The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-31
PHOTOGRAPHY.

Electricity is being brought more and
more into intimate connection with phOlOg-
raphy. Ii is now used in lighting studios
and for securing artistic effects OF light ana
shade i'm the subject TO be photographed.
In order TO avoid dark, hard shadows, the
light is projected on TO a sheet OF alaDaster,
and from this is refracted on TO the subject.
The result is soft and exquisite In tone.
The electric light is also used tor printing
bv enlargement, and for balloon and kite
photography. In the latter. the camera Is
} attached 10 kite. When the desired
height has been reached, the exposure Is
made by electric current, and pictures are
thus secured which it would be impossible
TO obtain by any other means.
SERVICE BY TELEPHONE.
The attempt made at Christ church,
Birmingham, England, TO transmit the
church service by telephone to London
Manchester, and other distant points, has
been attended with very fair success. some
of the difficulties which have To be overcome
before people can listen in comfort at their
Town freside TO the voice of their fayOrite
minister may be gathered from the follow
ing description of the experiment by one
who took part in it. "When the morning
service commenced there was what ap-
peared 10 be an unsecmly clamOr 10 near
the services. The opening prayer was in
terrupted by cries Of Hello there Are YOU
thereT Put me on TO Christ church, NO,
don't want the church, etc. But pres
emily quiet obtained, and by the time the
Psalms were reachedwe got almost unbroken
connection, and could follow the course OF the
services. We could hear little OF the
prayers-prObably from the fact the ofiiciat-
ing minister was not within VOice-reach Oh
the transmitter. The organ had faint far
away sound, but the singing and the sermon
were distinct success"
SUBWAY EXPLOSIONS.
The excellent results attained by Profe s
sOr Barrett, the electrician Of the electral
department Ofthe city Of Chicago, in the
prevention Of explosions in the subways Of
that city by the adoption Of system Of
thorough ventilation have been commended
BY New York paper to the attention Of
the board of electrical control, which, from
time to time has been much exercised with
the frequent explosions that have taken
place in the subways on Broadway and
elsewhere. II is shown that the ven
tilation Of the downtown subways
through the City Hall chimney is
perfect, and that the electric light posts
furnish sufficient ventilation at other points.
1t is also urged that the city Of New York
can derive much benefit by taking heed TO
the example Of Chicago, which has ordered
the electric light telephone and telegraph
companies 10 Yentiate all their subways in
order TO prevent explosions.
POLICEMAN SUPERSEDED.
An instance of the advantages attendant
on the use Of the electric light is reported
from London. Systematic robbery Of the
goods in the yard Of a railway station had
been carried on for "A long time. The man.
ager of the yard shrewdly fitted up the yard
with are lights, and now, not only is three
times more work accomplished at night
than under the old conditions, but the
depredations have entirely ceased, and the
saving thus effected has already paid for
the cost Of the installation.
AIR-sHIPS.
The advocates of the possibility Of nayi.
eating the air by means Of electricity have
taken the first step towards putting their
ideas into practical shape by the formation
of a company with capital of 800, OOO, 900,
having for its object the building and OPP
Grating of electrical air-ships. The company
is to carry on its work IN Chicago, and
promises TO have a car ready in SIX months.
The proposed ship resembles the hull Of an
ordinary sea vessel. Ii requires only two
men to operate it. The motive power is
supplied by storage batteries, which work
a system Of wings and prOpellors. and also
or "pilot" takes his place in front Of the
car, and controls its course by series of
levers and switches.
sPECTRO-LANTERN.
A novel and ingenious invention in opti-
cal telegraphy is being used eXperimentally
in the Danish marine. The apparatusis in
tended TO render practicable method OF
telcgraphing direct by light in Morse sig
mails. 1t depends for its action upon the
fact that white light, consisting of the col
Ors of the rainbow, can be cut up by prisms
in lantern into these cOlOrs, forming the
well-knOwn bands Of the spectrum. BY a
suitable and carefully arranged system
of screens and prisms these luminous
spectrum bands can be given a certain
form, which may be made to cor
respond with the long and short dashes Of
the Morse code. When, therefore, the light
from the lighthouse lantern is observed
IRON distance through "a telescope fitted
with a prism, the light appears to consist OF
these signals, and can be so read by an eX-
perienced Morse operator. A quick and
certain system of night communication be-
tween different vessels on the one hand, and
between ship and the shore on the other,
has long been needed, and the spectre
lantern bids fair to meet the want.
ELEVATED RAILROADS.
The action OF Boston in essaying to effect
on an elevated railway 1.-THE same successful
and profitable Developments of electrical
traction which it has accomplished on its
surface lines is regarded with much interest
by electricians all over the country. One Of
the greatest objections 10 elevated railways
has always been the use of steam lOcOmo-
tves, with their disagreeale accOmpani-
ments of noise, and smoke and clnders.
| With the heavy locomotives. too, required
for steam traction a very cumbrous struc-
tre was needed, but with the use OF cleo
trio cars lighter and more ornamental con-
struction can be adopted. This new depar-
ture of Boston seems likely 10 inaugurate IN
city travel an era long desired. Ii is now
! mentioned as fact that mile an hour
| better time is made in Boston by the surface
electric cars, than in New \ ork by the steam
cars OF the elevated roads.
GHOST.
4 story which, whether true or not, is at
all events "well found" is told in "A New
| York paper. A contractor, under the
stress OF financial tightnes5, sold a house
very much under its value. PuzZling his
wits to recover his property, he hit on the
idea of working on the superstitious feaIs
| of the owner. Every night the purchaser
heard rappings and other strange noises,
but the tenants were not disturbed. The
noises had, at last, such an effect on the
nerves of the frantic owner that he was in
the act OF dashing himself from the roof to
the ground in nit of insanity, when some
of the neighbors came on the scene and pre-
vented him. An examination OF the build
ing resulted in the finding OF an electrical
knOcker, which had been hung over the
roof and made available for operation on
any desired point. This was the DOGGY
which had driven the new owner out OF his
wits, and the contractor, on being con-
frOnted with the facts, confessed that he
adopted this method Of frightening him IN
to giving up the property. -Commercial
Advertiser.