The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-04-10
The Electric Transmission OF Energy.

The complexion of the world and
the phases of our existence, owing to
the astonishingly rapid progress in the
arts, are undergoing grave changes.
The cruder animal powers are being
put aside in favor Of mechanical ones.
A few years ago ferryboats were pro-
PEELED across the rivers about New
York City by horse power, as com
memorated by 'Fitz Greene Halleck in
one of his poems. To-day a horse
boat, as they were called, would ap-
pear as much of an anomaly and as
archaic as horse car will to our des-
cendants. The introduction Of the
trolley has almost abolished what was
perhaps the greatest single field for
the employment of horses. And late
" man has found that he can, on
bicycle, propel himself far better than
any horse can. The bicycle is possi-
Bile simply because 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 one thousand horse power
hours. It can be produced for 50
small price that in the regions Of its
production it is the smallest element
in the expense of power production.
There would be little choice in the
Pennsylvania coal regions 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 the
first step that costs; the subsequent
ones involving the distribution of the
power require the expenditure of mon
ey for their maintenance. Shafting
and distribution apparatus in general
have to be kept up, betting wears out,
lubricating material has to be used,
buildings must be kept in repair, and
the labor and material charge for all
this counts up rapidly.
The phenomenal success Of the troll
ley system of electric railroads is due
to the electrical distribution Of power,
and only incidentally to any cheaper
ing in it's original production. 1t is
perfectly true that steam can be pro-
duced more cheaply in. large than in
small units, but the soul of the trolley
system is in the trolley wire. A me-
cbanical substitute for it, and the only
one in extensive use to-day, is the
cable in its subway conduit. The con-
trast in simplicity between the two
aud in the requisite capitalization is
most striking. 1t il. fair to say that
electricity depends for its greatest
operations on its adaptability to SIM
plify distribution of power.
This being the field of electricity 8
triumphs, and field as yet imperfect
ly explored, it would appear that it
would give great scope to experiment
and invention. The dynamo builder
prides himself on turning out gener-
ator of SO per cent. efficiency. The
electric motor has its efficiency tested
just as vigorously. But how much do
we hear Of the efficiency of the trans
mission process? An immense guam
tity of power is lost between station
generators and car motors on all troll
ley lines and between the station and
| consumers in electric lighting systems.
The price of copper is so high that o
balance has to be struck between the
| interest charge on conductors and the
loss incurred by different sizes, in
order to determine how large or how
| small the conductors should be. The
problem is made more tantalizing by
| the fact that with high enough po-
tential small wires could transmit a
comparatively great power, while the
great danger Of high potentials pro-
hibits their use in most cases.
Accordingly the process Of produc-
ing power in stations by the best steam
plant and of there converting mechan-
ical energy into electric energy with
scarcely any loss goes on, and is coin
cident with the transmission Of power
over circuit of resistance high enough
| to destroy the original economy,
which, at the same time, is circuit
| of high original cost and high interest
charge. To reduce this cost the rails
are used as a return, and a branch
circuiting of the current follows, in
some cases to the injury of neighbor-
ing water mains and gas pipes.
In nearly all cases Of electric distri-
button, although the conductors may
be insulated, there is inevitable waste
and balancing Of interest account on
the original cost of conductors against
the absolute waste Of power. There
is obviously chance for some of the
greatest improvements yet effected in
the electrical science in the develop
ment Of radically new, or at least
radically improved, system of deliver