Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-01-07
Electric Science.

| Ter materially from those III this cOun-
try. in Europe most of the lines are
under government control, and as they
insist upon keeping record of every
thing transmitted. We use the Hughes
printer and BaudOt seXtuple printer
instead of the Morse system OF trans
] hitting by sound. The telephone IN
Europe is not used To 80 great an extent
as here, but 1t works more perfectly
We use two wires instead of completing
the circuit through the ground return
current, and by that means We get less
induction. But the chief difference
between electric science in EurOge and
in America is this: Here most OF the
experiments of to day are conducted
with a view to the perfection of the
electric light, but in Europe our ener-
gieS are mainly directed to the consider
alton of the problems of the accumul,-
ton and transmission of power and its
application to railroads, machinery,
domestic, and even military purposes.
In this connection the Paris house of
the RothchildS has entered into an
agreement with DIR. Herr under which
experiments are being conducted on a
large scale. The contract calls for the
transmission of 200-hOrse power from
Creil ON the Northern railroad, which is
owned by Mr.. ROthschild, to the rail-
road workshops in Paris, distance Of
81 miles, with loss of power not to
exceed 80 per cent. NJ. Rothschild mas
contributed 100000 francs To the
enterprise-aboutS s, 900, 900. The work
Is being conducted by Marcel Deprez,
in my opinion the greatest scientific
engineer now living, In the event Of the
experiments proving successful, rs |
have no doubt they will, companies VIII
be formed by DIR. Herr and NJ. Roths-
child, and nearly every waterfall on the
continent will be used as 4 source for
the transmission of power all over the
country. There is nothing impractical
ble about it. In Germany there are
already SIX lines of railroad run by elec-
tricity, and the time is surely coming
when improvements In the modes of
accumulating and transmitting power
will lead to the utmost universal use Of
electricity for nearly every purpose to
which steam power is now supplied.
''May not the greater use of electrici-
ty introduce new elements of danger 10
human lifep"
"Perhaps 81. But it is, after all,
difficult to say what amount of tension
Is actually sufficient to destroy life.
Last year | witnessed some experiments
at Nuremberg, which were conducted
by Schubert for the Bavarian govern
ment in response To the suggestions of
philanthrOpistS, for the purpose of deyi-
sing speedy and painless method Of
executing criminals. \ current with
the high tension of 1, 600 volts, which is
probably greater power than any like
ly to be brought into practical use,
merely burnt the skin of the animal
slightly at the points of contact and the
sheep skipped away rs though nothing
had happened to it, the reason beng
that the current merely passed over the
skin, which proved 4 better conductor
than the nerve system OF the animal.
With rabbits and other animals, some
were killed and others were not. Now
as to human beings. Last year, during
their discussions. members of the insti-
tute deprecated the practice of expert
menting with these high tensions as
dangerous to life, and i'll reply NJ. Co
run member of the institute, stated that
shortly before that time, while measur- |
ing a tension of over 5000 volts. he |
picked up the two ends of the wire with |
naked fingers, inadvertently emitting
to protect himself with the rubber gloves |
used for that purpose. He was thrown |
back by the shock and dropped the wires, |
but Immediately recovered himself and |
went on with his work, the only iEcon- |
yenience being a slight burn on the tips |
of his fingers, caused by the spark pro-
duced by the forming of the are as he |
broke thecurrent by dropping the wires. |
In this case again the current must |
have used the skin rs conductor. So |
that. while there is no doubt that under |
some conditions death might be produ-
ced by powerful electric shock, cleo |
trlcity as a means of inficting capital |
punishment must be regarded Us unre-
liable. AS to an underground system
of telegraphy for your large cities, you
have great difficulties to contend with. |
In Paris our system enables lis to carry |
our wires underground, while they are
practically in the same man.
ner as If they were in the air, but if you
attempt to carry the wires punched in |
masses in trenches OF tubes, | doubt
much whether any method of insulation
yet discovered will prevent an induc-
ton, which will be so great is To render
the wires wholly useless.