Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-11
ELECTRICITY.

when JULES VERNE wrote twenty
Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" his
wonderful submarine electrical boat was
looked upon as the outgrowth OF won
derfully imaginative mind. To-day
such a boat would not be much Of
novelty. So rapid has been the growth
Of inventions TO utilize this wonderful
force that we have long since ceased to
be surprised at them, and electrical
contrivances that short while ago
would have been laughed to death il
suggested are now of common nsa. And
yet we are but on the threshold of
electrical discovery.
The introduction of cheap electrical
power is destined to effect permanent
modification OF existing industrial con-
ditions. When power can be brought
to the very home of the artisan, so that
instead of breathing the vitiated air OF
an ill-ventilated factory he can do his
work under improved social and SAM
tary conditions, a new impulse will be
given to mechanical invention which
will give widespread results. Already
the electric motor has bean used to run
the sewing machines Of girls employed
in glove making in their own homes.
1t is found that the girls not only do
better work but more Of it, and with
less fatigue than formerly, while there
is a marked improvement in their
health. The health of the employees
in large workshops is now being
vastly improved by the use OF
the electric light, and the chief in
spector of factories in Great Britain has
lust published some statistics which are
likely to lead to further investigation OF
the subject. In a comparison Of the
temperature of a wool combing shed
when lighted during twenty-four hours
by electricity and gas respectively, it
was found that the electric light gave
an average temperature Of 95 degrees,
against the los degrees Of gas. AS may
be imagined, the difference in tempera-
ture was followed by corresponding
Improvement in health, and the absence
of deleterious gases conduced further
to the endurance and comfort of the
workmen. Another instance OF this
kind is reported from Germany. In a
large hosiery factory lighted by cleo
tricity, out OF $50 men and women EN-,
ployed nine only were absent through
illness during the past year; before the
introduction of the electric light the
absentees through illness usually
amounted to more than double that
number. So many similar instance:
have been recorded Of late that pro
posal is now being seriously considered
with view to making the use Of the
electric light compulsory in all factories
where the manufacturing process re
ouires the employment Of artificial
light.
The experiments recently conducted
by Mr.. NIKoLA TESLA in New York fol
the purpose Of showing how our houses
can be electrically lighted by lamps will
one wire, or even with no wire at all
have produced great sensation in Eu
rope. Mr.. TESLA showed that GEIssLEI
tubes three feet long were converted
into brilliant beams Of light by being
held near coil or large sheet OF til
plate connected with pole Of an alter
mating machine, and he remarked tina
II he had time at his command to maxi
the necessary preparations he coult
have produced an electrical field capa
BILE Of lighting up the whole of the lee
ture hall By means of similar tubes sus
pended at intervals from the ceiling. l
is generally believed that the result
obtained by Mr.. TESLA will within
very short time lead to complete revo
luton in the artificial production o
light, and that we stand on the thres
hold Of discoveries even more startling
| and possibly more momentCus than tn