Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-06-23

4XONe
pipes. It looks like hopeless confusion
down here among these hundreds of pipes
but as a matter of fact all is order, and
every pipe and every jet is under control OF
the operators. There is one valve which
controls all h water, and there are Other
valves which control individual pipes.
Automatic safety valves cut off the supply
If the pressure rises above 101 pounds.
Here is a pipe three inches in diameter
which the man in charge tells us supplies
the central composite or geyser. Its duty
is to throw n mighty stream $50 to 17s
feet in the air, the central figure of the
water creation. Another pipe serves the
seven smaller jets which surround this
central nozzle and through which slender
streams are so thrown that high in the all
they mingle gracefully with the LARGE,
one. Still another pipe supplies what is
known as the central ring' Of eighty-fou1
jets surrounding the geyser. Each OF
these streams is fve-eighths of an inch in
diameter. There is an outer circle com.
posed of twenty-four jets, and Jesse,
streams within independent of those al
ready mentioned) numbering forty-twc.
Finally, there are the jets so arranged as
to throw series of slender streams in ming
ling punches, called "wheat sheaves." The
number of these is twelve, and as each is
composed of 116 jets the total number OF
streams required for their production is
1892. In each fountain there are, there.
fore, 1,549 jets, and the two fountains to-
getther have the grand total of 3,O9s waite,
xNcYtk saatt we know in a general way how
the water is thrown let us see what they
do with the electric current. If you count
the number of metal bells or hoods which
project through the platforms and are tt
be seen in the day time when the fountains
are not playing, you will see there are nine
teen of them in each fountain. Each OF
these hoods is the center Of a system Of
Jets, and under each is q s%ehrch-light OF
100000 candle-power, the powerful rays Of
which are projected upward through 9
glass partition, the jet of water and along
the course of the stream as it mounts in the
air and then falls back again.
This is easily understood. But how de-
they introduce the color ~effects2 This
operation, also, is very simple. By each
search-light stands q six-leafed fan ar
rangenent attached to an upright spindle
Each leaf, which is of glass, has a different
color. One is red, another green, q third
blue, a fourth green, a fifth sea-green, 8
sixth ruby. The operator may throw or
any one OF these %colors, which is instantly
reflected through the stream and in every
drop Of spray or particle of mist overhead
He may cause the fan to revolve and thus
change the colors with kaleidoscope
rapidity. He may paint one set of streams
in red and another in ruby. He may sur
round a red and vivid central palm with S
circlet Of dozen golden wheat sheaves.
He may cause n column of water to RISE
in a bust of sea-green, and burst into 8
shower of rubies. Do you begin to GRASP
the wonderful possibilities of this beauty.
making device2 Do you wonder that We
who have seen it are enthusiastic in itt
praise2
How many combinations are possible
with this magic factory If you care te
figure it, work out the Formulation Of
twenty-six, the old problem which used te
appear in our arithmetics as the humble,
Of combinations possible in the English
alphabet. You may remember working
for days and days at this mathematical
task, covering reams of paper with you,
figures, only to discover at the end ont
little error early in the process had thrown
you several billions out of the way. With
nineteen lamps and seven colors Qnclusiv,
Of white produced clear and dazzling
through ground glass; there are somany
possible combinations in this device that {
row of figures two inches long would no
express their number.
Nor Is this all. The valves in the waite
mains and distributing pipes are 30 ar
ranged the pressure can be projected" o
''pulsated'-the streams throwniwith sud
den force, like the bursting Of fireworks
or be made intermittent in their action
These movements add vastly to the effects
Energy measured at 1000 horse power pro
'vides the light, 5000 horsepower tn
pressure Of water and a quarter Of q mill
Ion dollars the appliances with which thi
unparalleled delight to the eye is pre
duced.
From this description of thu plact, mel
ger and imperfect as it is, the reader wi
easily understand that when these tw
fountains are playing in the most gloriou
scene ever contrivcd by man-the palace
surrounded, a~rt-gemmed, electric-dit
moned central court-the scene rivals
magnifccnce ones brightest dreams Of
sste day in the golden city of the hereaftc
WALTER WELLMAN.