Mohave County miner., 1895-04-13
The Electric Transmission Of Enerqy.

The complexion Of the world and thu
phs4es Of our existence, owing to the
sstonif hingly rapid progress in the arts
are under grave changes. The crudeI
animal powers are being put aside IN
favor Of mechanical ones. A few wears
ago ferry boats we're propelled across the
rivers about New York City by horse
power, as commemorated by Fitz Greene
Hslleck in one Of his poems. Today a
horse boat, as they we're called, would
appear as much Of an anomaly and as
archaic as q horse car will to our de.
scendants. The introduction OF the troll.
ley has almost abolished what was per.
haps the greatest single field for the em.
ployment of horses. And lately man
has found that he can, on a bicycle,
propel himself far better than any horse
can. The bicycle is possible simply be.
cause OF the mechanical perfection of the
machine. Coal Is now the great source
Of power. A ton Of coal represents eight
or ten thousand man power hours, and
perhaps over 1000 horse power hours.
1t can be produced for SO small price
that in the regions Of its production il is
the smallest element in the expense Of
power production. There would he lit.
lie choice in the Pennsylvania coal re-
sions between steam plant or water
power plant for the production Of power.
But given the power, the expense only
begins. The turbine or steam engine is
he first step that costs; the subsequent
'nes involving the distribution Of the
'ower require the expenditure of money
or their maintenance. Shafting and dis
rbution apparatus in general have to
,e kept mp, betting wears out. lubricatinp
material has to be used, buildings must
70 kept in repair, and the labor and ma.
erial charge for all thin counts up rapidly.
The phenomenal success OF the trolley
ys'em OF electric railroads is due to the
Electrical distribution Of power, and only
Incidentally to any cheapening in its
riginal production. II is perfectly true
hat steam can he produced more cheap
y in large than in email units, but the
oul of the trolley system is in the trolley
wire. A mechanical substitute for II,
md the only one in extensive use TODAY.
the caole in Its subway conduit. The
ontrast is simply between the two and
q the requisite capitalization 10 most
trikiDg. 1t is fair to say that electricity
epends for its greatest operations on it's
daptabilitv to -implify distribution OF
over. This being the field o. electric.
'y's triumphs, and field as yet imper-
'ctly explored, 1t would appear that 1t
'ould give great scope toexperiment TO and
lvention. The dynamo builder prides
imself on turning ont q generator OF |
inety eight per cent efficiency. The
lectric motor has its efficiency tested /
,st ss righteously. But how much do
70 hear of the efficiency of the trans. /
,ission processes? An immense quan.
ty OF power is lost between station gen.
rators and car motors on all trolley lines
nd between the station and consumers
electric lighting systems. The price
copper is 40 high that balance has to
Q struck between the interest charge
n conductors, and the loss incurred by
ifferent sizes in order to determine how
'rge or how small the conductors should
9. The problem 10 made more tantal-
ing by the fact that with high enough
otential small wires could transmit q
great power, while the
reat danger Of high potentials prohibits
,eIr use in most cases Accordingly,
,e process of producing power in stations
y the best steam plant, and of there
mechanical energy into elec.
ic energy with scarcely any loss, goes
q, and Is coincident with the transfnis.
WI VI pVWCt VvCt - CuOuN VI SCoiosouCCl
ign enough to destroy the original econ
my, which. at the same time, is a cir
nit Of high original cost and high inter-
1t charge. To reduce this cost the rails
re used as return, and branch cir.
lting Of the current follows, in some
ases TO the injury Of neighboring water
'ains and gas pipes. In nearly all cases
electric distribution, although the con-
nctors may he insulated, there 10 in
1itable waste and balancing Of inter.
It account on the original cost OF con-
nctors against the absolute waste Of
over. There is absolutely chance for
'me Of the greatest improvements yet
fected In the electrical science in the
evelopment Of radically new, or at
ast radically improved, system OF de-
vering electrical energy to the distant [
otor or lamp.-Minine Industry.