The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-31

The recent DEVELOPMENT has been chely
dine tn the progress Of electrical science,
and the successful application or water
mower on a large scale 60 Industrial pur-
noses adds one more to the large numper
OF triumphs with which the electrical en-
gineers of the present age must be credit
ed Prior to the year 1880 but little had
been achieved i'm this direction, in spite
OF the fact that the water-wheel was one
of the Oldest means for the production OF
power. and that the mathematical prlnci-
Dies Of the turbine We're fully worked out
by Eytelwein and FourneyrOn I'm the early
wears Of the present century. The water
wheels which existed in our own and other
countries We're mostly small In size, and
were only used for the development OF
power for unmpOrtant or local industries.
An interesting example Of the old method
OF utilising water-pOwer for industries
may be seen at Zurich. The old bridge
over the Llmmat still has a number OF
water-wheels I'm its arches and directly
above these. on the bridge itself are the
shops In which the small industries are
carried on which use the power thus
generated.
ARREST OF PROGRESS.
In our own country there are still a
considerable number Of these old water
wheels in existence and these with the
old mill-buildings, often form a most pic
turesque incident in the landscape But
after the invention OF the steam-engine.
engineers paid little attention TO this older
method Of developing power, and no adj
vance i'm the Industrial application Of
watcr-pOwer occurred during the second
and third quarters OF the present century.
This arrest of progress was chiefly due
TO the growth Of the scale Of manufactur-
ing operations. In the earlier days, the
power required TO drive mill rarely ex-
ceeded 100 horsepower. and there were
very large number of mills i'm existence
the power requirements OF which were
only one-third Of this amount. As the
modern factory system gradually devel.
oped, the power required for driving
single mill increased from 80 up 10 900
horsepower and the development OF this
large amount OF power by means Of the
old form OF over-shot or under-shot wa
ter-wheels was practically impossible
A further cause for this arrest OF pro
gress lay in the necessity imposed upon
the manufacturer by the extended scale
OF his operations and by the keenness Of
the competition 10 which he was subject
ed. for placing the mill or factory as near
as possible to the markets for the raw
materials and the finished goods The
} economy III lNt.tAptltlluIt upon power
which might be effected by erecting the
factory in the heart Of some country dis.
trict where cheap water-power existed
was found TO be more than counterbal-
anced by the increased expenditure upon
carriage and freight that this position
would entail: and on this account more
attention was paid to the position Of the
factory with regard TO railway ald water
communication. than with rcs.lrd 70 its
proximity 10 a cheap supply Of pow er
These two hindrances to progress have
now been overcome. The water-wheel has
been replaced by the turbine which can
be adapted TO any head OF water. and
by means OF which water-powers Of the
greatest magnitude may be succ essfllly
developed for industrial purposes. The
head OF water under which the old mill
wheels were worked rarely exceeded p
feet. and was generally much below that
| limit to-day heads OF water OF 40 feet
and 20 feet are being used at the two
power-plants at Niagara Falls. and at
Fresno. in California. there is a water
power plant working under head Of /, 100
feet When II is remembered that he
height or head OF water is one Of the
factors which determine the amount of
energy developed, the significance OF these
figures is apparent
AMOUNT OF POWER.
As regards the amount OF power devel-
oped-it has already been mentioned that
under the old system 1G0 horse power
might lie regarded as a maximum-to-day
there are al Niagara cingle turbines which
produce 5000 horsepower. and there is
no proof that even these enormous wheels
represent the limit in size which may not
be safely exceeded. But even more I'm
portant than the results which have re-