The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-02-21
"PreSS the Button"

press the Button"
Rapidly the age of steam passes off the
stage and the age of electricity enters.
The race stands dazed on the borders of
the wonderland which it is entering.
The electrical industry, in one branch
and another, now gives bread to eight
millions Of people. The miracles it al
ready accomplishes multiply SO rapidly
that no one mind can keep track of
them; the miracles it will work in future
none dare predict.
Press the button and ten thousand
lights spring into being. Press the but
ton and the condemned murderer's dead
body lies where the living man was an
instant before. The camera for the TAX
ing of instantaneous photographs by
amateurs is now SO prepared that the
operator has only to press a button and
the picture is taken. An electrical ele-
vator for single passengers is coming into
use. In this the Individual steps upon a
platform at the foot of the staircase,
touches the magic knob that forms the
current, and lifts himself from landing.
to landing, an arrangement being pro-
vided whereby he can steer himself. The
only drawback to this is that it will make
the race so lazy that the muscular portion,
of their lower limbs will quite dwindle
to nothing. This will be unfortunate,if
the old fashion of knee breeches comes,
in again, as it threatens. There is moth
ing like running up stairs and moving up
and down on tip toe for developing the
calves.
At the Philadelphia postoffice is ma
chine that cancels by electricity $4,000
stamps per hour and records the num-,
Der. A recent electrical invention is said
to produce from crude petroleum a fuel
gas at seventeen cents a thousand feet.
If this does what it claims, at one stroke
the nuisance of smoke, coal and ashes
will be swept away.
1t is more than likely that in the APP
plication of electricity will be found the
solution of most Of the mechanical and
chemical difficulties that have hitherto
baffied inventors. Already we have the
promise that through its agency the
magical metal aluminium will be cheap
ly extracted from clay. In separating
other metals from their ores electricity
is employed cheaply and effectively.
Most fascinating of all to the scientific
explorer is the untrodden field Of electro
chemistry. Already the mineral corun--
dunn, the hardest known substance next.
to the diamond. has been melted by the
all conquering electric spark. An Eng
lish electrician, Mr.. Parsons, announces
that he has succeeded in making dia--
mosl dust He was endeavoring to pro-,
duce hard carbon for incandescent and,
arc lights. He placed mixture Of.
charcoal, clay and some other substances
in a strong steel cylinder, subjected it to,
hydraulic pressure and then passed the
electric current through it. On the sur.
face of the charcoal was deposited gray
powder that scratched the diamond. He,
tucIcAOIc COuCluOSO IL was diamond
dust
One more marvel the magic button
has wrought. An English engineer
named Webster has found in electricity
sure agent for the decomposing and puri-
flying of city sewage. Ithas been known
in all time that thunder storms purified
the air, but nobody has apparently
thought hitherto of applying the princi-
pie to impurities on the surface of the
earth.
Webster's method was to pass strong
electric current through sewage tank
in which were at intervals iron plates,
which served as electrodes. The success
of the experiment was complete. It may
be that here is an easy solotioa of a
problem with which great cities have in
all time grappled unsuocessfully. It may
be that through electricity we shall yet
find means of purifying the poisoned
soil of cities and even of supplying to
their vitiated atmosphere those life Civ
ing qualities for want of which the poor
in crowded tenement houses bnguish and
di~>