The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-09
ELECTRICITY FROM RUBBISH.
A New French Invention That May Solve a
Difficult Problem

Difficult Problem
The satisfactory disposal of the rubbish
and refuse of cur Large towns has for years
occupied the close attention Of engineers
and sanitarians alike, and various modes
OF dealing with the problem have been ad-
vocated and carried into practice, while
the statement furnished by reliable Stats
tics that London alone produces no fewer
than !, 500 600 tons of refuse per annum
affords our readers some adequate idea Of
the magnitude and importance of the diff
flcalty TO he grappied with by local and
municipal bodies. Conveyance of the ref
use TO the sea has been prscticed with sue
| cess, but such mode is obviously too cost
" for towns not on the sesiboard and IN
der these circumstances the adoption Of
the cremators in which the rubbish is
wholly consumed by fire, has come more
and moro into favor, so that at the pres
ent moment the majority of the principal
cities are either constructing or about to
construct the new refuse cremator. Hith-
erto the cremator has been deemed a nui-
sance and an Improbable though .necessa-
~ burden TO the taxpayers, but changes
are now in progress which may turn even
the Cremator to useful account
Much hest il evolved in the destruc-
ton of the refuse, and the idea is gain
ing ground that such heat may be
largely and advantageously utilized in the
production Of steam power and electricity,
instead of being permitted TO run 10 waste.
The production of a furnace suitable for
the most economical combustion Of all
kinds of refuse has necessarily required
much time ana skill, and it was only after
% years of close application 10 the problem
that the late NJ Fountain de Livet,
French engineer, succeeded in securing a
powerful natural draft in furnaces with
out artificial means, and in consuming
rubbish without smok or no1ious fumes
OF any kind.
II is OF course hardly necessary TO add
one word OF caution in regard 10 the in
vention. 1t Is NOS TO be assumed that be
cause rubbish is burned the electricity
necessarily costs absolutely nothing The
cost of plant, distribution Of power and
many other expenses must not be lost sight
of, TO say nothing of the labor expended
in collecting the refuse. Allowing. how
ever, for all this, IL is quite clear that an
invention which rids the community Of q
great nuisance, and does 50 without Great
ing further one IN the shape Of noxious
fumes and smoke. and at the same tins
turns to good account the heat generated,
must confer benefits on the community az
large, and that the keen interest aroused
in she new adaptation Is amply warranted
by the sound economic principles on which
il is based. --Chambers' Journal
Perhaps OF all things Daniel Webster
when a boy loved best was TO read aloud
He never remembered when he first began
TO read. but as a very tiny boy ne read the
newspaper regularly 10 an old British sol
der Who used 10 carry him about on his
shoulder. one day the schoolInaster offer
ed prize OF a iackknife 70 the boy VINO
could learn the greatest number Of Bible
verses, whereupon the next morning Dan
lei got up and rapidly spoke of 50 many
TerSes Silar The master had 10 beg him 10
STOP and Hronnrly n7esenued the knife