The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-08
The Great Electrician Takes a Peep
Into the Dim and Distant
sVHstc Future gtEis
Some OF the Very Startling
Things Which He Says
He Secs.
People May Talk Right Through the
Earth and tile World May he Rum
by Niagara.

Nikola Tosla's tfame among electricians
ranks quite as high as Edison's. although
he IL not 80 we'll known to the general pub
lie. For tho first time in his life he sub
mitted to An interview in New York the
other day and drew for the reporter some
startling visions of the future and the cleo
trical glories that are to be.
These are some OF the things that are
likely 10 happen: take. for Instance. Nj
agara." said Mr.. Tesla. THE force of this
waterfall 10 estimated at from 5000. 600 ia
5000. 600 horse power. Now. 1000. 600 horse
power economically directed would light
every lamp. drive every railroad. propsl
every ship, heat every store and produce
every article manufactured by machinery
in tho United States"
.esNoreover-upon this subject Mr.. Tesla
did not speak-hers ID from ]. 0O0,O 600 to e.
100000 horse power left to amuse the tour
ist. sas &trrf
e ut will not DO long," continued thu
MonteneRran wizard, ''bsfors We can trans
init this power by means of wires with the
alternating systsns over distances az great
as Thousand miles. I also believe the
time will come whom We shall Transmits that
energy without any wire.
1.-THE present methods Of producing light
are very wasteful. OF the energy Of coal
We only get about one-third per cent In
light in an incandescent lamp. Better re-
sults are obtained in the arc lamp. Eleo-
t~ricians are trying TO discover q moro EN-
Gent process of producing electricity from
coal, but I consider it more important to
apply our skill in discovering how TO trans
nit power from the waterfalls to any dis
lance, for then We would be able to obtain
enerRy without consuming any. material,
and the demand on our coal fields and for
ests for fuel would be removed"
One of the problems the solution Of
which Mr.. Tesla believes we are likely to
witness within a few years 10 the transmits.
sion Of intelligence to any distance without
connection. From present experimental
evidence it can be quito safely concluded"
said he. that an attempt to Transmit in
tellieible sounds through the earth from
here, for instance, to Europe, without any
cable. will succeed. It is a question whether
such a method would be available for ali
purposes. such, for instance, as the use to
which the commercial cable ia put. But one
thing is certain, We will be ablo to transmit
universal time all over the earth. and also
be able to send in the same way short mes
Baees from center to CENTER"
Mr.. Tesla thinks that the use Of ~eleotri-
city IL destined TO become all but universal.
Eventually even people OF very llm1t0d
means will be able to heat stoves, warm
water, cook. and in fact perform any ser
vice by electricity which may be, required
for domestic needs. The same wonderful
force can be applied to carriages. bioyo les,
and all kinds of vehicles. ut will Ger
~tainly," says Mr.. Tesla. 'be applied to row
boats. and will probably be so cheap that
any man Ia ordinary circum stances can
own a boat and propel 1t bv this means. It
would be a gloomy prospect indeed if This
great power were not to be usbd for the
benefit of the vast majority Of the human
race, but should be confined merely to the
wealthy"
In the course of the conversation the
great electrician spoke of the attractions
possessed by his profession for young men.
II consider electrical engineering a very
good profession for young men," said no.
''but ii is a profession which requi, 81 a
good deal Of talent. On account of the fas-
~cination connected with IL 1t draws TO its
ranks an intellectual class of young mon,
and to hold ones own 1t is necessary TO
possess sufficient talent to meet this oom-
petition"
Tesla, although now an American citizen
and duly proud of hia adopted country, is .
MonteneRran, having been born in a little
place called Smiljan, on the border country
of Austro-Hungary. He is now SO years of
age and has been in tho United States since
1884. For a while he worked with Edison.