The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-23
ELECTRICITY ON TAP.
The Potent Fluid Now Handled
Like Any Merchandise.
Something About the Laws Which Con-
troll the Movements of the Won
derfuI Power r Currents 1T
Commercial Rates.

Electricity, once a plaything, then a
scientific study, is now a commercial
product. Twenty years ago electrical
energy was generated in the labora-
tory for experimental purposes by
few physicians as medicine of some
what questionable repute and in weak
currents by those who applied it to use
in the arts. From the cylinder of glass
or mastic, excited by friction to set
cork manikins or pitch balls a-dancing
to the dynamo that runs from one to
dozen powerful engines is long step,
but one that has been taken within
the memory of men who still call them
selves young.
Electricity as a commercial product
according to the New York sun. is to
those that deal in it as COMMONPLACE
an affair as eggs or butter The con-
ditions and cost of its production are
positively known, and the product may
be measured almost as the clerk with
his yardstick measures dry goods. You
may buy Your electricity by specific
quantities, and if you have the con-
veniences may, carry it home with you
as you would carry any other purchase.
1t can be sent to you by express or de-
Hvered by messenger, or it may be
served out over wire in measured
quantity, as gas and water are served
through pipes. All this seems mysteri-
Gus to those not technically educated,
because the electricity shops do not
count their product by dozens or meas
IRE it by yards and gallons, but use
Outlandish denomina tons and puz-
zling scientific nomenclature. Never
theless the shopkeepers are at home
with the mysterious timber thing in
which they deal. and they never stop
to think about its mystery, although
just beyond the small field which their
knowledge covers there lies an I'M
known area of conjecture
Electricity as d commercial product
and handy tool, applica ole to anyth
ing that mechanical power can accom-
plish, is thing approxima tely of only
the last ten years. Before that time
its cost made it mostly matter of
splendid practical possibilities. Now, |
with conditions given, a skilled cleo |
trician can estimate to a hair the cost |
of producing the amount of electricity |
necessary to yield a specified power. |
1t is chiefly a question of the cost of |
coal.
The existence of two simple laws |
makes electricity a practical power for |
doing the worlds work One is that |
when an armature is caused to rotate |
within the magnetic. field a current of (
is excited in the armature !
and may be taken up, carried out over
a wire, and returned to the place of /
beginning. This is what electricians |
call the law of the dynamo. The other
law Is that when current OF electrici-
" is passed through an armature in
closed within the magnetic field the
is caused To rotate. That is
what electricians call the law of the
motor. BY the first law current Of
is set up. and by the second
that current is enabled to establish
mechanical motion. When these two
laws became known the problem of
applying electricity 70 the world
work mainly needed for solution
only cheapening Of processes, such as
should make Il possible to produce
current at commercial rates Every
dynamo, whatever its form as regards
the communication of electric energy.
IS essentially an electro-magnet with
core of soft iron. the arInature inclosed
within the magnetic field. which is the
space between the two poles OF the
electromagnetic Every motor. what
ever its form. IS essentially the same
hing, with the core revolving under
me influence OF current from the dy-
lamo in accordance with the law Of
he motor. The core OF the DYNAMO.
evolving under the inference u the
magnetic field, IS shaft, the current
: the belt communicating
power 70 another shaft. the core of the
motor. X is this tr3nsfereuce Of power
y the invisible belt from the dynamo ,
% the motor that makes the trolley
airs run. the electrical engine revolve.
r any other mechanism perform IS
work under the influence Of electricity
hus generated The storage batter.
: simply an isolated reservoir OF cleo
rical energy, for the time being indie ,
'endent Of the generating source. as i
user Of water should prefer 10 FL a
ank in the top OF his house once q
week rather than 70 draw from faucets !
directly connected with TIE main
ource q supply.