Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-03

Kennedy did more than describe these mar
wells of science--he made clear the reasons
why. With that easy composure of the
English-bred gentleman he gave the fol-
lowing lucid explanation, beginning with
electrolysis:
you know that in electro plating you put
n pewter spoon into the solution and your
silver Is communicated through the fluid
and by electro chemical action covers the
surface of the pewter spoon. Well, what the
fluid is to the spoon as a communicating
vehicle. the moisture Of the ground is to
iron pipes under ground within the reach
OF conductibility. Understand, it is not the
ground, but the water in the ground which
serves as the conductor in electrolysis, the
iron of the pipe acting as an electrode. Now,
II the trolley system is so constructed that
there is no break or leakage at all in the
circuit there need not be any such thing
as electrolysis occurring; that is to say, If
the rails are thoroughly bonded and there
is nothing wrong with the wires along the
track the electric energy will be conducted
back to the power-house and none of it will
escape.
Its Effect is nevcn.
Bonding the rails is done, as you are
aware, by means of small pieces of copper
placed between the ends of the rails where
Juey kIe Julneu together, making Il COnlln-
uous metallic connection. OF course, were
the electrolytic effect upon the gas pipes
and water pipes the same as in electro-plat-
ing-evenly affecting the entire surface of
the metal-the damage would be inconsid-
cradle and it would take a long time for
any appreciate injury to become apparent,
but the trouble is that the moisture in the
ground is uneven, some soils containing
more than Others and some portions being
swampy while others are comparatively dry,
but even in the driest ground there is al
ways some moisture, and always variating
with the diversified character of the ground.
The result is that the electrolysis occurs
in places on the metal and in time holes by
electro-chemical action are eaten into the
substance. This is what makes it SO dreaded
by water and gas companies.
The remedy, you ask? Oh, care; that is
all-care, as l said, to have the current of
electricity carried along the wires and rails
of the trolley system without escape into the
ground.
LAS to the conduit system, the only real
objection TO it is the difficulty met with
in having to dig into the ground every time
a repair has to be made. So long as the
trolley wires are strung along poles in the
air they are easy to get at and it is a sim
pie matter to ascertain what and where
the trouble is, but when they are put under
ground this facility ceases. However, the
conduit system is purely a requirement of
the times. No other kind is possible any
longer in densely crowded thoroughfares of
our large cities, with SO many things pre-
Guiding the construction of a trolley system
at all, and the liability to fire being such
that it is desirable to have free access at
any time to buildings with fire apparatus.
The general law of compensation, as the
philosopher would say, comes in here and
the extra expense and trouble of a conduit
system are compensated for in the larger
volume of patronage the conduit rapid tran
sit brings to its owners.
separation of Sound Vibrations.
$50 you think it strange that telephon-
ing and telegraphing could be done at the
same time over the same wire? Well, when
you stop to consider that it is the shock
of the vibration that is communicated over
the wire and then consider also hat the
ticks of a telegraph transmitter are COM
paratively few to the second, while the vi
brations of the human voice are ordinarily
many hundred in the same period of time
you see that it is the difference in vibra-
ton which is noted by the ear and that
thus the two sounds can be communicated
simultaneously over the same wire and
easily separated.
'Now, as to the transmission of power,
the achievement at the exposition at
Frankfort, Germany, when power was
transmitted from the Neckar river at Lauf-
fen in 1898 as many as 200 miles distant
proved that there is no real limit to the
distance of ~ransmissio The percentage
of power which reached Frankfort was rs,
and it is believed that nearly all of it could
have been economical. OF course there
must be some waste for various reasons as
yet, but in this country experiments have
been made showing practically that there
is actually no distance limit, though the
percentage of power communicated may be
modified. Plants are being constructed as far
as 100 miles from cataract power. The time
may come when you can have power here
in Omaha from the Niagara falls or some
other equally beneicent source, however,
near or remote, of motive pressure in the
shape of a cataract torrent or river now.
NikoIn TesIn's New Light.
"While on the subject of economizing
energy, Nikola Tesla's new electric light is
relevant. What is Mr.. Tesla endeayoring
to accomplish? Simply a more proportion
ate utilization of electric energy. We all
understand that in material like coal there
is a stored up energy. 1t Is estimated that
the modern gas lamp utilizes only 2 per cent
of the coal energy; that is only 2 per cent
gives light, the remaining SO per cent being
wasted, comparatively speaking, in the fur
nishing of heat, supplying of pressure and
numerous ways. So the main loss of cleo
trio energy is due to the necessity for sup
plying SO much heat to produce combustion
and light in the modern incandescent lumi-
nant. The ineandescent light is certainly
a very great improvement over the gas
light in the particular of economizing en-
ergy and yet only 5 per cent of the electric
energy generated ever becomes light. Why?
AS / said, because the remaining 95 per cent
is required for the heat and other wastes.
Now, If by any process the full volume of
energy can be realized Is what MIR. Tesla
is undertaking to do. At present the car
bon fliament or the thin piece of trolly
wire in the lamp has to be heated TO a white
heat before any light can be enjoyed. Mr..
Tesla's intention is to do ava with any
necessity for heat at all, possibly, or If
there must be some heat, then compare
lively little of 1t. He Is proceeding on the
principle OF the fire fly. You know that the
.a.-Is, -. - -. a. a.