New-York tribune., 1888-08-30
WONDERS OF ELECTRICITY
MAYOR HEWITT BECOMES PROPHETIC.


TIE AsTRoLoGERs SURPASSED A THOUSAND
FoLn-sEEKING ADVICE ABOUT THE POLES.
The dining hall Of the Hotel Brunswick trans
formed yesterday into council chamber for the con
venton OF the American Electric Light Association.
and an hour the time OF meeting The large sure
of parors devoted 10 exhibits OF and Improved
electrical devices thronged by delegates rom an
parts OF the country. Promptly al noon President >
A. Duncan's opening address review OF the
progress and advancement Of the organization since II
was started about five years ago. lie said In tart
( When we held our first meeting in New-York about
six months after organizing us society there we're only
sixty deeaates present The electr al Ind ~ WAS t
comI aratvey IN It. nfn and it, advarc IA n since
then he judged by the iact that today there are hNe
times a. many members In the United States there
are 35l Isolated plants and central electric ght staen
producing every night 1872 500 and 1,a25OOO mean
lights There emp owed for the motive power
OF dynamos steam engines acgr'gatns 4b9 495 horse
power and he capitalization q &c rial comp'ne' dur
ing the last SIX month has increased St22lOlOo Iele
are now being operated In this country thirty ou electric
railroads comprising 1888 niles single track. while 40
other rcais with an length of over 300 niles
in Of cti1n. Ca eul cstn ties show
that 1880 600 passengers viii be carried
by the electric roads OF the country 1ur nq the present
year TIE incrsrsa CT the bus is strkngly Illus
by the n single factories emp oy ne
many l. 500 per-ons in making electric motors
There eight Journals devoed exclusively to electricity
| u
On rising 10 make the address OF welcome, Mayor
Hewitt greeted with a vigorous clapp ng OF hands
He said that IN presenting the delegates The freedom
Of the city they would have 10 waive the gold box
In which such privileges are given abroad lie could
not tell them what the freedom of the city meant bu'
hoped 1t wonld prove both pleasant and profitable TO
them. Continuing the Mayor said
Already the wonders performed by the modern cleo
trcian surpass thousand Told anything that was done
by astrologers you the threshold Of
possibilities when he produced hs 1rst steam
motor The revolution accomplished by mpower In
short space Of within the memory OF many her
is to be continued and in all probability oudonc by the
new force call electricity. The possibilities pre-
sented by the Of this power Infinite II
may destined solve the problems Of inequality
and others which confront the world by pac
ing q cheap power within the reach Of all
! After a flight Of fancy IN this sira n, which met
with an enthusiastic response from his audience the
Mayor took up the subject Of subways and overhead
wires He hoped the convention would give careful
attent on the question ard let him know any safe
and profitable method Of putting electric light wires
under ground was tnown lie said he had been
blamed by the press etc. for not insisting on having
these wires put under ground, but on investigation dis
covered that there was no satisfactory way Of doing
IT. He added:
There no sonse in things that don't pay. and man
who would take away the electric light poles before some
thing better could be provided would be a barbarian Like
TO companies put their cables under ground
should consider myself insist upon such step
before It is conclusiyey proved TO be practicable The
four gentlemen empowered by the legislature TO attend to
noted for what they did not know about
IT, speak the more freely I Of the four
The chairman announced that the question OF sub
ways for electric cables would be taken up and dis
cussed this morning The only paper read yesterday
was one on Petroleum as a Fuel by 5. :. Leonard
prcsid nj Of the Electric gl Company Of M.nnearo-
lis MINI. Tie convention U2- STAR l'd i\ iLr s'sIe
ment- made in tbs Ia -r mat ht ih' u.f ~ l,lI.-
loum Instead Of coal for uei 10 running cleciuc eht
machinery - per cent vas saved 10 fuel and 90 per
cent III labor.
The CONVENTION was adjourned until 10 a m. today
In the evening nearly all tine delegates witnessed the
I " Fail OF Rome e. ~. George.
This evening the delegates VIII attend The iroad-
way Thaatr, in body. They have secured 200 seats
IN Inc orchestra and several boxes Among iho many
electricians who sin witness the performance o. ih"
Queens Nofe7 WI he s. l. Duncan ol fti,nuif 4.
:. f. De camp. 90, P' Tod iDaa. u O.. Da. ., o. lhc
Fl-rfr' "a 20. ir.u- 'o.. Of lo-ton. f'' H3,- oi
Manic PARK 4. s. Ellison. ami tOmn s>.onei - l."
Gibbons, Of the Ilco Tca 81 wovs. Tier VII also
be present in the boxes representa- ives from all the
principal electric leht companies In this country.