The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-08-12
ELECTRICITY TO DATE.
Washington Post.

mt Commissioners of Patents
Greedy recently, land one ad-
vance in this direction which
we are about to witness is the
conversion of the steam rail
roade-a change that would
have be- en- accomplished already
to a large extent but Tor the
Immense amount of MONEY in
vested in locomotives and the
first enormous expense OF II
stalling an electric plant. Cars
have already been run by cleo
tr,city at a rate exceeding sixty
miles an hour, and electric
locomotives have proved them
selves superior to those depend
ing on steam power. One adj
vantage of the electric locon1o-
tive engine is that it emits no
smoke or cinders, and the water
power IF any river within few
miles of the line may be utiliz-
ed instead of fuel to run it.
1.-THE first electric road for
CITY OF suburban traffic was put
in operation a dozen years ago.
At present there are in the
United States more than 15,OU
miles of such roads, represent
ing a total investment of $500,
100000 and employing about
175,OOO persons. In 1880 there
were only three electric light
and power establishments in
this country; today there are
more than 10000 such establish
ments, employing $4,000 men
and $500, 100000 of capital. The
telephone in 1880 was just be
ginning to be commercially
known; now there are over l.
O,W exchanges using 100000
miles of wire and employing
$4,000 individuals and $85,OU,-
600 ofcapital.
"These few figures give a
notion of the wonderful pro-
Rress made by the electrical art
during the last few years Of the
nineteenth century. 1t has ex-
tended itself over the industrial
field to such an extent as large
Nv to modifysocial and economic
conditions, incidentally giving
eainful. occupation to a vast
number of persons. Today the
support of considerably over
100000 people in this country
is derived from enterprises
which depend upon electricity
and to this number there will
be an enormous addition when
electricity is substituted for
steam as motive power on the
railways.
II Arts and Industries.
"Electricity is invading all
the arts and industries. The
manufacturer finds it more
economical to attach a motor to
each of his machines, distribut-
ing power through his factory
by means of wires. Coal is now
cut in the mines by electric
power, carried to the pits
mouth by the same agency,
and loaded: upon electric cars
for transportation. The demand
for copper for electrical uses is
mainly accountable for the fact
that the output of this metal in
the United States has been null
tiplied by six since 1880. To
make a telephone circuit from
Boston to Chicago requires
over i ,OOO,O0O pounds of copper.
MANY marvellous things are
being accomplished with me-
tails by the aid of electricity
among which may be mention
ed the welding together of such
substances as steel, copper
nickel. etc.-a task that was
deemed impossible until recent
y. With the employment of
the electric arc a new chemis-
try Of high temperatures is in
prospect, promising fresh dis
coveries of high industrial
value. By this means a heat
of 1900 degrees Fahrenheit il
attained, which is sufficient to
reduce all known substance.
Hence the electric furnace, in
which gold, iron, platinum, and
copper are volatilized, and by
the help of which actual dia-
monds have been manufactur-
ed from charcoal.
ALREADY we. have learned
how to send twenty-five mess
ages simultaneously over a
single wire. We can transmit
the hand writing of an individ-'
nal BY telegraph, and in the
same way we can actual
u reproduce half tone pictures
at lOngdistances. Before long
Ne will be able to reproduce
fun t~ypewritten pages by
telegraph, just as we now send
wordsson q paper ribbon, and.
wireless telegraphy seems tube