National Republican., 1885-12-09
THE DOOM OF STEAM POWER.


Electric Motors Crowding Engines on
Every Side.
The success Of the experiments made re-
Gently on the Ninth avenue elevated rail-
road for running locomotives by electricity
led 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as to how far electricity has superseded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 immediate
future on the subject. Said the manager of
the company
"Several companies have lately been or
ganized, all of which have turned their at
tention TO the practical substitution Of cleo
tricity for steam in various ways. IL is
found that wherever steam is used to obtain
25-horse power or less, electricity is more
economical. The advantages are asmaler
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 10
supplied to the motor by wires from a cen
tral station, on the same principle that gas
or steam heat is supplied"
"Where are these companies locatedW
"There is one In Massachusetts which has
already in operation power-plant running
50-horse-power generator. IL Is distrlbut-
ing power to seventeen different customers,
among which are those using printing
presses, sewing machines, lathes, &c. This
company has Just ordered second gener-
ator, and their distribution will be largely
extended, the demand for electric power in
the neighborhood being very great. In this
city there is q subcompany which has q
plant Of from so to 6O-horse power, which
will be started in few days. IL will sup
ply from 2 to 3-horse power up TO 20. The
demand for this is already greater than
expected, and there has been delay In get
ting permission to place the wires under
ground. In Spruce street there is an cleo
trio plant which has for some time been
successfully running two freight elevators,
each lifting about a ton. There are also
motors In place to run two large printing
presses In Beekman street, which are ex-
pected to be started within week. They
are Of eighteen and twenty. horse power. 1t
is proposed to rapidly extend the dlstribu-
tion of this power, II being estimated that
at least 5,0OO-horse power will be required
below Canal street"
"IIow far can this electric power be sent
from a central pointr
"Over an area Of two and two and half
miles without practical loss OF over IS to
40 per cent. In other words, there can be
recovered GO per cent. at the point OF de-
livery of the initial power, and there is, of
course, no shafting or betting OF any de-
scription. Why, you can't carry steam
power 1000 feet without friction so great
as to be Improbable"
"Repairs on the motors amount to little
or nothing. At our works we have been
running a carpenter shop by an electric
motor Of 5-horse power for three years.
1t has run a saw that has cut thousands of
feet Of heavy timber and 1t has not been
taken out for repairs but once and this was
for something very slight not costing SO
and not taking up one hours time. As to
expense, man is not required to be in
constant attendance, for all that is to be
done is to keep the motor clean and turn on
or off the power as 1t is wanted. AS to the
original expense Of the motor 1t is not more
than that Of an engine, besides the saving Of
fuel, &C., makes the running so per cent.
less. There is an electric motor running
the elevator Of the Garner cotton mills at
Newburg which never yet has had to be
repaired, and which hoists up all the bales
Of cotton used" Z.
''Where else are they In use 9n
"Besides those used to run the electric
street railway In Baltimore, which has al
ready been described in the Mail and Ex-
| press, there is one in Nova Scotia, used In
| gold mine, where the motor is n mile
from the mine. The power Is applied the
| same as steam for lifting cages, running
the pump, SC. We have just received an
order for 50-horse power plant from Colo.
rauO, also 10 DC ubeu III HlluiuB-u large
| silver mine. Here the power will be trans
mitted three miles, and will save the cost
| of the plant In fuel alone In one year."
| What is the greatest weight you have
known electric power to lift?n
''One and half tons, forty feet minute
The greatest weight hauled on trace 1;
sixty-fve tons, which was done ON tn,
Ninth avenue elevated road, on grade Of
ninety feet to the mile. This is the great
est weight ever hauled by electricity In the
world. Under this system the motors are
run in multiple, each receiving its quota o.
| power independent Of the other, the dyna
mo responding only in proportion to thu
number Of motors in operation at any on,
moment, and the demand made upon It be
ing thoroughly automatic, not even requir
ing regulator. A special feature is tina
resistance coils are not used, as they con
sumo power uselessly. There is no posi-
bilty Of explosions, the tension of curren
being In all cases absolutely harmless.
wire one-half inch thick is capable o
carrying 3O0-horse power from "a to miles
/