The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-07
AMBER PUZZLED THEN.
ghas Is why the Greeks Called It
"Elektronr
from That Word 4 Derived Oar
Own .'Eiectricftyv--A Chinese God
Inside Of = Pear = Other
Rare curios.

~Electricity is something about
which nobody knows very much, and
concerning which very few know any-
thing" says the electrician of the cap
itol. X have been handling electricity
for many years, but have much to learn
about it.
Until very recently I did not know
the derivation Of the word, because i am
not a dialectician. I have become inter-
ested in the collection Of amber, pearl,
crystal and other peculiar things in MAJ
ture, and will show you the collection;
but first l want to tell you about cleo
tricity. 1t originated in the Greek word
elektron, which was applied to amber
thousands Of years ago. The ancients
discovered amber, but it puzzled them to
know whether it was a metal, mineral
or jewel. They found that it was made
electrical by friction, and so they called
Al elektron; and from that we get
word electricity.
"There are various forms of electric-
ity. Common electricity is produced by
friction, and for many years glass and
amber were the principle articles used
in producing it. Until it came into
common use electricity was looked upon
with awe by even those who produced
il by friction. Then there is galvanic or
voltaic electricity, resulting from
chemical decomposition in a galvanic
battery. Atmospheric electricity is seen
and wondered at by everybody from
childhood to old age. It comes with
thunder storms, and is sometimes very
destructive, SCATTERING church steeples,
setting fire to houses, rushing down the
sides of trees, and sometimes killing
people in open fields. There are many
artificial manifestations of this mys-
~terious power of nature, and it is be-
coming a necessary part of modern civ
ilization. 1t is the most economical
and popular motive power for street and
suburban railways; it has superseded
gas as an illuminant; it is used for
cookery in place of wood, coal and gas
cline; and its uses for telegraphing and
te1ephoning are marvellous in extent.
Here in the capitol life would sometimes
be uncomfortable with gas light and its
heat.
"There are thousands of miles of wire
concealed in these solid marble walls.
and throughout the granite Easements
and subways. The weather bureau has
its connections here, and in the senate
and house and Hobbies there are skilled
scientists who tell the statesmen al
about the weather in their distan.
homes, as well as the speed Of the wink
+, and the condition of the temperatur'
outside the capitol building. The tele
graph wires which connect the capito
with the white house and the exeeutiy
/ departments also tap the through wire
to the commercial centers, so that wit
electricity we are constantly in connec
ton with the entire world. And yet, a
1 said before, very few people know any
: thing scientifically about it, and onl
I recently did 1 know the derivation Q
the word.
"But, like all men, I am talking abou
my w speciality, when 1 started GU
to show you my curios and tell 20
some of the strange things abou
them. Amber being electric was calle'
elektron, and you see how attractive
becomes with a little friction. Her
is a large piece of virgin amber, one o
the largest pieces in the world. By rub
bing it with this chamois skin it be
comes heavily charged with electricity
See these bits Of paper and cardboar
flying after it as l pass it over tn
table. 1t is not to be wondered that tn