol, plate our
spoons, glld our ornaments, multiply our
engraving plates, make permanent our
photographs and work our ploughs aud
our tram cars. These are but illustra-
tlons rs what can be done and il being
done even here the wonders to not stop !;
for not only will power such as water,
when employed to produce electricity, be
available at distance from the place
where it exists, and for purposes which
it could not of itself fulil-strangc as it
may sound, the power of water will pro-
duce by lis new application heat and
light. a watcr.w wheel, by being en-
ployed to generate electricity, may light
our rooms, cook our dinner and ripen
our peaches. We car nave light from il
by which we can work rs easily at night
as in the day-a light which will neither
consume our fresh air, nor vitiate it with
foul gases, nor smoke our ceiling nor
destroy our curtains; which can set fire
to nothing; the globe of which can be
hooked to an invalid's bed curtain with.
out risk, or attached to flexible wires and
taken into the most confined corner to
give light to workman without danger
Of fire. 1t would fill n volume to state at
length all the practical advantages which
this development of electricity has open
ed up already, aud moro than q volume
to state all that il may be expected yet
to accomplish. Let it also be understood
that while the foregoing illustrations have
been stated i'll relation to water power,
they are equally true for any other pow
er, such as steam engine, gas-engine,
horsepower or human labor. The fixed
engine on farm can do tho ploughing
hundreds of yards off. The gas-cngine
thai pumps water by day can light the
Of nj, ,rh ni,o a.
coal carts for many miles to work n
steam engine in some outlying place can
be used at home instead to work all eicc.
trio machine, with no loss of time, and
in many cases with less waste Of labor.
The conyicts on treadmill can be doing
work by it at any part of, or even outside,
, the prison. In n word, the power for
work can be generated ~ any ordinary
means, aud at any place where tho
means exist, and can then be eco
nOmically conveyed to the spot where it
is to be usefully applied, without loss of
time, and practically in full strength
The tide On the shore can do work in.
land the stream in the mountain gorge
can do work on the hilltop the wind.
mill on the eminence can do work in the
valley the horse in the yard, or the
the man in the outhousc, can do work
inside the dwelling. And with all its
power, and its universally of applicR
ton, this new servant which science has
supplied us with is the most dociie of
menials. A touch Of lady's finger will
bring into action power which a thou.
sand men could not resist another touch
will stop its action or reverse it in q mo-
| ment.
"But even this is not all. This power
that can be thus used for thousand diff.
ferent practical purposes, and with count
less varieties in the mode of applications
can not only be obtained freely, and at q
moments notice, and at any place. and
in illimitable quantitics, it can also be
stored up when needf:.. .or future use.
Within the last few years the problem ol
producing electricity, and storing it up
ready for immediate use. has been prac.
tically solved; SO that Sir William Thom.
son could in Glasgow perform powerful
work by electricity which had been gen.
Grated in Paris, and brought ready u
instant application from Paris to Glasgow
just as clock wound up abroad could
be brought to this country and set going
here. Ofcourso it will be understood
that this is only popular description o.
the operation-.he reader being presum
ed to be at present only interested Ia
know what can be done. a scientific ex
planation of the process would be out ol
place here. The fact it is desired tc
impress upon the reader is, that not on
ly can the force of electricity be carried
far from the generating source for imme
diate uso by being conducted along wires
| n t,a hot Id -. l. 4.