Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-10

per wire would have and adds to the life ot
tho line. A disadvantage is the fact that
aluminium cannot be soldered together in
practice. Instead the ende OF the wires are
put through oblong tubes and twisted around
three times There are $1,000 pounds OF al
uminum wire in the Seattle line and 10000
pounds In the Tacoma line. The wires end at
sub-etations in the two cities, where the cur
rent is again transformed to low voltage
and from there is supplied to customers. A
-four mill at Seattle is already running by
electric power from Snoqualmie falls.
Novel Railroad signal.
A signaling device has been designed for
use on railroad trains to provide against the
forgetfulness to which even the most careful
engineers and trainmen are liable under the
strain of heavy or long continued work. The
apparatus, which is usually placed in the
cab Of the engine. directly in front Of the
engineers seat Is attached to the order
holding board, which carries an electric
alarm bell. On the top of the board is
spring pressed clip for containing train or
ders Under the clip are two metal contact
points, through which the electric current
must pass to reach the al~rm bell Within
easy TeHCn OF inc engineer rs lue tOuNdtl
closer and breaker. an electric switch, with
lever-arm attachment for closing and break
ing the current. outside the cab. near the
driving wheel, is the striker-rod, moving up
and down in slot and held down by
strong spiral spring On the lower end
of the rod is roller designed to engage
with the lfting-block, which is placed at
the side of the track just outside the rail,
AMI itoh zach side OF every
station or at points where special precaution
is necessary. When the train approaches
a station. as the striker block is pressed
upward by the lighting block the lever OF
the circuit closer Is forced upward and the
circuit closed This rings the electric bell
and thus draws the attention of the en-
gineer or fireman to the order on the CLIP
requiring instant execution. BY pressing
down the lever the circuit Is broken and the
bell ceases ringing until another litting-
block is passed and the signal device Is
again thrown into action. II when the MT
block throws the circuit into action
there is no order under the clip, no alarm
is given, as the current does not reach the
bell, but is arrested by the clip coming
in contact with the metal points placed
directly beneath it.
Regulating Incandcscent Lamps.
or the many designs for reducing the
lighting power of incandescent electric
lamps, one which is being widely used IN
England in hospitals, private houses ana
hotels, is giving much satisfaction. Ihis
very simple apparatus is made OF brass or
other metal, and consists of lamp holder
and switch. The lamp holder is made to
ht the ordinary socket incandescent lamps.
and for this purpose tubular lamps of
various resistances are used. One wire OF
the light circuit which 1t is desired to re-
duce is cut in any suitable place, and the
two ends are connected to terminals INSIDE
the apparatus. BY means OF the swltch
these two terminals can be bridged at will.
1t is thus possible to place the lamp OF the
apparatus in or out of series with the light
ing lamp at will, and so reduce the light or
put it on full, as desired Lamps of any
resistance can thus be reduced to any |
degree OF power. For instance, II 1t is |
wished to change a lamp, say, of sixteen |
candle power, which was being reduced to |
two-candle power, for one of thirty-two- |
candle power, it can readily be done by |
simply placing the larger lamp in the holder |
of the reducing apparatus. One advantage |
of the apparatus is that it cuts down the |
of the current which is re-
duced in proportion to the reduction in the |
amount OF light. There is no danger from
fire. as the greater heat given off at any
time is not more than the hand can bear.
Overcoming Difficulty.
In many cities where conduits for
electric wires and cables built in the early
days Of electrical development have been
made too small to admit Of the passage Of
a lineman that functionary is often put to
straits when a repaired wire or
cable has to be laid. To overcome this
difficulty many linemen have trained dogs
to go from one end of the section of conduit
to the other, dragging along the wire. which