The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-07-05

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~ 1. c,e1nww s = - WessA inl
spess $780, xsw Hssh A1Asr1s
ryev York sun-I
Tberr are nos abcut @s0q000 IN
v~-eed in the nsnufnr4ufe II e3ectFSc
motors II the rnised ststes, and this
Isrrr fnvessnsens has nearly ~ been
ursfe within the iast three q fccr
Years. II represents either The in<ie-
oendens invesfuens ef companies en-
r.x<d IN the exclusive manufacfurs Of
mosors. OF IN increase Ia the capital
ixasscn Of companies that nsznufsr-
tare electric light appliances. and assd
The construction Of electric motors a
GOOD auxiliary industry Come Of
the<e coznpsnses employ many han-
drvd men. sometimes approaching .
thousand: and they turn ouf mo-
tors almost innuuserzlie daring each
rear. These motors are OF all
sizes. from one-hzf horse power. for
driving sewing machines and such
other light work. UP 90 several hun
dred horse power. for heavy work
They are becoming . driving force N
almost every industry. and can be
nfllixed in localities where the eosf o.
obfaining fuel would Almost equal
their operating expenses
Readers OF the Saa hare already
been made familiar with the names OF
some Of the towns and cities IN the
United states, nearly fifty IN all, that
a n xpxrrx- - n
aslops. the electric motor for street
railway traction IN pre1efence 70
horses OF cables The systems ia use
In some Of these places are very ex-
tended. that of Montgomery. Ala,
counting over fifteen miles of road. and
trsn.rortine over q million passengers
ANNUALLY. Electric roads MANY miles
ia length are also operated in some OF
| the California cities. most notably san
Diero and Los Angeles. Recently .
road Re miles long was opened in Rich
moud. Virginia, represented by its
manayers. In a letter published in the
El>rsysrai Esrie. ~ be road of peculiar
difficulty IN operating. on account OF
the sharp curves and difficult grades.
some Of these grades reach the maxi
mum ever overcome by motors de-
pending on the adhe-iveness OF their
wheels TO the tracks. and in the length
of the road there are no less than IL
curves around fight-aDgied corners.
Yet the managers write with the
utmost enthusiasm OF the successful
operafion of the road In every
particular, and though the cars are
| lust Mt this time thronged by novelty
seekers they fail 20 report the ease OF .
single person struck by lightning, q
| report which seems 70 be necessary to
| Justify one Of of the objections raised
| against the electric motor by our city
fathers. The cars OF this road, de-
scribed as OF very elegant pattern,
| are not only propelled by electricity,
but they are lighted by electricity,
which naturally follows, and when
| the cold weather comes they are to he
heated by electricity, in accordance
with system not vet generally intro
duced. bat 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
district of Butte county, California.
Among the Big Bend mountains,
| making horseshoe curve about a
dozen miles In extent, runs the
Feather river. At the upper end OF
| the curve dam, built entirely across
the river, will throw the water into a
tunnel several miles in length which
empties into the Dark canyon, the
waters of the canyon in turn emptyine
into the river at the lower end of the
horseshoe. A waterwheel and cleo
trical generators are TO he located in
the canyon one mile, or mile and a
half, from its mouth. and from these
generators viii proceed an cleo
trical conductor. which. cross
ing over the mountains to tht
dam. will follow the shore oi
the river around the entire horseshoe
and return to the starting point. Thi.
conductor will be eighteen miles In
length, estimating the entire distance
and nj points here and there along Tho
route are to be located electric motors
numbering four zen in all. These mo
tors viii supply the power for all ths
pumping, hauling and hoisting de
mantied in the operations of mining
after the water has been drawn from
the bed OF the stream The cost of op
Icrating the motor can be easily esti
mated. Ii will take man 10 tend tn,
water wheel, and another man 70 lool
after the conductor and keep IL in or
der, and this, plus the interest of the
plant, which will not he considerable
will represent the entire outlay. Ii Il
possible, when water power is to bt
obtained. To make mining profitable in
localities where the mines would have
to be abandoned were it not for thi,
remarkable agent for the transmission
and distribution OF power.
They-are building a new capitol nj
Topeka, in Kansas. That might he 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 cleo
trieity. There are four electric motors
at work on the building lifting the
brick. stones and mortar up to their
places. and handling the stones again
TO their positions on the walls. They
are said Ia do their work admirably
and. though they are not likely to
make the capitol an economically con
sirueted building, or even to diminish
its cost appreciahly, they will do the
| contractors good turn.
| Away oat In Laramie. Wyoming,
there il company known as the Lar
annie Milling and Elevator Company
This company has q mill capable OF
producing 100 barrels of fiour day,
and the only visible source Of power il
seen in acouple OF scientifically shaped
iron eases down in one corner of the
roller floor. Kut those eases are -.
horse power electric motors. The
manager of the company. under the
recent date Of April <. gives glowing
| account of taeir performances
| Among their points Of nxeeileace he
refers to their uniform rata OF speed
the ease with which power can be
placed where il Is wanted, ohyiaiing
the necessity for long lines Of shaftine
or still more Questionable belts; the
economy OF room for power plant; the
saving of from % 70 - per cent in in
| sufaacr rates, and the saving on hrs:
cost Of plant. The motors. he SAYS.
require very little attention. and give
better service with varying loads than
any other power that could be
| adopted
But these are only detached and scat
tered illustrations TO show the Won
dcfful resources uf the little giant that
has sprung up within the last foar
years. Right here in New York. where
men are not looking for novelties, ard
| Will only consent 20 accept novelties
| when they are presented with 30 much
force that they are irresistible. the
electro motor Is becoming As cemuon
| as household words. THE aldermen
have no security when they spring to
the top Of a teu-stofy baiidinE IN an
elevator that they have not one al
these dangerous little motors that