The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-11

lsttS" wv AsNu''tt-''
In the field OF electricalapplications re-
duced TO commercial use the most stri'
king feature Of the year is to be found 10
electric street.railway service. Not only
hns the business grown beyond all ex-
pectation in AMOUNT, but much improve.
inent has been effected in Its electrical
and mechanical features. The establish
ment of an electric road is no longer look
ed mon ms a formidable undertaking, nor
is its operation regarded as curiosity by
the public. December l, a year ago, there
were twenty.one electric roads in oper'
alton in America; to-day there are fifty.
two, while f0rty-seven are under con,
struction or conctracted for, Cheap ana
poor line construction and ilI-adapted
mechanical details, found too frequently
in much OF the early work on railways,
are being discarded in'new work and re-
placed in old (the old story, but PROM
ising to be less prolix in this instance
Than It has been in other Cases) Much
vet remains TO be accomplished in cleo
tric traction, but the great gains oil the
closing wear, technical and commercial,
are abundantly apparent.
The rate at which electric motors have
been installed for stationary power Is
scarcely less noticeable than the develop
tneut VI electric traction during the year.
About the first OF september it was esti'
mated that 6, 600 electric motors were dti'
wing machiuery in the United States.
4 thousand have probably been added
since. It seems reasonable TO estimate
the nuulher nut in operation for the year
at not much less than 1000.
The use OF the storage battery ms q
means Of distribution may fairly be said
TO have made relatively slow advance
ment, while in many special cases us en-
pIoyment has been Of great value ana lnl'
portance, Itsproblems have had and con.
tinue to enlist the close attention and
skill OF many able Investigators and in
yentors, and it cannot be doubted that
the modern success thus far attained by
this obviously important and necessary
means OF distributing electricity will be
followed not long hence bysuchimprove-
ments rs will make the aecumn!ator u
general and trustworthy instrument IN
electrical engineering.
The electric light, arc and imcandescent,
has become SO familiarto everybody, even
in the far Western Territories, that its
continued rapid spread no longer attracts
attention. 1t is expected everywhere
its absence in any considerable town is
more noticed than It's presence. Great &C.
tiyity in the installation OF central sta
ton plants have prevailed during the
year, especially in incandescent Lighting.
The success OF the alternating current
method OF distribution in covering large
areas OF relatively sparse consumption has
largely stimulated the demand for cleo
trio lighting in the smaller towns OF the
country, and has also contributed not 9
little towards melting the companies
whose business is based upon other
methods OF distribution to improving the
capacity OF their apparatus and the ser:
viceablencss OF their lamps. The life OF
lamps has been materially prolonged,
while a reduction has been effectedin the
amount of energy required per candle.
power. Whatever may be thought Of
the policy OF competition in prices, there
can be no question Of the general benefit
OF competition in the efficiency and trust
worthiness OF apparatus and lamps.
Competition OF the former kind, while
severe, has crippled only the weak,
while that OF the latter sort has resulted
in advantage to both producers and con-
sumers.
The practical success Of the employ;
ment OF alternating currents has reacted
in the laboratories OF scientific research,
and led to the study OF new questions, or
old questions in new light-study and
experiment which have already done
much to clear the path OF the practical
electrician in his work, and which indi-
cate the early acquisition Of further cleo.
trical knowledge OF great significance.
The years scientific and practical adj
vances are great enough for congratu-
la:ion, but not great enough, to induce.
complacent satisfaction and relaxation OF
nffOFf