Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-22
IN AN ELECTRIC LABORATORY.
Marvels That Nikola Tesla'S Visitors
Saw the Other Night

Millions of volts of electricity were
harnesSed the other night in Nikola
Tesla laboratory and turned into the
plaEthlng OF Hen and women. The oc-
caSion waS1a reception given the men,
bers of the American Electro Tbera-
peutie association by Mr.. Tesla, saws
4 New York paper.
First was exhibited the machine for
generating electricity. invented by Mr..
Tesla. This machine looks something
like an ordinary turning lathe, and
with it a perfect control can he had
over the vibrations of the electrical
current. The velocity of the movement
is such that a shadow extending al
most two inches from either end of
the bar causes an appearance like the
bar itself
After this had been explained every
pody was instructed to join circle
around a table which looked like an
ordinary dining room article. but was
heavily bound with wires. A wooden
frame, SNAPPED like the letter Q. with
bars across it and fitted with metal
covered handles, connected with a
band of wire around the frame WAS
handed August Goelet, Mr.. Tesla's AS
sistant, with instructions TO stand off
a distance Of about four yards and
hold it out horizontally toward the
table. One of the workmen turned ON
the current connecting with the wires
around the table and Mr. Goelet
danced uneaSily OIL the floor, Then
the others tried it and found that
when the frame was pointed toward
the table in Il certain direction strong
current of electricity was felt. Mr..
Tesla explained that the ele, tricity of
the air was in a certain plane or stra-
tum of atmosphere, and unless the
frame was poised at the proper dis
lance from the floor the electricity
could not be felt. This was fully dem
onStra ted.
Mr.. Tesla then took Il similar frame
made of thick wire, and to which was
attached small incandescent light
globe. The electricity passed through
the atmosphere from the table to the
frame held by Mr.. Tesla and the light
burned brightly. The experimental
thoroughly demonstrated his ability to
make an electrical connection through
the air at a distance of several feet
A change was then effected in the
experiments. In one corner of the
room stood large cylinder wrapped
with wire. This cylinder attracted the
electricity from the wire around the
room and several glass vacuum tubes
placed in juXuta-pOsition looked like
bars of white-hOt steel. These tubes
flashed brilliantly in che hands of Mr..
Tesla and his assistants as they made
fantastic motions with them. To those
who handled them Mr.. Tesla stated
that they had received Il current OF
about 1000 volts.
Two dozen guests were then intro
duced into the front room. To each
one was give one of the long glass
vacuum tubes The door was shut, so
that not a particle of light was ad-
mitted, and then Mr.. Tesla said: you
will now have the opportunity of re.
ceiying 100000 volts, with vibrations
of about 10000 per second"
One young man hastily stepped to
hat.
con" called m. Tesla. There was a
Earring aud whirring sound. Those
who held the glass tubes flashed them
in the electric current planes of at
mosphere and walked around the
room. An immense cable carrying the
current was suspended from the cell
ing, and two black balls about the
size of pumpkins were hung in the two
front corners of the room. There was
a dazzling display of white and blue
lights, and the faces of the participants
were touched with a CHASTITY hue.
There was not the slightest incon-
venience from the current. Tingling
could be felt in the muscles of the
feet and legs, and in the wrists and
arms to a slight extent. A strange
feeling of exhilara ton possessed every
one, and the muscular tissues seemed
enervated and more. sensitive to the
touch.