Huntsville gazette., 1891-04-04
IN THE ELECTRICAL WORLD.

"A well of electrical water" has
been found in Kansas. The man who
puts his hands in it experiences forci-
BILE shock.
The London general post Office was
saved So, 900 last year in the sick-leave
account by the substitution of electric
ity for other means of lighting its build
ing.
One of the recent applications of
electricity that promises to be of con-
siderable benefit to sea-going men is a
log for registering the rate of travel of
high-speed vessels.
DIR. Foveau de Courmelles, of Paris,
alleges that he has succeeded in convey
ing by the electric current to diseased
internal organs of the human body the
constituents of medicaments suitable
for their recovery.
Japan has over II, 900 electric lights.
The Toxic electric light company has
four stations, with a capacity for sup
plying nearly that number of lamps,
while there are other large plants at
Kioto, Kobe, Asaka, and Nagoza.
The first telegraph line built in
America extended from Washington to
Baltimore, and was built by Morse, the
inventor of the electric recording tele-
graph, by means of an appropriation
made by congress. The first message
was sent May 81, 1914.
1t has been calculated that the cleo
tro-motive force of bolt of lightning
is about $780, 900 volts, the current
about IA, ,000 600 amperes and the time
to be one-twenty-thousandth part of a
second. In such a bolt there is an en-
ergy of 2, $50, 900, 900 watts, or 3,2S4, 1872
horse power.
An eminently practical German
scientist is said to have applied mild
current of electricity to swarm of bees,
quickly causing them to fall to the
ground in stupeied condition. The
bees could be safely handled while iE
this condition, and if the electrical cur
rent was not too strong no injury was
done to them.
A Swedish engineer has invented
a novel method of blasting by electric
ity. He employs a volta arc produced
between two carbon rods placed paral-
lei. When the arc is moved close to the
spot where blasting is to be effected an
intense local heat is created, followed
by expansion, which has the effect in
splitting the rock.
The utility of the microphone for
observation of earth tremors and noises
was soon recognized, and Italy has for
some time held a foremost place among
the nations which have taken advant-
age of the special adaptability of this
instrument. 1t is now found that pho
Biography possesses admirable capabili-
ties in the way of supplementing the
work of the microphone in making these
delicate records.
Fifteen years ago it was only in
telegraphing that electricity had large
application in this country. Now, Mr..
invested in electrical industries. The
growth has been phenomenal, and has
added greatly to the conveniences and
to the sources of wealth which the peo-
pie enjoy. But nevertheless, it would
be interesting to speculate on the uses
to which that 5000, O0O,O of capital
would have been put had recent discov-
cries in electrical science not been made.
Macon Telegraph.
The telephone is about to have a
new application-that of foretelling
storms. A new discovery has been
made as to one of the properties of this
means of transmitting sound. By plac-
ing two iron bars at seven or eight meters
distance from each other, and then put
by copper wire covered with rubber,
and on the other side with telephone,
storm can be predicted at least twelve
hours ahead through a dead sound
heard in the receiver. According as
the storm advances the sound resembles
the beating of hailstones against the
windows. Every flash of lightning
| and, of course, every clap of thunder
that accompanies the storm, produces a
stone cast between the diaphragm and
the instrument
An interesting exhibition of a work
ing locomotive model supplied with an
| invention owned by the Ries Electric
| Traction and Brake Co., was given re-
Gently in Philadelphia. The purpose
of the invention is to increase the adj
hesion between the wheels of steam To-
comotives and the rails. The invention
consists of small dynamo and an
auxiliary engine placed upon the loco
motive in such a way as to be easily
operated, furnishing current of small
force, but large quantity, which is
made to pass from one pole of the dy-
namo to one pair of driving-wheels,
thence along the rail to the other pair
| of driving wheels, thence to the other
pole of the dynamo, thus forming a
travelling circuit, moving at all times
| with the locomotive. By means of this
current an incipient weld is caused be-
| tween the wheels and rails at the point
| of contact, and the company claims
that the slipping of wheels will be en-
| tirely avoided. The working model of
| the device shows an increase of 400 per
cent. in the hauling power of the loco
motive.