Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-28
Observation-Disclosures.
what Has Been Done by steam-Whnt
Can lie Done by Electricity.
To he Editor of The Dispatch

To he Editor Of the DisDdtch:
The subject of high speed and long-dis-
lance transmission OF electrical power, as
editorially mentioned by you several times
lately. is receiving considerable attention
from electricians and inventors. AZ 1t
NAV be of interest TO some of your readers
| will briefly give what has been accom-
plished thus far, from which 1t Will be
seen that the day Is not far distant when
the electric locomotive will be doing what
Stevenson, the inventor of the steam To-
comotive. was called fool for saying II
(the steam locomotive could never DO
that is. TO travel 100 miles per hour:
A road was constructed near Baltimore
two years ago. and experiments made with
an electric car running between timber
guides. These experiments demonstrated,
with a properly reconstructed track, speed
of 100 miles per hour with safety could be
had. The details of this system are now
being worked out on road near New
York, constructed on "a much larger scale
than the one at Baltimore, and under
stand with prospects OF practical results
EIGHTY MILES PER HOUR.
The writer not long ago was employed
by a capitalist to inspect and report upon
the construction and performance OF re-
cently-invented steam high-speed railway
use of electricity on the same principle.
Bv observations made of the train in
passing over measured distance. time
being taken with stop watch, the rate OF
eighty miles per hour was developed with
the greatest ease and safety over track
with heavy grades and sharp curves.
The lateral oscillations at this rate were
q great deal less thar is now experienced at
twenty miles per hour on the very best
standard steam roads. 1t was demon
strateG by calculations and reported that
bv the use of electric motors of the proper
construction there was no reason why 100
miles per hour with perfect safety could
not be had, and possibly 100.
LONG DISTANCE TRANSMISSION.
An electric road OF considerable length
ia now being built on this principle, and
its successful operation is looked for with
great interest not only on account of Its
electrical features, but the construction OF
the track. which is entirely different from
ANYTHING now in use. The long-distant Q
TRANSMISSION in Germany OF the power OF
a waterfall by means Of alternating electric
currents from 10000 to 10000 volts teiec-
trio pressure). with loss OF only 20 per
cent. a distance of 1l2 miles. from Laufen
to Frankfort, is considered the electrical
event of 1891, and the Electrical Engineer
of New York wisely SAYS " may well claim
high place among modern feats or en-
cheering" Great Niagara at last, after
untold centuries of idleness, is 10 he made
to serve the will of man. A company IS
now constructing works for this purpose,
aud it is said proposition has been made
to transmit electric power TO chicago.
HARNESS The JAMES.
IL we would only harness the vast
amount of power that We daily see run.
ming TO waste i'll our own noble James and
convert il into electrical energy, what a
boom Light. power, and heat so cheap
that we could use them both night and
day as the average citizen now does water
TO the detriment OF those on the high
points and the vexation of our genial SUI
perintendent Of Water Works 1t can
safely be said the day Is not far distant
when we will be enjoying all these great
comforts and blessings.
MANY MILLION TINES PER SECOND.
Another remarkable discovery III cleo
tricity during the past year, which has
caused the most intense interest IN scion-
tifc circles both in America and Europe,
is that of Mr.. Nikola Tesla. now cele.
brated electrician that came 10 this coun-
try "A few years ago from Austria Hungary.
Mir. Tester has succeeded in producing an
alternating current vibrating many million
times per second.
The practical results that are looked fol-
by this discovery is III a method of electric
| lighting, which Will revolutlonize the
present processes.
At the meeting of the America Institute
of Electrical Engineers Mr.. Tesla described
and repeated his experiments. | saw the
large hall lit by specially prepared mean
descent lamps that had no connection by
wire with source of electricity, which
were handled and carried around Just the
same as we now do coal-oil lamp. There
are many other uses, which at present are
not suspected, that TINS discovery may
lead to, besides the vast field of heat and
power.
How far this discovery is capable Of prac.
tical application the future will tell.
Altogether. it looks as If the power OF
electricity would thus be enhanced to a
degree fairly marvellous in its extent.
4 l.. i