Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-01-17
IN THE ELECTRICAL WORLD.

The town Of Lacon, ILL.,, is to es-
tablish and operate its own electriD
lighting plant
The electric drill is meeting VITA
great SUCCESS in shipyards. Those who
have used it claim that in half an /hour
it will bore holes which under the old
method it would take two men half a day
to finish.
Lieutenant FislS's idea of forming
corps or battalion of electricians, who
shall be regularly drilled and made
available for active service in case of
war, has been most enthusiastically re.
ceived by the electricians of New York.
Nearly 1000 electric cars are run
ming in the United States. Boston
alone has about one hundred miles of
electrically operated roads. Several
systems have been developed to per-
lection that insures smooth and regular
service.
"A Boston man has invented gate
for use on open electric cars which, when
not in use, may be lowered below the
floor out of the way of the passengers.
1t is Of simple design, and experts who
have examined it declare it to be prac-
ticable invention.
The oak-tree is often struck by light
ming, the beech, very seldom. A curious
scientist discovers the reason of this to
lie in the fact that villous leaves, like
those of the beech, seem to prevent the
accumulation of electricity, while smooth
leaves, like the oaks, do not.
There are several engineers who
believe that the time is not far distant
when, by means Of windmills, dynamos
and electric motors farmers will be
able to make use of n large amount OF
power that is now going to waste for the
running of machinery and for lighting
purposes.
The incandescent lamp is said to af.
ford much relief in cases of facial neG
ralgia if it be applied to the part affect.
ed. The lamp is also coming gradually
into use in poulticing. When laid over
a flaxseed or other poultice constant
heat is maintained, which is of great
benefit in many cases.
There is very good reason to an
ticipate at a comparatively early date
an increase of capital in the Bell Tele
phone Company to further the extension
of the long-distance system The fielt
of the company is yet small in compari
son with what opportunities will offer
and stockholders will undoubtedly bt
offered rights to an increased capitaliza
ton. -Elec trical Review
Texas has a new source OF excite
ment in the races of the mulo cars witt
the electric cars. The races are FIRE
quently exciting, as the roads pas
through long stretches of unoccupiet
land The passengers stand on tn
platforms and wave their hats and hand
kerchiefs as their respective cars forg
ahead, and betting often becomes a
lively as on the race course.
A Chicago inventor has devised
glass switch board for use in telephon
offices, by the means Of which he claim
that $4,000 metallic circuits may be haT
died in space measuring three feet b
five feet The boards will be place
horizontally, and the plug holes will b
partially filled with mercury, thus 81
curing dust-proof contact No enur
ciators will be used, but the orders wi
be given directly to the operator, VIII
will be compelled to keep the telephon
continually at her ear.
The latest adaptation Of the murc,
rial circuit closer is an invention whic
makes it impossible to discharge a gu
at any other than predetermined al
gle. In the stock Of the gun is dr.
battery connected, through the circu
breaker, with catch holding the trigge
The circuit closer is in the shape of
glass tube, partially filled with mercur,
into the ends of which are hermeticall
sealed the two terminals of the circui
The tube is mounted in such a way tn;
it may be adjusted to close the circu
by the flow of the mercury, when Il
gun is held at a certain angle. TT
l completion of the circuit excites IL
, electromagnetic, which attracts IL
catch and releases the trigger, so that IL
/! latter may be pulled The invent'
? claims that the invention will in gre;
3 part take the place Of sights, and mal
1 night firing much more effective whe
the range has previously been obtaine
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