Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-08

iIaiu oIlice can al once be advised and relic
can be dispatched Fire departments a.
nov being supplied with portable telephone
10 be used in connection with the fire alarm
boxes With these instruments it is Dos
slble to converse with fire alarm headuuart
ers through any fire alarm box in a district
instead of having TO rely as heretofore. upot
an exchange OF telegraph signals. The chic
engineer and his assistants are expected L
nave the telephones with them on all oeca,
sions, for prompt attachment to fire alarm
box when needed, and 1t is probable thai
before long the fremen Of each company In
city fire departments will also be supplied
with the instruments.
Electric Light for Flour Mills.
a special system Of electric lighting has
been devised for small Touring mills. the
differentiation from other lighting plants
lying in the method of installation and the
hxtures rather than in the generating appar-
atUs. The well-known danger of dust and
me Hour explosions which exists in these
mills makes it imperative that there shall
be no sparks at the switches and that the
safety fuses shall be so effectually inclsed
mat there is no chance of their blowing,
causing an explosion. For the same reason
the generator should be placed in room in
floors containing Touring machinery. The
wiring is done on the closet system, and each
c.oset containing the fuses is lined through
out with sheet asbestus and made thoroughly
tight at all points These closets are locked
and kept scrupulously clean. The wire,
which is exposed and supported on porcelain
cleats or knobs, ls rubber covered No
fuses are allowed in the ceiling rcsettes and
only keyless sockets are used. Instead OF
the ordinary snap switch a mercury switch
Is used, which is entirely closed and air
tight This is so arranged thai when the
tube hangs down the circuit is open, but
when 1t Is held on proper support by the
lower end the mercury completes the cir
cult Such an installation, which may be
regarded as standard for small mills requr-
ing not more than 100 lights, should not
cost more than $780,
Silk and Electricity.
Silk Is very much in favor as an article of
underwear in hot climates and it is also gen.
orally conceded that persons who are forced
tC battle with extremely low temperatures
prefer this fabric to any other as an under
garment and claim for 1t properties not pos
sessed by any other material of equal weight
or lightness of texture. Dr. de Bonniere
French physician, says that the preference
for silk in both cases is explained by the fact
that this material is extremely sensitive to
and absorbent Of electricity. He argues that
when the tissue becomes warm the air in
closed in its threads diates In dilating--
that is to say, in going out of the tissue
it rubs and electrifes itself. Electrified, it
returns to discharge itself at it's starting
point. Tho particle of air then oscillatos
where it is, This prevents the access of
I - 1y
duces relative warming. In tissue that
can be electrified there is, in the case Of
warming, a tendency to cool again; and in
the case of cooling tendency to warm
again. Both silk and wool are in this cat
eEory, and the auto-regulating qualities of
both these animal tissues have their own i'm
portant place in insurng the stability of |
nature. 1t is evident that by enhancing
the electrical qualities of silk and wool their
thermo- regulating properties will
be increased. In the case of wool this has |
been found impractcable, but Dr. de Bon
Mere insists that it is possible to increase !
The electrical properties of silk at least ten !
fold by certain treatment which does not in !
any way affect its appearance. Silks so /
.reated are known as "a la dielectrose."
they indicate their supplemental qualities
oy being sharply attracted by the hand On
ne slightest TuDDluB. Inc eleCITlCdl lnuu-
ence Is said to survive any amount of wash
ng and to last as long as the tissue, which
through it acquires much feebler receptiv-
ty to steam and per3piration. The treated
silk is therefore infinitely preferable to
iannel which imbibes perspiration and con-
sustains on the skin more or less
lnwhUlesome humidity. DR.. de Bonnere be-
ieves that the wearing of dieleCtrosed silk
Will not only prevent people from the ordi-
nary effects of chill of the breathing ap-
)aratus, but be a valuable aid in all affec-
ions due to insufficient cutaneous respira-
ion or evaporation.
Trolley Lines as Freight Carriers.
Certain Brooklyn surface street railroads
nado a contract to carry the freight of
he National Express company and action
vas brought in the courts by interested
,artieo to stop the business. The claim
et w was that the street railways have
10 right either in law or equity to go
outside of their usual business OF carry
ng passengers only. The appellate di-
'ision of the supreme court of New York
las recently decided that this claim is un-
ounded. 1t is shown that under the gem
raj street railway law of the state, enacted
n 1884, such corporations, so far as char
cred under the laws, or where not restricted
" special charter, can carry either freight
# passengers, or both. The right OF the
Brooklyn companies to distribute the freight
4 the express company is accordingly sus-
aimed.
The more important part of the decision
4 thct relating to the equities of the case
S between the street railway companies
nd the public. The court says in substance
N this point:
The right to use the track is subordinate ,
o the right of the public to the street, and
he courts will protect the rights of the .
ublic. The street railway company has the {
right cf use of its tracks, but
ot the exclusive uee. 1t is not clear that ,
he transportation OF goods in single cars
yer the Brooklyn tracks will Increase the
urden of use OF the street; certainly there
, no evidence that this method will be more
urdenscme than would be the carriage OF
he same freight on wagons"
II tho street car companieo should put on
ing freight trains the case might be differ
Mt, but tho court did not think there was
a 81 -,