Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-27

trical engineers to make any sacrifice to
secure early technical training, no matter
how thorough their theoretical studies may
be. The young man, however wide and
varied his school training may have been,
must realize that when he first enters a
shop he is OF little or no value to his en-
ployer. He cannot AFFORD to be too par
ticular as to what he lays hold of at the
start; he must expect to do anything, how
ever mental or dirty, that offers, and that
is within his capabilities. II 1t is as simple
a thing as stringing wires, he must have
some one to show him how, and his readi-
ness to learn the first job he Is given will
be taken as a gauge Of his abilities. On
the other hand, II he does not know the
theory or mathematics OF electricity, he will
never learn IL in the shop. He must have
q few good books, which he must study
carefully after working hours, trying to find
the why's and wherefores Of the things done
during the day. II he gets stalled, as he
not unlikely will, he will find some one
around the shop who will be willing and
able to set him right the next day. No
greater misfortune can happen to a young
man who has been exceptionally well
equipped at school, than on the strength
Of his requirements to be given a position
too advanced for him in practical work.
His subsequent career, in nine cases out
of ten, suffers simply because the super
structure on which 1t is built with so much
care is without proper foundation.
JoIST-BoRING MACHINE.
1t Is somewhat singular that until recently
the cost of wiring buildings for electric light
has frequently been increased to an appre-
ciable extent by the trouble and loss OF
time involved In the boring of overhead TIM
bers and joists for the passage of the wires.
The wireman need no longer be impeded
by this operation. which can now be per
formed by a specially designed machine
The machine can be adjusted to any width
Of space between the joists, and the oper-
ator can work 1t while standing in an easy
upright position, and does not require to
reach up over his head. The boring bit can
easily be removed when a different sized DIT
is required. The tool bores straight through
the joist. thus greatly facilitating the string
ing of wires, as when the hole is straight 1t
does not necessitate the bend of the wire at
each joist. Another point is that the liza
bility Of insulating tubes to drop out OF the
holes, which occurs when the holes are
bored at an angle, is prevented. 1t is said
that the machine will do about three times
the amount of work ordinarily done by a
man using the angle brace, with which Dor
ings are usually made.
AN UNSoLVED MYSTERY.
The mystery of electricity has not yet
been solved. A great number of its effects
are known, but nobody can tell whether
It is a subtle fluid or merely a change oil
condition. The Maryland court OF Appeals
has Just decided that a plant for its produc-
ton is not a manufacturing establishment
in the meaning of the law. But the cues
ton was decided differently and perhaps
more correctly by the New York court oil
appeals in 1892. Passing by the refinements
of scientific discussion as to the nature OF
electricity" said that tribunal, lit would
seem to be common sense to hold that O
corporation which generates or produces ii
by the application of power to machinery
and thus obtains a product which it sells
to its customers, is in every just sense oil
the term a manufacturing corporation