San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-08-28
ELEoTR1c1TY's EcuENTR1c1TIEs
The Rebellious Currents in the Com
merce Building Tanned at Last

Inc RIDICULOUS currents IN Inc OOm-
merce Building Tanned at Last
A month or so ago electricity
was introduced into the Chamber
of Commerce building to run the
elevators. The subtle fluid soon
became too familiar with the ten
ants Of the building and some of
the members Of the Exchange.
For some reason it would not stay
confined, but was given to wander
ing around and playing pranks
that proved startling as we'll as
surprising TO the individuals who
were objects of its attention. The
electrical expert who had placed
the motors in position, the line
men who had carefully erected the
aerial cables, the engineer of the
building, President VIM. g. Boyd
and Secretary George H. Morgan
made mum berless inspections to
find the place or places where the
fluid might escape, but to no avail.
Besides shocking individuals,
some of the employees asseverated
most positively that they occa-
sionally would witness streaks of
blue flame shoot from some fixture
of iron along the tessallated pave
ments. The elevator boys once in
a while would feel the presence of
the monster without ocular proof.
Besides wandering about loose.
tripping up unsuspecting parties,
so to speak, the current would neg
lect business in fact became lazy.
1t would refuse to carry up more
than three or four persons at a
time in the cab, and if the engineer
and expert would come and nose
around, the confined monster
would hiss, throw out a blue
breath or feet long, rupture its
confines and refuse to work alto
gether. This occurred so often that
a printed sign had to be placed at
the door of each elevator entrance,
bearingsthe inscription, Elevator
not running" Then the expert and
the engineer would consume sew
eral hours in coaXing the current
to stop fooling and to attend to
business. At least, that is the way
it appeared to the mind Of the lay
man, who would then profanely
turn away and seek the steps,
while the expert would replace
burned-out fuses, hunt for short
circuits and the like. That the
current acted queerly for several
weeks is admitted by the parties
in charge, and the appearance of
so many TROUBLES" was puZZling
to them, to say the least. Excessive
drop in voltage was remedied, then
faulty parts in the machinery
were removed and perfect ones
substitute yet the trials and tribu-
lations of the electrical and en-
cheering force were not at an end
the monster was not submissive
and would discover means to worry
the people who tried to control it,
at the same time putting up
enough of devilment to make the
outside public frequently forget
"puts" and "calls" in twinkling
Of an eye.
There are four huge electric ele-
vators in the newly constructed
commercial temple, to each of
which is attaced a forty horsepower
motor. The energy is obtained
from North st. Louis power sta
ton, and conveyed on several cir
cults, the cables of each being Of
the thickness of a mans wrist.
Yesterday afternoon President
w. &. Boyd and Secretary G. H.
Morgan made the announcement
that the current had been disci-
plined at last, and is now as docile
and harmless as the naiad who
towers on top of the Scudder foun-
tain on the floor Of the Exchange.
They also said that tomorrow
morning the two elevators in the
rotunda of the building would be
put in commission, so that the four
elevators would be run hereafter
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