Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-03

generator of 10 volts and three amperes for
exciting the primary OF a large induction coil,
which was insulated with oil. In the sec
ondary OF this coil was large battery OF
Leyden Jars, the terminals OF the secondary
being connected to the primary Of a second
induction coil, immersed in oil, which is
said to transform In the ratio OF 500 to l..
This combination produces a powerful spark
at the terminals OF its secondary winding,
which was discharged through a glass tube
a distance Of three feet nine inches. Through
this same tube an air pump, run by power,
forced condensed air, portion OF which was
converted into ozone and this current OF
ozone was forced through the water as 1t left
the trough. Samples of the purified water
we're taken by the chemist and baterologist
for tests as to its purity and freedom from
bacteria
The claims made for this method are that
II requires much less space than any other
an area Of 100 by 200 feet being sufficient for
the entire plant for a publication of 1000 900
gallons OF water daily; second that the cost
of plant, operation and maintenance will be
less than any other method. No facts bear
ing upon the question OF cost were available
Estimates had been made that a 1000, ,000-
gallon plant could be constructed for $4,000
The least amount of current that would suf-
fee could not now be definitely stated, so
that the question Of power, which is an i'm
portant element, is yet an open one. Expert
ments are being made with the present ap-
TELEGRAPHY WITHOUT WIRES.
The young Italian, Marconi, who is not yet
22 years OF age, Is opening out the newest
and one OF the most beautiful of scientific
fairy tales. Marconi has been studying for
some years the question of teegraphing
without wires, and the results he has already
reached are so extraordinary that but for
the sponsorship of some of the leading tel
egraphic experts in London their acceptance
might have been appreciably delayed. Mar
conf says we can telegraph without wires,
not only through air, but through solids.
This was lately demonstrated to limited
extent in London by DR.. Chunder Bose, a
learned Hindoo, who has also been working
on electric waves Popularity speaking, an
electric wave in the ether, though 1t moves
in all directions, progresses outward like a
wave produced by dropping a stone in a
pond. The water wave can be seen An cleo
trio wave is, of course, invisible. Supposing
cork Is floating on the surface OF the pond
at any distance from the place where the
stone was droppedl This cork, when the
wave reaches it, will bob up and down.
Though electric waves cannot be SEEN an
arrangement has been devised which will in
dicate their presence as the cork does. This
device, which detects and records the pas
sage of the wave, consists of an electric radi-
ator, with three walls of brick and mortar,
eighteen inches thick, between them. The
electric wave projected penetrated the walls
and traversed the distance with sufficient en-
ergy, when 1t was concentrated by lens
placed close to the radiator, to fire pistol
and ring bell 1t would, Of course have
transmitted telegraph message. Last Sep
tember Marconi made a notable discovery.
He was sending electric waves through the
air and getting signals at the dis
talnce OF mile or thereabouts,
when he found that the wave which went
to his receiver through the air
was also affecting another receiver which he
had set up on the other side of the hill In
other words, the waves were going either
through or over the hill Later experiments
convinced Marconi that the waves actually
went through the hill, which was three
quarters of mile in thickness. This led to
the conception and completion OF special
apparatus, which Is being tested in England
under government supervision. The details
of the invention are not yet given to the
public, as the transmitter and receiver are
not yet patented. The essential feature is
the character of the wave produced. For
instance. while what are known as Hertz
waves have a very limited penetrative
power, the waves used by Marconi which
can be excited with the same amount of en-
ergy as Hertz waves, will penetrate anything
and everything. These waves have $50 ,000,-
900 vibrations per second. With compara-
lively rudimentary apparatus a message
has been transmitted through eight thick
nesses of very solid wall over a distance of
loO yeards. The extension of the distance
to which messages can be sent is dependent
on the practical limitations of the trans
mitter and receiver. 1t is believed that
these limitations will permit, even now of
Geographic messages being sent across a
large city, through the houses for from four
to five miles, and Marconi expects, before
long, to thus transmit dispatches for twenty
miles. The whole subject Is as yet so start
ling as almost to battle the Imagination but
the astounding statement has been made tina
the Marconi waves, under certain conoi-
inIp
which would cause a spark, and, of course
an explosion in the magazine of distant
ship. OF all tho coast defenses ever dreamed
OF. the idea of exploding lronclads by cleo
tric waves from the shore at modern cannon
ranges is certainly the most terrible possi-
bility yet conceived.
SMOKE BY ELECTRICITY.
1t has been prophesied that at no very
distant date 1t will be possible to dissipate |
the thlckest fog by a charge of electricity, |
and that the atmosphere of smoky cities |
VIII by the same means be kept clear and |
bright. On small scale, a modification |
OF the principle has already been applied |
by Prof. Oliver Lodge, who precipitated |
both smoke and dust on the walls inside a |
chimney or fue by static electricity, and |
now patent has been taken out in Ger |
many for an apparatus for smoke preven- |
tion by means of wires stretched inside a |
llue or chimney, and rendered incandescen. |
ny du cicCliiC CuITtHt. lHere Is no QOuDt |
that this extremely simple electrical method |
will completely consume the plackest smoke |
possible but 1t is at the present time too
costly to be commercially profitable. The |
reason for this is that, ordinarily, every
chimney would require its own continuous
current dynamo, which would absorb some
thing like fifteen horse power and possibly |
more; although in chemical and other works,
where Intermittent irlngs are required, one |
dynamo might possibly be used for several
chimneys situated close to the electrical
plant. Again. II the speed of the dynamo
should be accidentally increased the wire
would probably be fused. and fresh wire
would have to be inserted, which would
mean loss OF time and inconvenience. For
a chimney, say, 12O feet high, thick, bare
coiled wires Qron, steel OF copper, some
twenty yards long would be required.
A NEW TELEPHONE FIELD.
The telephone has always been a great
help to the medical man. In one busy little
town in New England when any one wants
the doctor during his visiting hours the per-
son never thinks OF sending to his office, but
connects with the operator at
the central telephone exchange. In a few
minutes the central has got on the track
of the medico. and the desired information
is conveyed to the person who asked for 1t.
In many towns quite feature of the tee-
phone service Is the number of instruments
put in temporarily by the advice of the |