The historic times., 1891-10-31
IN The ELECTRICAL WORLD.

Foreign electricians are beginning
10 look to eluminum as the metal best
adapted to the manufacture of electric
mains
1t is announced that the British adj
miralty has resolved to give so, 600 to
Admiral Colomb for his invention for
flashing night signals.
Mrs. Mary Lowell, of New York.
q practical electrician. has invented .
contrivance by which she is enabled to
tight her kitchen fire from her bed
room.
An electric car in Decatur, Ill, re-
Gently earned 500. 45 on the occasion of
a public celebration. At the rate of S
cents per head this would mean that the
car carried /, 1869 passengers.
"A society of Philadelphia physi-
clans, recently organized, has for its
purpose the discussion of electro-thera-
peutics and the inducing of qualified
practitioners to take up the subject on
a scientific basis.
While six years ago there wasn't
an electric launch on the Thames, six-
teen were counted at the Henley regatr
ia this year, and there are nine stations
between Kingston and Oxford at which
the storage batteries can be replen-
ished
The following metals will conduct
electricity in the following proportions.
viz: Silver, 100; copper, 90; gold, 70;
aluminium, SO; zinc, 26; platinum, 10;
iron, Is; nickel, -; tin, II; lead, Z. OF
the above, copper and iron have the
greatest commercial value as electrical
conductors.
To the promotion of electrical in
terests comes new weekly journal,
Electricity by name, and it is published
in Chicago, with J. w. Dickerson, ed
itor. AS this immeasurable force holds
much of the mechanical development of
the future in its keeping, no man who
seeks to extend public acquaintance
with its manifestations should be dis
couraged at the outset.
"A house at Richmond, Ind, appears
to be surcharged with electricity. The
brass-headed tacks in the carpet the
stove and the poker are heavily
charged, and if one shufies his feet
stove it is at the risk of being knocked
down. 1t is even possible to light the
gas by pointing the finger at it Ex-
perts who have been called in can not
explain the phenomenon.
"A singular but benefcent product
of ingenuity in electrical application is
an invalid chair, which can be handled
with such ease that an attendant can be
dispensed with. The invalid can, if de-
sired, take his constitutional at speed
of eight miles an hour. Underneath
the chair are placed the motor and the
storage battery cells, and the guiding
apparatus and that for controlling the
motor are conveniently arranged. At a
moderate speed the battery will last for
80 miles of travel.
I'm 1885 there were electric rail-
ways in operation with Is cars; in 1886,
with 80 cars; 1887. with 81 cars: in
1888, 32 with 265 cars; in 1889, 104 with
| 965 cars; in 1890, 1875 with over 2,000
cars, and there are now in operation
and under contract in this country.
England, Germany, Italy, Australia
and Japan not less than 325 roads, re-
quiring over 4, 600 cars and Z, 900 moters,
with 2, 900 miles of track, making a
daily mileage of not less than 400, 600
miles, and carrying three quarters of a
billion of passengers. One fourth of
the street railways in the United States
are being operated wholly or in part by
electricity; two thirds by horses; six
teenth by dummy engines and twen-
tieth by cable.
If the statements of the London
electrical engineers are correct the new
Australian telephone, known as the
Collier Audible Telephone, marks a
distinct step in advance in the science
of telephony. 1t is the invention of
Rev. Arthur T. Collier, Congregational
minister of Australia, who became
greatly interested in electrical and me-
chanical work. The claim made for
this telephone is that the sensitiveness
of the receiver is increased TO such an
extent that the sound from it during an
ordinary conversation is almost suffi-
cient to fill small room. Indeed, ii is
asserted that, compared with the eff
cheney of an ordinary Bell receiver, tho
sound from the Collier is as a person