Omaha daily bee., 1895-10-13
ElECTRICITYON THE TOWpATH
Orowding the Mule from the Historic
Banks Of the Erie Canal.
IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT UNDER WAY
Novel and Useful Applications of
Electricity I'm the Households
The Storage Dattery-Eicctric
Power in Steel works.

An experiment of uncommon public inter-
est Is about to be made on the Erie canal,
which promises to relegate the historic mule
from the towpaths Of the Empire State. For
several weeks workmen have been setting
poles and stringing steel cables along the
canal at Black Rock, near Buffalo, pre-
paratory to testing the value Of electricity
for towing canal boats. Richard Lamb is the
inventor of the motor that is to be used.
1t is provided in the contract between Mr..
Lamb and the Niagara General Electric COM
pany, upon whose order the trial section has
been erected. that the boats must be moved
at a six-miles-an-hour rate as a condition to
the making Of a final contract for further
equipment of the canal with cableways. No
trouble is experienced in reaching and main
taining the speed required, says the New
York Press, but there is some question in
the minds Of those who have given careful
attention to canal navigation whether an or
binary canal boat can be propelled at a six
mile rate through a canal, whether by cable
way or other device, without serious dam
age to the banks by the wash from the boat.
Mr.. Lamb says that in his opinion the models
Of the boats will gradually be changed to
meet the new conditions, and probably canal
boats with "spoon-shaped' bows and metal
bottoms Will be used eventually.
In France, where the canal system is ex-
~tensive, and much more scientifically operated
than here, 1t has been found by long contin-
ued experiment that the introduction Of the
spoon-shaped bow renders much greater speed
practicable. since boats constructed after this
model tend to rise or ride the water at high
speeds, instead of to plunge through 1t like
poats OF the American type. 1t has also
been found by the French that covering the
sides of canal boats and barges with oil
cloth materially reduces the resistance. Boats
so covered require smaller power for propul-
sion, in the ratio Of 551 pounds, as com
pared with 1872 required by boats not thus
treated.
1t is believed, further. that in time iron
barges with centerboards will be used largely
for lake navigation, and that the barges will
be of sufficiently light draft to make their
towage through tho canal feasible, reliance
being placed upon the centerboard to render
them seaworthy upon the lakes. The in
PRODUCTION of such craft would do away with
the necessity of reloading at Buffalo, and
grain or other freight could be sent in bulk
from all points Of shipment on the lakes to
New York, and in the contrary direction
much more economically than by tho present
method of navigation or other transporta-
ton.
The use OF the centerboard in other. craft
than yachts is not entirely novel, as 1t has
already bsen employed IN a lumber steamer,
drawing three feet Of water, that has to go
over the shallow bars at the mouth Of White
Oak river and out to sea. With the center
board up this boat draws but three feet of
water. When the centerboard is down. ac-
cording TO Mr.. Lamb, it has already proved
efficient in keeping the boat from shearing
in the waves.
1t is understood that Mr.. Tesla's efforts
to provide a method of transmitting cleo
trio power at long distances without great
loss, which is ESSENTIAL to the success of the
galloway system. are likely to prove sim
plicity itself, copper being used as the con
ductor, and loss of power being prevented
by the employment of extraordinary high
voltage.
HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICITY.
Should my lady or her children be indus
posed at>any time through the occurrence of
those innumerable ailments incidental to
child life or the feminine constitution, and
applications of heat be prescribed, no longer
need recourse be had to the old fashioned
earthen bottle of water. or the more modern
rubber bottle, both alike equally unsatisfac-
tory in their use, and liable to do more harm
tran good; neither are the hot fannels APP
piled and changed every few minutes. with
the liability of the patient taking a chill
While the frequent change is being made.
These methods are now being superseded
by a very flexible silk wrap that can be an
piled to any part of the body affected, to the
limbs, the head or face, and heated almost
instantly by a current of electricity passing
through every part Of the wrap, which is
quickly heated to any temperature desired.
and steadily maintained at that point. If
are prescribed, then the wrap can
be laid over the %poultice, which will thereby
De maintained at an equable temperature for
an indefinite length Of time. II an appIica.
tion OF not water Is imperative, an electrically
heated water bottle Is now available for ali
such cases.
How often have invalids deferred from in
dulging in the luxury of a Turkish bath
tnT0lIVh fpnr nf nnfahtn- .41l a. -
all this Is changed, and such a bath can be
taken in ones room by means of a swans
down comforter sufficiently large to envelop
the entire body, and which can be heated 50
promptly and equally as to set up perspiration
in a few minutes after the current is turned
on, and maintained for any length of time,
the body being wrapped in a linen sheet first
to absorb the perspiration as it exudes from
the pores Of the skin.
Nor has woman's most beautiful adornment.
her hair, been neglected in this development
or electrical art and science. How often
does the family physician warn his patient
or the careful mother warn her daughter to
make sure that the long tresses are thor
oughly dried after a bath, lest an influenza
cold or an attack of neuralgia should SUPER |
vene. And how tedious Is the process of
toweling or sitting near the stove to dry out
the moisture with its attendant dangers. A
turkish bath towel that can instantly be
heated wherewith to dry the hair is now au
falt accomplL and can be used for rubbing
the body as well.
But supposing a woman Is suffering from
cold feet, whether through sickness or a
cold room, even this discomfort can be
quickly and permanently remedied by using
a soft, cushion-like foot warmer, equally
well adapted for use in the boudoir, the
sick room, or In the carriage and sleigh.
Having read all about them as described
above, one will naturally ask, how Is 1t
done? How is the electric current furnished. |
and what is the liability to accident or
danger OF any kind in using any Of these
In answer to these queries II may be
stated that in any house where electric lights
are used, one and all Of these appliances can
be made available. In the interior OF each is
an arrangement OF wires so flexible that
they readily conform to any creasing, fold
Ing, doubling, or crumbling Of the fabric of
the towel, the down comforter, etc. They are
by a flexible, silk covered wire, |
at the end Of which is a metallic plug, with
which to make electrical contact at an cleo
trolier or wall bracket. by simply removing
a lamp. Everything mas been SO carefully
out that almost any degrees of tenn
can be secured and maintained as
desired without the remotest possibilities of
an electric shock or setting any
thing on fire.
In the event Of those desiring to possess
OF and use any OF these new appli- |
cations of electricity, who are not within reach
of an electric light circuit, they can pur-