The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-04
NEW INVENTION
HE A NOW TRANSMIT ELECTRIC
ITY IN LARGE QUANTITIES.
Heretofore, When Sent Long Dis
tances, 1t Has Been Costly and of
Limited Power7some Benefits.
New York Correspondence Philadelphia

When the Electrical National Exposition
was held in this city in May 1t was then
demonstrated for the first time that the
electric current could be brought for q
distance of five hundred miles from the
place Of generation and utilized for light
and power.
In Germany an experiment made over a
line extending from the Falls OF Neckar 10
Frankfort-on-the-Main. a distance Of Ito
miles. was only in part successful. The
current was carried for that distance, but
without any promise of commercial adj
vantage. In California an electric current
has been carried from the tails of the Sac
ramento river to Sacramento tfty, thirty
seven miles, with commar'ial Success. The
direct current was used IN hat case and
until this New York exhibition this was the
longest distance that a current had been
carried in such a manner as to justify the
expectation of commercial profit.
Tesla and Edison, twin viva -1s OF cleo
tricity, were perhaps the most deeply inter-
ested students of the electrical experiments
and demonstrations which were made at
this recent exhibition. But they were diff
ferently Influenced. Edison was filled with
enthusiasm, and perhaps some amazement
tempered with that feeling. He declared:
THE most amazing things, per-
haps, everything considered, which
l have seen at this eXniol-
ton is the demonstration of the ability to
deliver here an electric current generated
at Niagara Falls. To my mind 1t solves
one of the most important questions asso-
ciated with electrical development"
Another man made immortal by electric
ity. Alexander Graham Bell, was even
stronger in his expression of opinion than
Edison, declaring that he was firmly con-
WINGED that this long-distance
of electric power was the most important
discovery of electric science that had
been made for many years. He. with Edi-
son. looking into the future, realized that
by means of this discovery cities and
towns remote from the places of electrical
generation would be able to obtain the
services of this agent for those things for
which it is fitted. with great economy. prac-
teal safety and far superior convenience
than is now possible.
demonstration possible was, ii is safe to
say. the only person who witnessed these
experiments who was not perfectly satisfied
with them. 1t would seem as though Iesla,
seeing in that exposition hall the reaiiZa-
ton in fact of the theories upon which
he had worked and in which he had firm
faith, would have been content with this
visible proof of their truth.
Instead of that, he seemed to perceive
tndC something remained u De QOne. Il
brought the current from Niagara;
had shown hat il could be utilized I'm New
York nearly five hundred miles away from
the place of its generation, and yet he felt
convinced that in order to obtain sure and
permanent commercial profit he had still
two problems TO solve. One was the reduc-
for attaining greater efficiency, although
each of these problems involved a salts
factory answer of the other.
OBSTACLES TO BE OVERCOME.
In one respect the demonstrations were
not all that were expected to be obtained,
but thi. was due to incidental and unex-
pected obstacles. When Mr.. Frank w.
Hawley. who was the first of the capital
lists to nave faith in the ability of the
scientists and inventors to discover some
means by which the Niagara force, trans
formed into electricity, could be conveyed
across the State of New York, determined
that at this exposition there should be
a demonstration made that the problem
had been solved. he expected to be able to
cause a current generated at Niagara to
drive n motor of not less than three-horse
power. He was assureu that a current
could be brought which would propel a
motor of much greater horse power If there
were a suitable plant. But a three-horse-
power motor was considered TO be well
within the limits of safety.
In this opinion. however. the Local
Board OF Underwriters disagreed. As tn.
wire over Wnlch the current was TO be
carried was an ordinary Western Union
commercial telegraph wire and as the ap-
paratus which is employed in using this
a very limited energizing force the under
writer's were fearful that a current equal
to the emands of a three-hore-powe r
motor would prove to be too great for this
apparatus and might cause danger of fire
at some point on the line.
Therefore the current brought in from
Niagara was. at the demand of the nm
derwriters. only n little greater i'm volume
than that ordinarily used for the trans
mission OF Geographic messages. 1t was
suf1cient to send the famous world-soan-
ming message. written by Depew. over the
lane lines of this continent anG TO display
some of the wonders of electricity which
did not require great power.
Tesla was satisfied that. before capital
could be induced in large amount to in
vest in plants designed for the tarnsmis>
tances. he must be able to state to CAPT.
talistS: Il am ready to demonstrate that
1t is possible to convey great electric power
for a distance of SEQ miles. and to do ii with
such economy as to make it commercially
profitable"
He knew that he did not need further
to develop his two-phase motor, which is
now recognized TO be, perhaps. the most
important of all electrical inventions. out
how the electricity. after it had been gen,
Grated. could be communicated to the mo-
tor with great economy and efficiency. He
to give all the time that he
oAS 3ttI lll-
portant studies, such. for instance. as are
associated with the R%oentgen rays. and his
vacuum illumination. to the solving of this
problem.
In plain English. he was to discover how.
with a small quantity of copper. small
enough to be within the limits of CONNER
cial advantage, he could nevertheless cause
to be carried a volume of electricity equiv
alent. at least, to twenty thousand horse
power. 1t is the copper which costs. and 1t
is at the points of interruption that the
losses occur. 1t is at these Interruptions
that the current is reduced from a high to
a low or commercial voltage. available for
light heat and power purposes. That is
to say. whenever a purchaser of electric
power draws his current from a commercial
main. there the loss of electricity occurs,
and ii is the saving of this which was the
problem to which Tesla devoted himself.
THE SOLUTION FOUND.
Nearly three months have passed since
he began this work, and he now feels au-
thorized TO announce that he is convinced
that he has found the solution which he
sought. This he did emphatically and ex-
plicity in answer to a gu .stion asked of
him this morning by The Press correspond
cent.
Il am now convinced beyond any ques-
ton that it is possible to transmit elec-
tricity TO commercial advantage over a dis
lance of five hundred miles, and deliver the
cprvanS NJ half tho onc% of tim h,