Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-16
ELECTRIC NSTORS.

Press is of the opinion that the popular
motive power for small and medium ma
chinery will very soon be almost wholly
derived from electric motors. In San
Francisco, and Oakland they are now
largely used for lathes clothing manuEct-
uring machinery, printing presses, etc.,
and are coming every day into more gen.
eral use. In all sections where water fall
is available to operate dynamos, the Press
believes electricity will supersede all other
power within large radius around such
waterfall, and there are scores of places in
California where such waterfall is availa-
bic. The utilization of these will take
place not only as the demands of manu-
featuring require, but the cheapness and
cleanliness Of electric power will create
demand for its use beyond any creation
possible under the influence of steam mo-
tors. This is because, first, of the exceed
ing low power motors that can be used. as
light machines as one-eighth horse power
being already in use; second, the ease with
which it may be employed; for it is
possible to bring it into every household,
to operate the sewing machine, the churn,
the washer, and on farms the pumps,
grinders and crushers. These motors oc-
cupy small space, involve neither smell.
smoke, dust, engineer nor fireman, and do
not expose the user to the risks of explo-
sion, fire, etc. In mining sections single
waterfall can be made to evolve sufficient
power to supply the motors for consider
able district for hoisting works. for mills.
for concentrators, for pumping, etc. In
San Francisco electric motors are used I'D
to 1O0-horse power, and in Oakland the
power presses of the largest daily papers
are operated by electric motors. The
labor-saving possibilities of these motors
are such that we may reasonably expect
within few years to find them in almost
as general use in manufacturing as is the
telephone in the business of communi-
cation. Science, in a recent issue re-
ports the latest developments concerning
the use of electrical motors for street rail-
ways, and the conclusion is reached that
1t replaces horses with a great saving and
that the electric tramways now in opera.
ton are economically conducted: TINS
that in use in Richmond is operated at a
cost of 81 20 per day for a mileage of
eighty miles per car for twenty cars, but
where the full complement is running the
cost will be reduced to 81 so per dav.
With horses the cost formerly was from So
to Sc per day for mileage of sixty miles
per car. Applied to railroads the question
of the use of the electric motor becomes
very much more difficult, and such appli-
cation is certainly far distant. Yet these
considerations are stated as indicating the
interest taken by electricians in the question.
First the efficiency of stationary steam
power is far greater than that of a loco
motive; the driving machinery of the
electric motor is extremely simple, the
armatures attaching to the axle and the
field magnets resting on the truck; every
axle would have its own motor, and in a
train, say of six cars, three would be
motor cars, and thus the traction wheels
would be in such train at the lowest
twenty-four in number, a. against four in a
locomotive, and speed and high grades not
now possible could be accomplished.
while on down grades, the motors could be
converted into dynamos feeding the cur
rent into the line But at this point diff
Guilty presents itself that remains to be
overcome, and at which electrical science
as yet stands stills station supplying
portion of line must have capacity
equal TO the maximum work required of il
at any time, while the mean work might
be very much less. Says Science:
As the maximum may differ from the average
work five or six times, we would have to eduip
stations of five or six times the present capacity
OF the locomotives, at cost that would throw
the balance IN favor OF the present system ur-
less there happened to be very considerable
sources OF natural power along the line The
present applied-is in equipping the Stations
with storage-hatte ries; charging them when
the required power is below the average. draw
ing from them when it is above
But such storage batteries as would thus
become necessary have not yet been in
vented.