The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-05

OF ALUMINIUM BY
ELEcTRoLYsIs-One of the first uses to
which the current generated at the large
Niagara Falls electric plant has been put
is the manufacture of aluminium from
bauxite by electrolysis. What the value
of such a source of electric current may
be to factories in the neighborhood of
Niagara to say nothing of those at dis
lance, is suggested by the fact that al
though the present aluminium works are
constructed to produce 5000 pounds of
pure aluminium day, the complete sue
cess of the electrolytic process has con-
WINGED the management that the doubling
of the resources of the factory by its means
is comparatively simple matter. More
pots are to be put in as rapidly as possible,
until 10000 pounds of the pure metal,
worth in small quantities so cents pound,
is being turned out daily. The process is
described as follows: Pots containing
oxide of aluminium, or alumina, which is
to be changed into pure aluminium, are
arranged in long rows in large reduction
room. Each pot is lined with carbon,
the lining forming the negative
ele ctrode in the process of reduction.
The positive pole consists of a row
of copper rods, terminating in huge
carbon anode, which extend into the pot.
The oxide, in a pulverized state, looking
very much like flour, is placed in the pot,
the carbon anodes extending through the
mass and the current, carried by great
copper rods through the entire length of
the rows of pots, is turned on. The cleo
tricity is allowed to do its work for twenty
| four hours, after which the pure aluminium
| is drawn out and cast into ingots. By the
new process the aluminium which is sepa-
| rated from the ore by the action OF the
electricity, and the fuxes used to facilitate
melting accumulate about the negative
electrode, which in this case is the carbon
lined bottom of the pot. The ingenuity of
this arrangement is evident. The ire
| mendous current heats the carbon of both
| the lining and the anodes to the point of
| whiteness, and the melting OF the ore by
this heat is an important factor in the
| manufacture of the metal. As it is ladled
from the pots it looks like ordinary lead
| heated to a red heat, but when poured
! into the molds it glistens with almost
snow-like whiteness and the roughly cast
ingots thus produced have the luster of
polished silver.
SENDING MAILS BY TELEGRAPH-It has
long been seen that the long-distance tele-
| phone service was becoming formidable
competitor with the telegraph for some of
| the most prOuIdDle DuSlueSS. IL Is HOW
stated authoritatively that the telephone
is used at least ten times as often as the
telegraph, and while the latter service does
not increase appreciably the telephone
habit is gaining ground in most remark
able manner. The telephone average in
the United States is already ten messages
per year per head of the entire population,
as against an annual average of about one
telegram per mead. The disparity in the
use of the two services is seen in the official
estimate that the ordinary subscriber uses
his telephone ten times day. A further
proof OF the growing domination of the
telephone was given last week, when the
long-distance instrument was used whole
sale for convention news purposes, thus
superseding the press Geographic news
systems. P. B. Delany, pioneer tele-
graphist and inventor, says, in the face of
| all these facts, that far from becoming a
back number, the telegraph has not yet
been made to yield its full measure of use
i ft,lness. Some months ago Mr.. Delany
published a proposal that the mails should
be sent by telegraph instead of by train
and star route. His ideas in detail have