Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-21
TALK ON ELECTRICITY.
PROP JOHN De NOTE ENTERTAlNS A LARGE
GATHERING AT TIE Y.M.GA,
TIE Question Of The Unseen Power Ably Handled
A Series Of Pleasing and Comprehensive
Pictures Thrown on the Canvas
Some Experiments

Another In the always interesting
series Of lectures given by the y. NJ. c.
A, took place in the Assembly Hall
last evening, the speaker being Prof.
De Motte, O, Chlcago, who lectured in
an easy aud entertaining manner upon
Electricity, its Nature and Possi6I!i-
ties" Notwithstanding the cold Of last
night there was quite a large attend
ance and the hall was completely filed.
The speaker had lectured the night be-
fore ~ some place In Ohio. and yester-
dav encountered s. railroad accident
while en- route 70 this city, which de-
layed him considerably. He was obliged
10 20 on the platform without supper
nor had he eaten any dinner. As 10 re-
ouired some little time 20 adjust the
apara,us, 10 was neariy half past eight
before the lecture was commenced. The
speaker started out by speaking OF three
most commonly used forces, vino, steam
aad water, and showed wherein they
were ia a measure defective in that
electricity embodied 10 all. Wind Is too
capric.ouS 10 turn 20 Commercial! advdn-
tage, water you have not always on the
scene, and steam does not always repre-
sent the force expended 20 generate Dc
lie said that in the ordinary steam en-
CINE oftentimes 50 60 90 per celt OF the
force was wasted 20 make the engine
run, lie predicted that the days Of the
steam engine arc numbered, and the
sooner those localities where heat IS a
matter OF considerable expense. We
little thought thirty years ago that we
would ever be applying this force OF
electricity 90 the propeliinS or cars, 10
fact, they would almost have thought
you crazy 10 have suggested such
an idea. But to-day we
are prUpellnS street ears at
the rate Of thirty miles an hour, aud
the contract is now let In the ueigh0or-
hood Of Chicago for the construction OF
an electric road that will carry cars at
the rate of 12Omiles an hour
Prof. De Motto then took bis hearers
back into the early history of China aud
Greece, and showed by tradition and
authenticated history now electricity
was discovered aud utilized in a crude
way i'm those days. 10 has been known
for centuries that such q force rs elec-
tricity existed, aad 10 has been utilized
10 various ways for scores Of years, bat
Il has taken science nifty years 70 dis
cover wherein it can be used "a pro-
pe!ling power for street cars and other
such devices.
The speaker said Que often heard OF
applying electricity nowadays for differ
-F -f hnF A -fr f1H
his hearers 20 apply this wonderful
force with the moss extreme caution,
and under the most skilled hands. IL
should be used only as an experiment,
as if wrongly applied, paralysis or some
other adlctl0n is likely % result. One
often hears OF the electrical girls in
Dime Museums, advertised 10 be
charged by nature with this occult
force, and that when you shake hands
with her you receive q shock. Now, /
ahave never visited any OF these Dime
Museums TO find out about these mat
ters, but you can rest assured it is ac-
cOmplishod through some mechanical
triCSery.
Accompanying the lecture was Sc
ries OF StereOpticaa pictures, thrown on
a large canvas, Illustrating some early
scenes in the discovery OF electricity,
and also some practical tests Of to-day,
like the telegraph and telephone. One
OF the most interesting experiments OF
the evening was the view OF tho sound
waves thrown on the canvas. A large
white light square Ia shape, was
thrown on the canvas. The white
light represented a certain chemical
film, back OF which the operator, who
was In the rear o. the room, sang and
played difereut instruments. making
series OF symmetrical figures on the
canvas, showing how the various
sounds would cause the figures 10
change A wire ran from the
speakers stand to the operator, and by
touching spring, be was enabled 20
work the telegraph instrument ia front
Of the calcium light, throwing il on the
screen with excellent effect. At times
the entertainment almost partOOk of
legerdemain. and was witnessed with
much pleasure.
1t did not appear az all times that the
speaker was Ciinging Startlingly close 70
the subject, as he az times appeared 20
be wandering a long ways from cleo
tricity. The lecture, on the whole, was
quite interesting.