New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-31
DISCOVERED THE METHOD.

futurs trouble various schemes have been pro-
posed to the Health Department. After many pre-
limnarv tests the department has given a qullrl'd
Endorsement to one Of which Commissioner Edison
speaks highly.
As already reported in The Tribune. this process
depends upon the electrolysis OF salh" S"'u'lo''
which after being subjected To the action OF
powerful electric current, IL added to a pollu'eu
stream feeding the aqueduct. The application OF
elect ricv on so large a scale this To IN" prop
lens OF sanitation Is a new thinS IN" process
as described a reporter for The Irlbul" II s"H'
thing Ike this: The electrolytc that Is. the hld
which is operated upon by electricity - either sea
water where II be easily obtained or as
substitute. fresh water in which three per cent OF
common salt has been dissolved The action Of III"
electric current. in the Woolf process. II ls SAID
is 10 convert sodium chloride In other w"rds t'
salt into a hypochlorlte This means that th'
union OF chlorine and sodium Is broken and ne"
compound is formed which contains both these ele-
ments joined in certain fixed proportion To
oxygen IL is understood that the presence OF
some other chemical in the solution facilitates 'h'S
process When water IL used aS the elecuoS'e'
other chloridcs and bromides are also present an"
undergo under elcctroysis. a similar transforma-
ton.
Like chlorine the hypochlorIte OF sodium Is an
active disinfectant Just what the chemical re-
action is chemists not agreed upon Dut III"
effect on organic impurities IS supposed 10 De
something like this: on account Of The strong
affinity OF chlorine for hydrogen In the presenc"
of organic matter. the hvpochorites are h"c"W-
posed. The organic matter Is also broken up III
mar, al least into rs elements Chlorine ~ SET
free and enters into new combinations when ARE
,nnocuOus and ozone gas, pOw"riW oNiii@'"h
agent is generated. In actual practice, IL Is sald
the various chemical reactions mentioned occur al
the same time and instantaneously The electro
Iyte is supplied from "a storage tank with capacl-
-, ~ 2Oo gallons Elcirolysis takes place In tn"
smaller tank which holds 100 gallons The elec-
troles rest on the bottom OF the clectroiyZhb
tank Seven plates used. branches OF the posi-
tive and negative poles alternating. The electric
current IS supplied by n dynamo capable ot fur-
nishing 200 amperes at a potential Of I'VE volts
| The dynamo is operated 10y fifteen horse power
engine
The elcctrolyte flows into the smaller tank no
faster than IL can he acted upon by the current
and flows Of through another pipe. TO the stream
which is to be purified. bubbles OF ozone ana
| chlorine appear the surface Of the positive
nl.,es and pass of into the water Of the tank
hydrogen bubbles rise to the top OF the water
| and escape
| AT the experiment station In Brewsters the pipe
leading from the clectrolyzng tank empties INTO a
brook a little below sewer. To this strehm
| with a daily flow OF forty million gallons 2i0"
aiion. of the disnfecting fluid supplied daily
| rb. cost Commissioner Edison says. independent
Of the first cost OF the plant. IL about ten cents
| per thousand gallons.
| Albert T. Woolf. the discoverer OF the new dis
| injecting process comes Of talented family Ills
| father Edward Woof now dead. was the first
! person TO publish illustrated periodical In this
| country one OF his brothers, Benjamin T.. Wooif
| &c the author OF the Mighty Dollar" in which
William j. Florence starred 80 many years. Another
| brother Michael a. Woof. is an artist whose
| humorous sketches well known.
| Albert T. woolf was born in this city In 1916.
| While engaged in the feather trade he followed an
| early bent for chemistry. and discovered cheap
method of bleaching black feathers by the use OF
| peroxide OF hydrogen. Other inventions and dis
| coveries made by him include the Woolf storage
| battery automatic car coupler. and a chlorin-
| alton process for the reduction OF the precious
| metal As artist Mr.. Woolf has done some
creditable work in modelling in bass-relief includ
| ing n head OF General Grant which has been cast
in bronze and placed In accordance with the wishes
| ~ General Grants family In the cottage at
| Mt McGregor where ne died. OF late years Mr.
| Woolf has devoted himself to the study OF cleo
| tricity.
| likes TO speak OF his work for publication. After
| repeated unsuccessful attempts. Tribune re-
| norter cornered him at last and the electrician
| surrendered at discretion. He asked to give
| the history OF his discovery.
| when I first made my storage battery" he re-
| p,ied II discovered the presence OF peroxide OF
| hydrogen In the cell when the plates over
| charged. Knowing the value OF this bleaching
agent I gegan to experiment with the object OF
| nerfecting. II possible electrical process for
| bleaching. After long experimentation | finally
dropped the use Of the storage battery for these
purposes because many OF the volatile gases lib
Grated in the process lost In oxidizing the
positive plate
with a firm conviction that electricity could 40
| mi. work. l started in new direction. deter
\ mined to try the decomposition by electrolyss OF