The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-11-02
Electricity Without Wires.

In the opinion OF leading electricians one |
of the next great steps forward in electrical
will be the doing away with
wires for the transmission of electricity.
Our present methods for the transmission
of electric energy are he'll to be'org TO a
primitive stage Of the science. All the
paraphernalia of wires. poles, etc, that are
now necessary, are regarded as crude. .clum'
sy and.wasteful; belonging TO a period OF
development corresponding to that in th.
growth of child where it cannot walk
without support. In the coming period all
necessity for these things will be done
away with, and the methods for the trans
mission Of the marvellous energy that has
been harnessed TO DO the workof the world
will be as invisible as the flow of the fluid
Itself. The harness ~ill disappear, and
Ariel will do his subtle service with no
outward token OF his existence save in the
effects produced. That such will be the
case is held by electricians to be no wild
fancy. Men like Dolbeare, Thomson and
Tesla look forward 10 it with confidence
a confidence which would seem to be justi-
fed by the TACT that, TO limited extent, It
feasibility has already been demonstrated.
And, when the theoIcctical soundness OF
any proposed method has once been demon
sirated. Its prae;icability is pretty certain TO
follow. Experience with the more famil-
lar forces has accustomed US to look for
tangible insirumentsliliss as necessity in
the transmission of sny power. We see
that water cannot be carried except in
something to hold it, as iu pipes, and in the
same way we think it must be necessary 10
have wires for conducting electricity. But
the fed In which electricity operates be-
longs 10 an entirely different realm from
that where osher mechanical forces work.
Water power proceeds from the operation
of liquid upon solids, and steam and wind
powers from gaseous substance upon solids.
Blu, the field of electricity is in the mys,sri-
Gus element Of the ether-an element thai
is as material as the others In a manner
pervading as wei! as enfoldlng all othe
substances, but In itself absolutely iniangi
BILE to our sepses, and known only by III,
effects which It produces, or in the proiuc
ton of which It FERNS the medium.
While sound is transmitted in the air
light and heat, as well as electricity, ar,
transmitted in the ether, and the laws gov
erning them have been discovered 10 be tn
identical So. for the transmission OF elec
trical eaergy only the medium Of the eths
IL essential, and how to utilize this medium
directly, without the Intervention or othe
} conducting agencies, will Le the great tasl
of the future for electricians. Elec.Iica
. impulses Impaired to the ether may be Con
veyed to al Indefinite distance. The ca
paeity to receive and transmit them depend
upon the delica=y Of the instrument Vsed
With a MECHANISM sufficiently rrsPosive,
is conceivable that such impulses might
received between distances as far apart a
the ends of the earth. The fishes Of III
aurosa borsalis, sweeping instantly froE
horizon to zeaith, give Us an i5e4 of th
yss;ness Of space Shich such impulses ma
be made to cover. The telephone has be
mire, and ia the same way telegraph
communication has been carried on over
distance of several nA.s. [ Is only nece
ary to sys' 'emaiiz= these methods TO app /
'hem in regular practise
II seems probable that the transmits 10
of intelligence without wires will be th
: first result IN this direction, and that th
Transmission of light, hea, and power vi
follow. The saving will be somethin
immense. The operation 9f the mechanisI
employed for these purroses will Probabi
be analogous 10 that Of tuning forks ,wher
one responds 10 the vibrations Sc. up in ar
other. With dyuamos running at a Ger
tain fitch, electric lights. beating appara
tus and motors at a distance. a,tuned I
thai pitch, will Be set IN operation. Tn
The economy Of such system would nat
uralIy be immense. The supply of elec
tricity from a central station Is at preseu
wasteful method. on account of the COS
of the copper wire necessary to conduct it
The interest on the cost of this portion {
the plant forms one OF the greatest item
Of expense in the transmission Of electric
: ity from a central station. 1t IL, therefor,
D much more economical, in cases whei
: many lights are used, 10 depend upon a
4 isolated plant in the building itself tha
: upon a supply from central station. BI
) with the use of wires dispensed with, tn
D generation of electricity at central sta
c tion, where fuel could be concentrated an
Il converted into energy on large seal,
r would naturally be the most economic.
for the entire community. The increase
the standard of living, and IN the world
, wealth, consequent upon the decreased COZ
. OF such a system, would be inestimable. =
Boston Herald.
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