Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-28
ELECTRICITY IN THE NATIONAL
MUSEUM.
How the Silent Messenger Runs Er.
rands for the SavanH.

HOW the Silent Messenger Runs Err
rands for the Swans.
COMPLETE SYSTEM OF CALL-BELLs, SIGNALS, BUR
CLAIR ALARMS, TELEPHONES AND HLECTRIC CLOCKS
IN CsE-THE SECRET PLACES OF THE SCIENTIFIC
wORKERs-PHoTOGRAPHY By THE KLHCTRIc LIGHT.
The system OF electrical conrrivances by which
time and labor are saved, now in use In the
National Museum, is q very complete one There
Is hardly use to which an electric wire can be
employed in the way Of signals that is not In
operation In this building. Its immense extent
makes the employment OF the agency of electricity
OF great value When 1t Is considered that the
building covers two acres and half OF ground,
and that the various employees are scattered in
different parts, rapid and easy communication is
OF great Importance. There is q httie room near
the main entrance OF the Museum, which is the
headquarters for the entire building, or what
might be called the
"BUREAU OF INFORMATION"
Hero there is regular telephone exchange,
with switch board for the wires o: ~ tele-
phones, 90 OF which are in the building itself Ia
this way the rooms situated in the towers OF the
four wings and In the pavilons at each corner are
connected with each other. and when Mr. Jones.
who is investigating buds wants to know how
Mr.. smith, who is wrestling with Invertebrates,
IS getting along in the matter OF alcohol. he steps
70 the telephone, calls 40 the central Office near
Mr: smith II the latter happens 10 be SO far
away that he does not hear the telephone III, the
operator at the main office touches an electric
button which strikes large gong. These gongs
or call bells are placed IN different parts OF the
building, and where they can be heard by several
A set OF signals are arranged so that each one
knows who is wanted when the bell sings There
are IL OK these call bells throug hUuG the building
and they are all operated from the main office.
TIE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE
in the building is, Of course, connected with the
In oP-
communication there are but three messengers
employed When persons are distant from
each other GOO or 100 feet, and are obliged to COM
municate frequently, the telephone is very con-
venient The quarters provided for the officers In
ch1rSe OF the several departments Ct the museum
may be said In passing TO form one OF the curious
features of the museum. The ordinary sight
seer. perhaps not aware that there is a large and
busy corps or workers located In he building the
general appearance OF the interior OF The museum
Wouldratber indicate that all the space was deyOt-
ed to exhibition purposes. The SkIllfui mag fcians
whose d6It handiWOrk in preparing ike represen-
tatons OF animals or reproducing extinct species,
and in arranging the evidences OF mans triumph
over barbaflsin, which are seen Oh all Sides are
ilsuden away III the hooks and corners OF the build
Ing.
SCIENTISTS WORKSHOPS.
In the towers and pavilonS OF the building are
three tiers OF small rooms which ire fitted up for
workshops and Offices. Here may be found men OF
wide reputation In the Scientific world. surrounded
searches and preparing material to swell the
treasures OF the museum. These rooms, it nav be
said, contain the museum In its preliminary
stages. In one room is Il laboratory, where any
chemical work can te performed, and where
there are special specialities Tor assaying.
In an upper room OF one Of the
s ype a Is hnanrda s o par hdag n ss Mh
ards ana work 9f this description Is done. Ole Of
the paviiohS is devoted to a Photographic labora-
tory, which Is supplied with electric Lights, and
! done inUeDeuIpUI irb
In another nook OF the building az artist may be
seen huslly employed in transforming, by the
Shlful application OF colOrs plaster casts 'to al
sorts or varieties or luscious fruits. Splcn lid
looking piles OF apples peaches, Strawberries. &C,
are scattrfed IN profuSion about the studio. re-
minding one or the luXuriance OF tropical cline.
These
MAGICIASs' CELLS
Which are sunk in the walls Of the museum build
ing, are very fascinating places, and sometimes
the visitor can catch glimpse OF the maqieiars
themselves as they glide through the little doors
which open into the walls and mount the narrow
iron staircases that wind up to their secret dens
Thiscoron OF working scientists so to speak. that
surrounds the museum building are MI connected
with the lt1le office near the IA lin entrance and so
IS every part OF the building. Ii one OF the $50 Win
doWs or one OF the $50 doors Is opened al once q
p9l rings, an annuncator falls. and The attendant
in the Office knows which door or window has been
opened. In short time similar system OF e!ac-
tric alarms will be attached to each case in The
well what Is going on in the building.
AN INGENIOUS CONTINUANCE
conpels the watchmen on duty at night to make
record In the main office Of how they spend their
time. AT twelve different points in The building
there are watch-boxeS placed. The watcrmen are
expected to visit each one every hour. In order TO
insure this there is paper dial In the Office at
tached to large clock and this dial moves with
the hands OF the clock ana Is divided into divis-
Ions OF hours. and minutes something similar to
the dial OF the clock. The Waterman on his beat
reaches station, and turning crank In the box,
starts an electric current, which causes a brass
arm that is suspended over the paper dial 10 fall
ln falling hole Is puncturcd in the paper, and
thus the minute and hour IS recorded When the
Waterman was at d certain station. The building
IS thus patrollcd each hour, and by the system Of
call bells and burglar alarm very small night
watch is needed.
ELECTRIC CLOCKS.
Mr.. w. j. Green, the electrician OF the museum,
assured STAR reporter, who was looking with
some amazement at the walls OF the room one
side Of which was nearly covered with the rows
of electric annunc!ators and the telephone switch
board, that these did not exhaust the electric ap-
pla noes Of the museum The reporters attention
was called 10 series OF large Wheels supported
by massive uprlghts and beneath coil OF brass
wire, or small siZ d cables, wound about q drum.
clock, which marks the time on IS small
and large dials placed in the halls and rooins
or the museum. At the end OF every minute
brass arm Is raised, Which brings together two
wires, and an electric current IS sent along the
circuit, moving the hands on each OF the dials a
minute forward. The tower clock Is regulated
from The observatory. the electricity IS furnished
by tiery OF nty cells. Tho battery Is OF nlati-
mum and zine, which gives gentler current than
the ordinary carbon battery.
The NET WORK OF WIRES.
In order to keep up this elaborate electrical sys-
tenn. there are over two hundred wires in the
ineasing altogether some $1,000 feet.
These wires are run along In q series of tunnels
which are under the building In every direction
and thus makes connection with the different
points comparatively easy. No mention, however,
has been made OF
THE ELECTRIC LIGHTS
with which the public portions OF the museum are
now supplied. The eiectricl t. is furnished by a
dynamo in the engine room. There are altogether
eight lights on the circuit two o. which are In the
Photographic gallery. The process enpOyat i'm
using the electric light here Is different from that
which IS commonly seen in photograph galleries
where the electric light, shining through ground
glass takes the place OF sunlight This difference
however, arises mltny ron the tact that The pho.
toGrapher's tMr. Smliies) work IS principally the
ENLARGEMENT OK REPRODUCTION OF PICTURES
ana not photographs from the originals The cleo
trio light is placed in the rear OF the camera and
Its rays gathered In a powerful condenser which
then passes through the plate containing the pic
ture, and thence through the objective, and Is
thrown upon sensitive paper. Mr. Smile has