Nevada County picayune., 1885-11-12
DOOM OF STEAM POWER.
Electric Motors CrOwding Engines
 on Every Side.

made recently on the Ninth Ave nue Elevated railroad for running locomotives by electricity led a reporter for the New York Mail and Express to make inquiries yesterday of the electric company making the experiments as to how far electricity has superseded steam, and the outlook for the inn mediate future on the subject. Said the maDager of the company:
 Several companies have lately been organized, all of which have turned their attention to the prac. tical substitution of electricity for steam in various ways. Itis found that whenever steam is used to obtain twenty-five horsepower or less. electricity is more economl- cal. The advantages are: A smaller space occupied, much less noise and no heat, and the fact that the power can be turned on or stopped at will. There is no boiler required and no fire, as the power is supplied to the motor by wires from a central station, on the same principle that gas or steam heat is supplied"
 ''Where are these companies To- cated9'
 "There is one in Massachusetts which has already in operation a power-plant running 50-horse power generator. It is distnbut- ing power to seventeen different customers, among which are those using printing presses, sewing ma chimes, lathes, etc. This company has inst ordered q second genera tor and their distribution will be largely extended, the demand for electric power in the neighbor- hood being very great. In this city there is suh-company which has a plant Of from D to 60-horse power, which will be started in a few days. It will supply from 2 to 3-h0rse power up to 70. The demand for this is already greater than expected and there has been delay in getting permission to place the wires under ground. In Spruce street there is an electric plant which has for some time been successfully running two freight elevators, each lifting about a ton. There are also mo- tors in place to run two large printing presses in Beekman street which are expected 10 be started within week. They are of eigh- teen and twentyhorse power. It is proposed to rapidly extend the distribution of this power, 1t being estimated that at least JOOO-hOrse power will be required below Canal street"
 "How far can this electric power be sent from central point"
 lover an area of two and two and half miles without practl- cal loss of over 8 or 10 per cent. In other words, there can be re- covered 60 per cent. at the polnt of delivery of the initial power, and there is, of course, no shaft ing or bclting of any description '. Why, you can't carry steam pow sr 1000 feet without friction so great as to be unprotitable.'
 'How about repairs and eX- penseW
 "Repalrs on the motors amount to little or nothing. At our works we have been running a car pentcr shop by an electric motor of five horse power for three years. It has run a saw that has cnt thousands of feet of heavy timber and it has not been taken out tor repairs but once, and thls was something very slight, not costing s and not taking up an hours time. As to expense, a man is not required to be in con stant attendance, for all that IS to be done is to keep the motor clean and turn on or off the power as |: is wanted. As to the original eX- pense of the motor, IS IS not more than that of an engine, besides the saving of fuel, etc, makes the run ning 50 per cent less. There IS m electric motor running the elc' vator of the Garner cotton mlll az Newburg, which never yet has had to be repaired, and which holsts pp all the bales of cotton used.'
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