Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-06-27
THE ELECTRIC MOTOR.
IT IS BECOMING A FORCE IN ALMOST
EVERY INDUSTRY.

1
six Millions Invested In the Manufacture
OF Electric MotorS-A Successful Rail-
road Electricity In Flour AIill-The
Secret OF Progress.
There are now about SO. .000, 900 invested
In the manufacture of electric motors in
the United States. and this large invest
ment has nearly all been made within the
last three or four years. 1t represents
either the independent investment of COM
panies nsaged in the exclusive manufac-
ture Of motors. or an increase In the CAPT.
talization of companies that manufacture
electric light appliances. and find the con-
struction of electric motors q good auxil-
iary industry. Some of these companies
employ many hundred men, sometimes ap
preaching thousand; and they turn out
motors almost innumerabie each year
These motors are Of all sizes, from
one half horse power for driving sewing
machines and such other light work. up
to several hundred horse power, for heavy
work. They are becoming driving force
In almost every industry. and can be util
J lied In localities where the cost of obtain.
ing fuel would almost equal their operst-
ing expenses.
Our readers have already been made
familiar with the names of some Of the
towns and cities In the United States.
nearly fifty in all. that have adopted. or
are preparing to adopt. the electric motor
for street railway traction In preference
to horses or cables The systems in use
in some of these places are very extended.
that Of Montgomery. Ala. counting about
fifteen miles of road. and Transporting
over a million passengers annually Elec-
trio roads many miles in length are also
operated in some Of the California cities.
most noticeably San Diego and Los
Angeles
A SUCCESSFUL RAILROAD.
Recently road twelve miles long was
opened in Richmond. Va. represented by
its managers. in letter published In The
Electrical Review. to be a road of peculiar
difficulty In operating on account of the
sharp curves and difficult grades. Some
| of these grades reach the maximum ever
overcome by motors depending ON the ad
hesiveness Of their wheels TO the tracks.
and In the length there are no less than
seventeen curves around right angled cor
ners Yet the managers write with the
utmost enthusiasm OF the successful
operation of the road In every particu
lar The cars Of the road. described as Of
q very elegant pattern. are not only pro
PEELED by electricity. but they are lighted
| by electricity. which naturally follows.
and when the cold weather comes they
are to be heated by electricity, In accord
ance with a system not yet generally
introduced. but for which patents have
been obtained.
Another field where the utility of the
electric motor Is soon to be illustrated on
large scale is found In the mining dis
trict of Butte county. Cal Among the
Big Bend mountains. makinga horseshoe
curve about dozen miles in extent. runs
the Feather river. At the upper end of
the curve a 1am. built entirely across the
river. viii throw the water into tunnel
several miles in length which empties into
the Dark canyon, the waters Of the canyon
in turn emptying into the river st the
lower end of the horseshoe. A water
wheel and electrical generators are to be
located in the canyon one mile. or a mile
and half. from its mouth; and from
these generators viii proceed an electri-
cal conductor. which. crossing over the
mountains to the dam. will follow the
shore Of the river around the entire horse
shoe. and return to the starting point.
| This conductor will be eighteen miles in
length, estimating the entire distance.
and at points here and there along
trio motors numbering fourteen in
all These motors will supply the power
| for all the pumping. hauling and hoisting
demanded In the operations Of mining
after the water has been drawn from the
bed of the stream The cost Of operating
the motor can be easily estimated. 1t will
take a man to tend the water wheel. and
another man to look after the conductor
and keep it in order. and this, plus the
| interest on the plant. which viii not be
considerable. will represent the entire
outlay
They are building a new capitol at To-
peka, In Kansas. That might be a matter
of no particular concern In New York,
where men have learned to be weary Of
the very word capitol But this Kansas
capitol is to be built by electricity. There
are four electric motors at work on the
building lifting the bricks. stones and
mortar up to their places. and handling
the stones again into position on the walls.
They are said TO do their work admirably.
ELECTRICITY IN A MILL.
Away out In Laramie. Wy T.. there Is
q company known as the Laramie Milling
and Elevator company. This company
has a mill capable of producing 100 bar
rels Of -four a day. and the only visible
source of power. Is seen in a couple of
little eccentrically shaped iron cases down
in one corner of the roller floor. But
those cases are twenty-five horse power
electric motors The manager Of the com
L. -
gives glowing account of their perform
ances. Among their points Of excellence
he refers to their uniform rate of speed;
the ease with which power can be placed
where 1t Is wanted. obvtating the neces-
sity for long lines of shafting or still
more objectionable belts, the economy of
room for power plant; the saving of from
30 to so per cent. in insurance rates, and
the saving on first cnst Of plant. The
motors, he says. require very little atten-
tion, apd give better service with vary
ing loads than any other power that could
be adopted.
The chief secret Of the rapid advance of
this new mechanical agent Is found in the
aexibility Of its resources. Electricity is
not the generator of power. but only the
agency for its transmission and distribu
tion. as it is an agent for the transmits
sion of the human voice over the tele-
phone wire. Through its resources power
can be distributed to any point. and in
quantities to suit the customer. Steam,
water. air, caloric or any known agency
for generating power Is either stationary
or II demands stationary applicances; but
electricity is its messenger boy. its Puck.
who will consent to do its errands invisi
bly,. and never ask a CAV off or the grant
of liberty Does a lady want an infni
tesimal bit Of electrical energy to relieve
her boot on the treadie of her sewing ma
chinsY 1t can be delivered in her room
through an iron box not much bigger
than her reticule. Is the restaurant
keeper plagued by an invasion of flies