Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-01-31
IN the ELEcrRIcAL WORLD.

Some body has coined the word
'motorneer," to designate the person
who manages the motor on an electric
car.
"A French electrician has constructed
. Wimshurst machine, having 10 glass
discs, each 201S inches in diameter. Tho
machine will give a spark 10H inches
long.
The selectmen of Whitman, Mass,
have granted franchise to a company
for . right to construct an electric road
from the Abingdon line to Auburnville
In Rockland.
The latest novelty in the way Of in
vention is an electric mouse trap in
which the rodent acts as his own exc
cutioner, calmly closing the circuit, but
then rather suddenly doubling himself
up into an ''electrocuted" heap of IMAM
innate matter.
An electric cane has been invented
which will be found very useful by people
who are obliged to be out late at night
in the dangerous districts of cities. BY
merely touching an assailant it will be
possible to give him a shock which will
be of great value as a measure of self
defense.
They are now making 1OO-horse-pow-
er gas engines to be used for the produc-
ton of electric lights, and gas compan-
les in various sections of the country
who aim to do electric as well as gas
lighting are adopting these machines
for the purpose. 1t is claimed that with
these machines the coal consumption
will be brought down to ~ pounds per
horsepower per hour.
Mr.. Plante's new process of engrav-
ing on glass and crystal by electricity
is found capable of producing results of
marvellous delicacy. The plate to be
engraved is covered with concentrated
solution of nitrate of potash and put in
connection with one of the poles of the
battery, the design being traced out
with fine platinum point connected
to the other pole.-English Mechanic.
An estimate has been made which
is of the greatest interest to the mining
industry. 1t specifies the relative cost
for mine lighting on colliery raising
1000 tons a day. of electricity. gas and
oil. Under Original outlay" electricity
is entered as 81 900, gas-main pipes
and fittings--as $3.50, and oil as $500.
Under working cost, including repairs
and depreciation. per annum.' cleo
tricity is estimated at $780, gas at S7G5,
and oil at 500. These figures are sug-
gestive as well as Instructive.
Attempts are now being made to
perfect a system of preventing incrrsta-
ton in boilers by means of electrical
action. Fairly good results are said to
have been secured by the use of n small
current dynamo having one
plate connected to the shell of the boil
er and the other to plates suspended in
the water. The theory involved is that
the passage of the current deposits al
ternately hydrogen and oxygen on the
surfaces. and the union Of
these two gases form a film of chemical
ly pure water. which protects the
metal.
The smallest town in the United
States which has an electric street rail-
way in operation is Southington. CT,
with population of 5,400. Two cars
are in service over two miles of track,
and the average daily receipts are 50
per car. The power for the operation
of this read is furnished by the local
lighting company, and costs 1928 per
car per day. The largest electric rail-
way is at Boston. Mass. This entire
system compromises 2S4 miles of track,
sixty of which are electrically equipped,
ton. During the month of August they
had 300 motor cars in service. making a
total mileage of 3s4, 100000.
1t seems not unlikely that electric
ity will be applied to smelling furnaces
in the near future. An electrical fur
mace mas been patented in England
which is said to have given excellent re-
suits in the series of tests to which it |
has been subjected. The electrodes arc |
blocks of carbon secured in metal !
cases and placed opposite to each other
in the walls of the furnace. The metal |
cases containing the carbons are kept |
cool by circulating water around them,
and the carbons themselves are capable |
If automatic adjustment to compensate |
Tor wear. Provision is made in the fur |
mace for the escape of gas and for tho |
of the charge, and the cleo |
force of the current can be |
varied according to the varying resist |
lnce of the charge.
JOLLY LITTLE CREATURES.