Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-05
WORLD OF ELECTRICITY.
ELECTRIC DOORS AND STAIR
GASES TO AVOID PANICS.
Forging of Steel Bars-Time Occupied in
Replying to Telegram-Automatic
Telephone-Electricai Fences.


A very interesting pamphlet has been
published in France, which treats of
''Crushes and Crowds in Theaters in Cases
of Fire or Fright The purpose of this
instructive work is to impress upon theater
proprietors the urgency of making such ar
engagements as shall insure absolute safety
and ease of exit for the pleasure goerS upon
whom their success depends. The author
OF the work, Nj. Rene Resuche, gives some
suggestive figure, of the numerous fires,
amounting to thirty-two in 1889 and fifty in
1880, in theaterS in various parts of the
world, together with table OF the total re-
celpts from the theaters of Paris, which
shows that although there has been steady
rise in receipts excepting in the war years.
from 1913 10 1854, yet in 1883 accounts were
everywhere current of several very disas-
trouS fires, and since then, even during the
exhibition year, the receipts nave been
going down, till there Is now deficit of
nearly 81, 0OG, 900 from the calculated Ner
age. NJ. Resuche gives his reasons for be-
ieving that this is almost entirely due TO
the fear of fire which has been gradually in
creasing in the popular mind. The remedy
he suggests consists in movable doors or
walls of double iron-plateS filed in with
cork or other materials, TO be built at suita-
Bile places in the outside walls. These
either drop down like shutters, giving exit
to outside balconies, or fall outward like
uTdN UIluStS. lOElH d DdlCOuS VI IilSbI-
selves. In case of panic these are all loosed
simultaneously by electric contact and the
public find everywhere around them exits
to the outside StaircaSes. 1t is argued that
panic would thus be avoided, and safety
could be assured without the necessity
for entire reconstruction of the premises,
which seems at present in many cases the
only alternative.
FORGING STEEL AND ELECTRICITY.
Some experiments of special interest have
Just been made in the electric forging of
steel, which show the remarkable short
period of time that 1the process involves.
One experiment was the melting into liquid
form of a bar of steel an inch in diameter
and twelve inches long. This occupied for
ty-tiVe seconds, and the concentration of
heat was shown by the fact that the tenn
perature of the room was not raised single
degree from its normal condition. Another
experiment was the making of Steel spike.
The steel bar was cut into the required
length, and on the pieces being passed
through the forging machine the spikes were
turned out, perfectly finished, at the rate
of six per minute. Another experiment,
even more wonderful than those preceding,
was the forming of an auger screw. a fiat
bar of iron was fixed in the machine. and
heated almost instantly, and the spiral was
made in twinkling by the automatic turn
ing of the machine: the spiral was of abSo-
Lutte uniformity.
ssts AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE CALL-Box.
The idea of an automatic telephone call
box on the nickel in the slot'' principle
has for long time been fascinating one
to the public and the inventor, and an in
strument that would meet such require
ments would be largely used. The monop-
oily in the telephone field has hitherto
limited the use of the instrument, but with
the early expiry of the leading patents a
c. no, will tol-a r1ana 4 RarliT1
firm is now constructing call box, which,
it claims, solves the question of tele-
phone for the people. 1t is proposed, as
being more equitable system of charging,
to make small annual rate for each tel
ephone installed, and to tax each con-
instead of the heavy annual
rental now paid. The apparatus by which
this reformation is to be carried out is to be
worked on the popular slot principle
Upon coin being inserted in the instru-
ment, it passes through the usual testing
Should it fail to pass it is
rejected, but if it proves satisfactory, it |
passes on and rings up the exchange. If |
the caller is informed that the desired con- |
nection cannot be made, he has only |
to press white stud and the coin is |
released aud falls to the refunding box. |
Should, however, the connection be made |
at the exchange, the current which then |
passes causes the coin to fall into 4 groove, |
where 1t remains until the signal at the |
close of the conversation is given. when it |
is released by the magnet and allowed to
fall to the cash-boX, pressing, on the way, q
lever, whick breaks all contacts. Should |
the closing signal be omitted, the coin will |
remain in the talking position" and to
provide against this lever is so arranged |
IS on the dropping of the next coin to cause
The first coin to fall to the bottom of the |
,ash box. This instrument promises to
make telephony as available for the masses
IS gas and water now are.
TINE OCCUPIED BY TELEGRAM
A large company OF telegraphers recently |
met in San Francisco to celebrate the open
ing of new telegraph Office After show
ng the instruments, the superintendent
said that he had often been asked how long
t took TO telegraph to different places and
yet reply, and he proposed to answer the
question then by actual demonstration. He
.hereupon wired an inquiry as TO the
weather to Portland, New York, Washing
on, Seattle, Tacoma, Canso (Nova SCOTIA |
md London. The first reply came from