Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-06-23
= THE ELECTRIC MOTOR.
IT IS BECOMING A FORCE IN ALMOST
EVERY INDUSTRY.

of Electric Motors--A Successful Rail-
enthusiastically IN Flour NflIi-Tbc
Secret Of Progress.
There are now about SO ,000, 900 invested
In the manufacture Of electric motors in
tho United States, and this large invest.
ment has nearly NIL been made within tho
last three or four years. It represents
either the independent investment Of COM
panies engaged In the exclusive manufac-
turc of motors, or an increase I'm tho capi-
talization Of companies that manufacture
electric light appliances. and find the con.
struction Of electric motors good auxil-
iary industry. Some Of these companies
employ many hundred men. sometimes ap-
proaching thousand; and they turn out
motors almost innnmerable each year.
These motors are of oil sizes, from
one-half horse power for driving sewing
machines and such other light work. up
to several hundred horse power, for heavy
work. They aro becoming driving forcel
In almost every industry, and can be util-
ized in localities whero the cost Of obtain
ing fuel would almost equal their operat-
ing expenses.
Our readers have already been made
familiar with tho names of somo of tho
towns and cities in the United States,
nearly fifty In oil, that have adopted, or
nrc preparing to adopt, the electric motor
for street railway traction in preference
TO horses or cables. The systems In use
In some Of these places are very extended,
that Of Montgomery. Ala, counting about
fifteen miles of road, and transporting
over million passengers annually. Elec-
trio roads many miles In length are also
operated In some of the California cities,
most noticeably San Diego and Los
Angeles.
SUCCESSFUL RAILROAD. :
Recently road twelve miles long was
opened In Richmond. Va, represented by
its managers, In letter published in The
Electrical Review, to be a road of peculiar
difficulty In operating on account of the
sharp curves and difficult grades. Some
Of these grades reach the maximum ever
overcome by motors depending on the ad.
hesiveness of their wheels TO the tracks,
and In the length there are no less than
seventeen curves around right angled cor
ners. Yet the managers writo with the
utmost enthusiasm of tho successful
operation of the road in every particu-
lar. The cars of the road, described as of
a very elegant pattern. are not only pro-
PEELED by electricity, but they arc lighted
by electricity, which naturally follows.
and when tho cold weather comes they
are to be heated by electricity, in accord
ance with n system not yet generally
introduced, but for which patents have
been obtained.
Another field where the utility Of the
| electric motor Is soon to bo illustrated on
| large scale Is found In the mining dis
| trict of Butte county. Cal. Among the
Big Bend mountains, makinga horseshoe
| curve about n dozen miles in extent, runs
the Feather river. 1t tho upper end of
the curve a dam, built entirely across the
| river, will throw the water into tunnel
| several miles in length which empties into
the Dark canyon, the waters of the 'yon
| In turn emptying into the river ut the
| lower end of the horseshoe A water
| wheel and electrical generators are to be.
located in the canyon one mile, or a mile
| and half, from its mouth; and from
| these generators will proceed an electri-
cal conductor. which, crossing over the
mountains TO the dam, will follow tho
shore of the river around the entire horse
shoe, and return to tho starting point.
This conductor will DO eighteen miles in
length, estimating the entire distance,
and Mt points here and there along
the route are to be located cleo.
trio motors, numbering fourteen In
all. These motors will supply the power
for all tho pumping, hauling and hoisting
demanded In tho operations of mining
after the water has been drawn from the
bed of the stream The cost of operating
the motor can be easily estimated. 1t will
take man to tend tho water wheel, and
another man to look after tho conductor
and keep it in order, and this, plus the
| interest on tho plant, which will not be
considerable, will represent tho entire
outlay.
They are building a new capitol at To
pcka, In Kansas. That might be matter
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 electricity. There
are four electric motors at work on thS
building lifting tho bricks, stones and
mortar up TO their places, and handling
the stones again into position on the walls
They are said to do their work admirably
ELECTRICITY IN A MILL.
Away out in Laramie, Wy. T.. there Is
n company known as the Laramie Milling
and Elevator company. This company
has II mill capable of producing 100 bar
rels of flour n day, and the only visible
source Of power is seen in IA couple o
little ccccntrically shaped iron cases dowi
in one corner of the roller floor. Blu
4, | those cases aro twenty-five horse powc
n | electric motors. The manager of tho com
pany, under the recent date of April {
|. gives glowing account of their perform
J, ances. Among their points of oXcellenc
| he refers to their uniform ratio of speed
, the ease with which power can be place
y whore II Is wanted, obviating the neces
? sity for long lines of shafting or stil
u more Objectionable belts; the economy q
J room for power plant; the saving of frol
D 30 to 80 per cent in insurance rates, an
| trSt Of rNla
: motors, he says, require very little after
G.. ton, and give better service with vary
{ ing loads than any other power that coul
o be adopted.
] The chief secret of the rapid advance {
Il, | this new mechanical agent is found in I'll
. tieXihilty of its resources. Electricity
A not the generator of power, but only I'll
J agency for its transmission and distribI
> stion. as 1t Is an agent for the transm
| sion Of tho human voice over the tell
, phone wire. Through its resources pow,
( can be distributed to any point, and
. quantities TO suit the customer. Steam
water, air. caloric or any known agenC
for generating power is either stationar
! or it demands stationary applicances; br
electricity is its messenger boy. its Pucl
l. | who will consent TO do its crrands invis
>, / bly,, and never ask day OF or tho graz
of liberty. Does lady want an intiu
n tesimal bit of electrical energy to rclieS
= her boot ON the treadle of her sewing mi
: chinc2 1t can be delivered in her roo
- through an iron box not much biggC
II than her reticule. Is tho restaural
y keeper plagued by an invasion of fiji,
y that expel all but the most hungry NJ
\ cast profitable customers2 They can
= gently waftel to the door by multituC
y of revolving fans and couged out eth
- into the bright sunlight or tho refreshil
= shower.-Ncw York Sun.
/ | Sunstrokc from Electricity.