Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-06
Progress in Electrical science.

| Progress in Electrical science.
AT no period in the history Of
science has electricity commanded
such general attention as at the pres
ent time. The present efforts to ac-
complish its practical application to
the wants of man command more of
the attention of scientists and invent
ors than any other line of thought or
research. Although the progress in
regard TO its practical uses may APP
pear slow to the uneducated and in
experienced, that progress has, never
theless, really been remarkably rapid
The Electrical World recently
made special effort by circulars of in
quiry and otherwise to obtain some
reliable information in this direction
This effort developed the fact that
there were probably more than 10,-
600 electric motors now in operation
in the United States, They are put
to most varied uses: They are en-
ployed in several newspaper offices
for running presses, also for sewing
machines, ventilating fans, operating
dental instruments, driving street
cars, and in machine shops, shoe
factories, book binders, knitting
works, they are stated to be common.
Some of the answers to the Worlds
inquiry showed that they We're also
used for washing bottles, pumping
water from artesian wells, brushing
down horses, running dental lathes,
driving ice-cream freezers, coffee
mills, ventilating fans, elevators,
circular saws, laundry machines, glove
machines, and sin throwing colors on
portraits"
The special advantage of the cleo
trio motor is that 1t furnishes an eco
nomical method of dividing power.
1t is much cheaper to run one 900
horse power steam engine and boiler
than to run 20 ten-horse power en-
gines, each with its own separate
boiler. The loss of power in trans
forming tho energy of large engine
into electricity, and then back agar
into mechanical energy, is compare
lively small, and the ease with which
the power can be carried from one
place TO another without the inter
vention of shafts and pulleys, which
must be kept in order, is no small
item in eleotricity's favor.
In addition to the above expert
ments is also shown most wonderful
, adaptability of electricity to the nezd
, of man, even quite aside from is u.s.
as a power. Its peculiar action Oh
liquids, its hygienic action on the hu
man system, its action in temperate.
modifying the character of man.
kinds OF metals, are matters which, IA
yet, have been but little studied, bu
which promises much.
We have undoubtedly much yet
> learn in regard to its character an
development All that we now kno'
' OF it is derived through its preference
q for one form of matter over anothe
i. In that respect its aouteness, subtilit
4 and power is both astonishing an
sublime. Matter is the only guidin
!. star and means by which its presenc
~ and power are made known to II
y and it is called up, formed an
fashioned, only to be returned agai
to earth, 1t comes to us, perform
!. its work and returns without any az
~ parent diminution of power
IA energy. 1t acts like a stream (
~ water which passes over a wheel an
:, then on to the next, with no diminl
v ton of quantity or power excel
). from unavoidable leakage or vast
n Electricity, like water, passes on
!, one continuous round of work
II change through all time. What Il
ocean is to water SO is the earth
electricity; both are great reservoir
10 of energy of which man is permitte
10 to avail himself al libtuHa, and whi'
al he can never exhaust or diminish.
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