Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-18

its appliances, and q DINNER nalO sur
rounded the heads Of my men. in the
eyes of their countrymen. Coming into
the machine room at night would often
find the little Mohammedan lad, Ghazi.
who had charge of the dynamo bearings
and brushes, the center of a crowd of
wealthy Mahaians and Babus from the
city, who would be humbly questioning
him as to the wonderful properties OF
the machine, and he arrogantly giving
some theory of his own as gospel, and
pocketing annas for magnetizing their
knives on the magnet poles.
Electrical Welding.
Electrical World The processes of
working metals by means of electricity
have, it seems, taken two entirely diff
ferent directions, each of which is
claimed to have its special advantages.
The electric arc, which has for long
time been employed for the fusion of
refractory materials to extract the
metals contained within them, is now
employed in the work of joining like
and dissimilar metala, or, in other
words, welding them. This process
seems to have considerable field for ap-
plication, and instances are reported in
which repairs have been effected
by it's means in very short
time which could not perhaps have
been accomplished in any other way
without considerable difficulty. We are
also informed that, contrary to first i'm
pressions which might be formed
thereon, the process leaves the metal
practically unchanged in its character.
This, however, has still to be proved,
and there is evidence to the contrary.
Attention is also called to the fact that
| it makes considerable difference which
terminal the object to be welded is
| made, whether positive or negative;
and it has been found necessary to en-
ploy the carbon auxiliary electrode as
| the positive in order to prevent the
oxidation of the metal worked upon. In
| contradistinctio to this process, that OF
| Prof. Elihu Thompson shows the feXi-
| bility of all the applications of electric
| ity. Here, as is we'll known, the arc is
| intentionally avoided, and the heat
effects are obtained by the use of power
full currents sent through the material
at the points to be joined. OF the
future of this process, of which many
have already seen the results, there can
be no question. 1t has already been re-
duced to such practical form that its
| general introduction is now a matter OF
comparatively but a few months. These
processes, taken in connection with the
electric furnaces now employed, show
that a vast field is being opened for new
development. The ground has already
been broken and sown.
Electric Railway Conduits.
Electrical World: While experiments
in applying the storage battery to the
propulsion of street cars are being ac-
lively pushed, those who have pinned
their faith to the conduit system have
not been idle. Quite recently there has
been put into commercial operation
such system which, according to re-
port, is working successfully. We re-
fer to the electric railway in operation
in Allegheny. The promoters OF this
system have steadfastly clung to their
opinion that the conduit system is the
only one suitable for city traffic, and
they claimed to have removed all the
difficulties which such a system pre-.
sents. 1t is plain that with ample pro.
vision for drainage and cleaning of the
conduit nothing ought to stand in the
way Of the success of a conduit system
so carefully and scientifically worked
out. The small loss of current which is
said to be shown by actual experiment
at Allegheny is evidence that the vari-
Gus points have been well considered.
A Soap Battery.
A. V. Mesrole says in the Electric
World: Many different substances have
been proposed for making dry, or rather
moist batters such as sand, saw dust OF
plaster saturated with an exciting
Chemical like salammoniac. have
found cheap and effective way OF
making battery of this kind, consist
ing of common soap dissolved in boiling
water together with a small amount o.
bran and caustic soda or potash. The
mixture is put in a jar while warm with
large carbon pole and an amalgamated
zinc rod. When cold it sets something
like jelly and makes a battery that will
not readily evaporate or slop over.
Electric Signals for Scouts.
Philadelphia Press: James F.. Nc
Laughlin, an electrician, was in the
Girard house last night, and enter
tanned group of friends in electrical
science and more wonderful results thai
are yet to be attained.
In speaking of Governor Hills recent
message on capital executions, he told
of several suggestions made by electri
cal appliances and then switched on the
subject of new invention for signal
ling during the time of war.
''Briehy, the scheme is this" he said
"The scouts or signal officers carry il
their knapsacls six small incandescent
lights of the different primary colors
These are connected with a very fine
wire with small battery in the KNAPP
sack. Attached to the small globes tina
inclose the lights is very small ova
electrical motor, operated by an inde,
pendent battery. When one scout
wishes to communicate with another
he sends one globe high into the all
and then turns on the elecric fluid tina
illuminates it. By the use of the diff
ferent colored globes and by combina
tions conversation of any length car
be carried on by night at long distances
The invention will be patented II