The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-10
PROFESSOR BLAKE's LECTURE.


The tenth lecture of the university ex-
tension course was given by Professor
Blake in the board of trade rooms last night
to very large audience which shows that
the people of Wichita are taking a deep
interest on the important subject of
Electricity"
The lecturer entered a new field and for a
time seemed wholly devoted to familiar
chemical illustrations. The uuicn of
hydrogen and oxygen was taken as an
example of chemical affinity and when
Professor spoke of two atoms of dydro-
gen and one OF oxygen and used the ex-
preston "Three's a Crowd" A popular
young society lady looked at her escort
and blushed almost audibly.
just as the audience begun showing
that they understood all that WAS being
said the confident look vanished as the
eectro-motiye force of polarization was
evolved from the well-known chemical
experiments. He said that when scien
fists knew very little about electricity
they gave the name polarization to several
phenomenon which did not deserve it.
He said that even now wien you
don't understand a thing it is safe to call
it electricity or magnetism and no one can
easily contradict it.
In the decomposition of water there is
a constant moving or wandering of the
atoms of oxygen and hydrogen as the
water is decomposed and the old Greek
word Ion" meaning wanderer is used
To decompose water requires l. Al volts
and to show how the figures are obtained
tina1lry n Ia
given.
In this case, as in several preceding
ones, the audience expected that his
simple formula would be anything but
simple. This formula consisted of multi
plying decimal three-quarters of yard
long by one yard and quarter long and
that by another yard and one-eigh,h
long. 1t is very simple of course for Prof.
Blake says it is.
The striking feature of the evening
was the projection on the screen
of glass tank containing solution of
sugar of lead with two electrodes connect
ed with the city current. The gradual
forming of lead crystals on the one cleo
trode WAS as silent and mysterious as the
growth of a flower, and as the delicate
fern like branches grew on the screen a
bush fell on the audience and for the first
time in the whole course Professor Blake
remained silent for a few minutes.
The beautiful figures coming into sym
metrical form out of colorless liquid APP
pealed to the eye as well as the understand
ing. The deposit of lead consisted of
perfect lead crystals. This is the basis of
the electro plating and electrotyps indus
try of today.
The present kiuetic theory of liquids is
that the molecules are in a constant state
OF wandering around in the fluid and
atoms and moiocu les are aptly termed
"tramps"
These tramp molecules and atoms serve
a more useful part than is served by their
human namesakes, for they are important
in the solution of light without wires.
After stating that there was no such
thing as "A dry battery, he proceeded TO
dissect one and showed that the fluid was
simply held in place by sawdust.
Edisons meter was explained as device
by which the weight OF zinc deposited by
a small part of the current gave the
measurement of the current used
The various forms Of storage batteries
were IA p4daAct4 ana tnS AaSS tIaStE-i
that they did rot have auy electricity in
them. Chemical changes were made in
lead plates by passing current Of elite
tricity through them and this chemical
change could be used TO produce 4 new
current when wanted.
He pronounced the best storage battery
q commercial failure ut tie present owing
to great weight Of lead plates and their
rapid deterioration. The Wiakler battery,
a new one using ceIiuloid plates, may oe
more economical
ELECTRICITY pes Of silver dollar we-epassed
through the room and examined By the
audience.
TIE world famed experiments
OF Tesla, who has usei electric
lights without a wire sui done other mar
velous thinss will be explained and Illus
trated next Friday.
To miss the uexr two lectures viii be 70
miss the most daring lights man has ever
made into the higher Tralfns ot electricity,
where The electric fo<cs seems To pai~ate
with The divine intelligence sad the iiSif
can be dimiy seen through TIE portals ss
tween tie here aad tue nrr-sftes-
Harry Hstton professional tramp wao
has been ualeF arrest here ssYesil t.tn=,.
was rua IN last uiSht Tor lnirer!us x au5-
lie pIac=s- Hattou = but listie more taaa
= boy. but Will no. wo.k and wouid raia1z