The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-27
AN ELECTRIC CLUB.
A House In New York that Beats the
One Jack Built.

PUT your foot on the square to tho lef
and press lightly"
The direction was given to reporter a.
early evening on the steps of the handsome
brownstone building. No. II East 22d stree
New York city. Overhead. brightly illumi.
mating steps, walk and building, hung Ian
tern of fanciful design. Stained glass. OF
curious pattern, through which light shont
was set In the rich, dark wood of the door
while above was transom of brilliant c0lors
and fantastic design. standing out in the cen
ter of which, and surrounded by represen
tation of forked lightning, was the word
"Electric."
1t was the new house of the Electric Club
Just completed. The reporter followed the
direction quoted above, which was given by
the door was drawn automatically and the
reporter was ushered into wide hall bril-.
liantly lighted from above by electricity
emanating from a long bar held in the claws
of a bronze dragon. The reporters guide
led the way down two flights of stairs to the
sub-basement This was yeriIable store
house Of electricity. The chief objects were
two dynamos of the power of $50 lights each
ald 100 cells of storage batteries, capable of
providing electricity in an emergency, suf-
UCltUt lOI llPubS. Ill all dulOlHlHR room
was lne new % horsepower eng Inc, notable
for its noiselessness. Next to this was big
IS horse power boiler, supplying heat and
steam to the building
At the back of the basement proper is the
kitchen, tie novel feature of which is an
electric heater or range, which raidiates the
electric current the same as heat and with
which can be done all styles of light cooking.
A few steps toward the front and you are IN
the billiard room. 1t is tastefully finished in
terra Gotta and is bright with electric lights,
arranged In novel design, while electric
call bells connecting with all parts of the
house are upon the walls at convenient in
tervals.
"Perhaps you would like to have your
shoes polished by electricity" remarks the
guide. The way is led to a corner of the hall
where there is a comfortable chair and hang
ing beside it round piece of wood the shape
of policeman's locust. Close inspection
shows this to be a flexible shaft, at the end
of which is a circular brush Touching a
button in the wall which connects with a
small motor, the brush revolyes rapidly. and
as il does so an attendant moves it over your
shoes and they are polished in jiffy. and in
the most approved fashion.
But the real electrical wonders of this
novel and unique building. are on the main
floor, which is divided chiefly into parlor
and dining room. The latter is 80 by 20 feet
in size. Handsome carpets are on the floor
and the ceiling is frescoed in fanciful designs
in blue, gold and bronze. Suspended from
the centre of the ceiling is magnificent cleo
trioler, containing many brilliant electric
lights. On the mantle is an electric clock,
handsomely carved and OF odd design. In its
case is concealed battery which keeps the
clock wound up for year without any at
tention. The motive power of the clock is
derived from the action of a fine spring, as
in the ordinary clock, electricity acting in the
capacity of key to wind up just as much of
the spring as has been required to run the
clock for 60 minutes.
After one becomes accustomed to the
brightness of the two thirty-light electro
Tiers and the eight four-light brackets of the
parlor, the first object that attracts the visi-
tors eye is figure in bronze called the god
dess of electricity. 1t stands at the front end
of the parlor. With its pedestal it is about
eight feet high. 1t is the figure of a
woman of graceful proportions, represented
as standing above the clouds and graspng
the lightning with one hand while dstribut-
ing 1t to the earth With the other. The fur
niture of the pall0rs, is richly upholstered
with red and plush, and the ceiling is beauti-
fully frescoed, the design being electrical.
At one side of the parlor stands one of the
newest of electrical novelties-an electric
piano. In this series of levers, one for
each key are placed under the keyboard
Small rods project through the bottom of the
instrument resting also on lever and each
touching key. When the circuit closes the
armature is drawn down. the rod strikes the
bottom OF a key, and this makes full action
The circuit is closed by the positive pole of
the battery being connected with revolving
cylinder, disc, or moving plane. The pro-
jections on this cylinder or disc come in con-
tact with circuit breakers representing each
note or pair Of magnets, which are connected
to the negative pole or battery, thus produc-
ing the desired tone in the piano. The cy-
Under used is somewhat like that of a music
box, but there the resemblance ceases. A
spring, weight or motor is used to make the
cylinder reyolye. No sign Of this mechan-
ism Is visible on the surface of the piano,
and, while the cylinder is in motion, the keys
of the piano move the same as when per-
son is playing.
As the visitor steps from the front parlor
into the hall he observes new iron safe at
one corner. To all outward appearance it is
exactly like those in common use. But this,
too, Is an electrical novelty, in that its COM
bination lock is worked by electricity. Cir
cults run from the exterior to electro mag
nets within, controlling the combination,
and there Is also a circuit, to avoid detection
of the combination. A series of 100 time in
sulated wires extend from the outside to the
switchboard. Three of these wires are insu
lated from the switchboard and run to three
independent electro-magnets, the armature
of one which locks the bolts and the succeed
ing armatures lock each other in succession.
A common return wire to the outside Of the
safe is provided for these magnets. The
passes through what is termed a safety mag
net, which prevents the operation of the COM
bination magnets, unless the circuits are
closed through the combination magnets,
in their proper sequence. The
no electrical contacts are made in the inter
ior The safe is opened in three seconds,
and the combinations are set almost instant
ly.
Edison's perfected photograph stands up
on table at one end of the room, and menu
Der of the club is talking into the mouth
piece. On the night of the formal opening
of the club house every member present will
be expected to speak few words into it for
permanent record of the ideas that pervail
on that evening, and to record the tone of
voice and name of each speaker. In word
this little instrument takes possession of all
that is said in its hearing in such a manner
that it can reproduce what it hears in the
same tone Of voice at the will of anyone who
touches It's electric button. Within the in
strument are many complications of fine
the propelling power consisting
OF small electric motor run by few cells.
In telling about its uses Mr.. Edison said he
has spent the last six months in perfecting
the photograph, and within a few weeks
expected to have it in shape for practical COM
mercial use. A person who wishes to send
into the receiver in his natural voice and at
the rate he usually speaks. When he has fin
ished, the sheet or phonogram is ready to be
put into little box made on purpose, to be
mailed. Sheets are to be made in three sizes
one for from 800 to 1000 words, one for 1000
words and another for 1000 words. The re-
ceiyer Of the letter or phonogram puts it into
a monograph instrument and gets the exact
language of the letter. The photograph re-
peats the letter as many times as a person
wishes, the phonogram not wearing out by
use. In taking down music, Mr.. Edison claims
the monograph will be particularly satisfac-
tory, and that it will take and give out a
piece for any instrument in perfection. The
motor which prcpels the machinery is noise
less.
The second floor of the club house is ar
ranged very conveniently and furnished
In front is the managers room
and library. AT the back is c0mmodious
lecture room with wires connecting with bat
teries and appliances for experiments, in
Guiding electric currents of different degrees
Of strength. On the next floor are bedrooms
and in each there is a new style of electric
call or dial. Handsome electroliers light up
each bedroom, and water for the rooms is
supplied by means of an electric pump.
These descriptions give only few ideas
Of the ''home OF electricity" it is proposed to
make of this unique club house. The club,
100, has defnate aim. This is to raise the
standard of electrical work. In the lecture
room there will be monthly lectures by emf
lent electricians, accompanied by interesting
experiments of the latest discoveries In the
science. 1t will be made special feature of
The library management to obtain the most
H..