The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-20
THE MORNING NEWS: THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 1896

brought into us for repair. saiq ploiil-
inent matchmaker, are those Nnicti ~ -
been deTanged ~ being llt 80 11,lr.r-
subject has interested me very nue. -. +.
may safely say that before me Eo9issSsS
were Introduced we die not nave HAT a.
A uagnetized Satch will play queer
pranks with time. II may start o. 4. .
reckless gait and gain nve 10 Ten M -
as though out OF breath and jog along
at an easy pace. dropping BACK a ogNel
or 50 minutes a fortnight; All me-
pranks are caused by the subtle 4VnuehcS
Of the electric fluid on the steel parts OF
the delicate watch works. When the "a.
spring becomes hardened by the magl4Ss
ism Ism me watch viii gain time. Mhe ef ~
works is increased by the magnetic lnnu-
ence the watch will lose time Ihere IS
no accounting for the pranks that are
played. The magnetism may spread from
one part Of the works 10 the other, ana
each part In turn may become especiaily
charged. producing different results IN tae
going power OF the watch from tlme 70
time. Some watches are more lable 70
be magnetized than others, ana Wnei
brought into proximity with electrlcal
conditions there is no telling wheh any
watch is going to succumb. -,
Anybody can tell whether his or her
watch is magnetized or not by passing
small pocket compass around the cast
If the needle swerves violently there Is
magnetism in the steel springs on the
case, at least. Now, rest the conn - i
are magnetized, the needle will rotate
rapidly, and assume swinging moJon
from side to side, keeping time with the
balance wheel below it.
A practical electrician. when question
ed as to the probable effect of the trolley
cars on the watches of riders, said
Il think II Is undeniabie that many
watches are being magnetized in the troll
ley cars. / come in contact with large
numbers of motormen and conductors,
and they generally complain that their
watches are put out of order by the cleo
triclty in the car. It is natural mat II
anybody's watch suffers by the trolley II
will be a mOtorman's or conductor 5.
When the wire on the cars are insulated
the tracks, pole, and motor are not Elec-
tricity may, and think does, spread from
these parts through the car, ana entering
the body Of the passengers centers itself
in the very magnetizable steel parts OF
his watch works
Il should say that the worst place to
sit in the car, so far as watches are con-
cerned, is directly over the motor The
worst effect on the watch is reached when
the car stops and is started again. tor II
is by this process of stopping and start
ing the current that a horseshoe magnet
obtains its magnetic attraction. Each
piece of steel in the works become sub
jected to the electrical condition just as
does the horse shoe magnet. Why all
watches are not magnetized IN the troll
leys il is hard to say, but that some
watches are magnetized may be granted
As gold is a better conductor of cleo
tricity than silver and as silver is better
watch is less Liable 10 be magnetiZed
since it is the poorest conductor. Excel
lent non-magnetizable watch works
would be made of platina, II that were
possible
whether there are any conditions that
make the magnetism of watches In trolley
cars more or less likely l cannot say. If
the conditions were powerful enough to
exert any influence l should say that mag
netfsm was more likely to take place in
damp weather than in dry and in summer
more than winter, for then the clothes are
moist from perspiratiOn. OF two people,
the one who offers the most body resist
ance to the electrical current is the least
likely to have his watch affected. If a per-
son wears rubbers and inSulateS himself
from the floor of the car his body is more
apt to accumulate electricity, which may
strike the watch. But all these conditions
probably exert very slight influence on
| the magnetization."
Some very interesting experiments nave
been made on the question. one watch
maker found that after placing his peck
| ct compass on his knee IN a. moving troll
| ley car the needle was violently rotated
every time the car stopped and started.
| The rotation was caused by the increased
| effect of the electricity at these moments
| on the needle and shows the greater prob
ability of characterization of the watch al
| those times. 1t is stated that a thin STRIP
| of steel placed on the floor of the car over
| the motor viii, in the course of day, be-
| come sufficiently magnetized to attract
| iron filings.
THE queerest thing about It ALL said a
| Well-known matchmaker, sis that though
| a magnet will magnetic a watch, mag
/ netized watch will not affect another
watch, though it be next to 1t for hours
| When once magnetized they may be
| brought Ground all right by demagnetiza-
| ton; but they are more susceptible to the
| influence than they were before.