The age-herald., 1897-10-09
THE ELECTRICAL WORLD.

Electricians generally were ast0nished recently to see in a reputable New York paper description of one of the most barefaced of the many bogus electrical schemes wllich have been foissed on the public within the last ten years. Ut was asserted lhat tl1e person named as tha Inventors of the patents To be developed had incorporated them in a syrttstn Of electrical distribution which would rey- olutiOnize the present methods of rail- way Transportation. There was also set foIth the further claim of this person that he can so distribute electrical en- ergy, by means of new tLrrd-natl sys- tenn, that a hundred tra.es can be moved at a cost mo greater than is now Geces- sary to move one train, ard that he has practically demonstrated the value of his discovery in electric lighting by supply ing sixty standard can1le-poweT incan- descent lamps with one horsepower. The character of such siistsmerlts is so mani- fest that at first light it would seem wise to pass them in silence; but, unfcISun- atelN there are so many people who have lost their monay in so-called "electr.caf' schemes emalnatlng frctn the same source against which the electrical jour nals, one and all, have from Ame to time warned the publlo, ,lhat the presentation of this new claim in its true light may possibly prevent the reapfng of a new crop of victims
 The opening of the new subway rail- road in Boston is an event which cannot fail to have a most important and aibid- ing Influence on city and suburban rap.d- transit development in America. The idea of an under ground railroad, which Is firmly established fin European favor, has met with sturdy opposition on this side of the water, and the mention of fhe hole in the ground" its dangers and its murky and vitiated air, is quite fa- miliar to those interested in 'ihe subject rapid transit. I'm face of the success already spoken of as aEsured-of fhe Boston electric under ground road, the force of this opposition rnusa diminish daily. The experience of Europe that the underground railroad is, in many cases, the easiest way out of the rapid transit difficulty, promises to be amply con- firmed in lhe United States. The tracks in Boston are twenty-three and thirty nine feet below the surface, but the pub lie, far from showing any fear from trav- cling underground, throngs the plN-- forms, and the cars carry full loads steadily. The interior of the subway is lighted and finished in white. On the first day the vetntilaNng fans were nos in operation, and yet it is said 'tuhe air seemed as fresh as on the street." The drainage is thorough. Ample provision ifs made for signalling and for the ex- iinguishing of fire, and telephonic com munication Is provided for officials in different pants of the subway, so that in ae 1 o.tl,a stant help wliM be at hand. The system is to be largely eNaended, and Bostonians expect soon to do great dead of thdr Hraveling underground.
 The electric cab has taken the popular fancy In London. The vehicle Is not only attractive in appeararce, having a body of bright yellow, but comfortable. The single seat, with ample room for two passengers, is we'll cushioned, and the fittings are luxurious. The solid tir S give perfect smoothness of tnnning, and but faint noise is noticeable from the motor. The cab-d drivers of the city are greatly excited over the innovation. They have had a mass meeting, at which the probable effect of the introduction of the new vehicle on the cab trade of Lon- don was discussed. The following reso- lution was carried;
 That this meeting views With disap- proval the introduction of electric cabs on the streets of London, and urges all cab-drvers in the interest of the cab industry to discourage any further de- velopment of public vehicles driven by motive power"
 It is difficult to see how this further development is to be arrested.
  American X-ray experts are awaiting confirmation of a remarkable cure of blindness, which F. de P. Astudi.la, a Cuban physician, claims to have made by means of the Roertgen rays. His pa tient was a young man. who had been blind for twelve years from a failing of the retina, which all the oculists pro- nounced incurable. Placing him before the focus tube of an X-ray set, Dr. As tudillo handed him a horoscope. The man started and gave a loud exclama- tion for he saw not only the light but fingers a ring and other objects paac-d before the screen. When the f1uoroscope was taken away and the rays of the tube were directed toward the eyes, the pa- tient said he could see a shoe and a rosary that were hid near him. The next day he saw the light of day for few minutes without the rays, but his eyes soon became dark as in. The adminis- tration of the rays was continued day day and the young man, by gradual stages, began to read inscriptions, to de- cipher the features of a child in a photo graph and to detect the gradations Of light from incandescent lamps in the laboratory. Before long the ability to see without the rays became more pro- nounced, and the man recognized, uncs- sisted tubs of crystal, a rod of mahog- any and lamp covered with green shade placed near him. At first, the sight of the right eye alone was thus strengt thened. but after awhile the left eye was specially submitted to ehe K rays with similar improvement. It Is stated that according to the diagnosis of the best oculis.s in Cuba before these experiments with the Roentgen rays were undertaken, the ratina of the left 1 eye of the young man was almost sepa- | rated and the isolation of the retlna of | the right eye was compAete.> A unique utilization of railway car vi- brations is reported from a packing n ha af