The representative., 1900-12-13

| minute, furnishing 120 amperes of current
! at 160 volts, when the wind velocity ex-
| ceeds eight feet a second. One pole Of
| the dynamo is permanently connected with
the terminal of the storage batter, the
other being connected with the switch of
| the regulator mechanism which automati-
| cally takes care of the charging of the bat
terry. On the discharge circuit which runs
about the town the pressure is maintained
at ITO volts, and from these wires num-
ber of motors as we'll as electric lights
OF various kinds are operated. 1t is thought
that the plant will be very successful, in
which case number of others will be
installed in the same neighborhood
In most districts where wires are not un-
dergrOund a noticeable feature of many
pole lines is big cables, containing each
large number of telephone wires. These
cables are made up of small copper wires,
generally little smaller than the wire of
the familiar hairpin. which are insulated
with thin paper and, after being twisted to-
gether in pairs, are laid up in a bundle con-
taining from so to 250 wires and the whole
covered with thin coating of lead forced
on in the same way that lead pipe is made.
Naturally such cables are somewhat heavy
their weight running up to about two and
half pounds to the linear foot and at the
same time they are mechanically too weak
to support their weight in long spans. For
this reason they are generally suspended
from pole to pole, the cable being hung in
slings supports ever two or three feet.
large number of supporters for cables
have been devised, the conditions necessary
to be fulfilled by successful appliance of
this sort being SO difficult that great trouble
has been encountered in finding one that
would meet them. At one time tarred rat
line, or small hemp yarn was used, the yarn
being spun from contrivance made for the
oh fh1 M rr,{ro
cable SO that the latter hung in a great
number of loops of the soft yarn from the
former. The difficulty with this method
was that in the course Of time the ratline
would naturally rot and allow the cable to
fall. Metallic slings of various kinds have
been made, and while some of them have
been successful, most of them either grip
the cable so tightly as to weaken or injure
it else hold it so loosely as to let it
slip down hill on inclined lines or toward
the lowest point OF the sag between poles.
A new type of cable clip grasps the cable
by means of soft metal band encircling
it and frightened by the weight of the cable
itself, much in the same way as the buckle
of patent shawl strap is worked.
new method for hardening and increas-
ing the life OF storage battery plates has
just been patented. 1t consists in dipping
the plates alternately in acidulated water
and dilute solution of pyridin. which is
a complex chemical substance derived syn
thetically from coa-tar residues. In the
pyrdin solution Is a. small quantity Of alco-
hol, and it Is asserted that the combination
of all the agencies concerned results in
greatly strengthening the plate mechanically
and also, by highly foxidizing the plate, in
making it of considerably higher capacity
than it would be without this treatment
Protection for underground metals against
electrolytic action has been more less
anxiOusly sought sever since it was discOv-
cred that the RETURN current of trolley roads
is eating up pipes IN number of places.
novel device fer the purpose is described
in a patent lately granted. The pipes or
other metals to be protected are painted
with some compound that will itself conduct
electricity. but whibh does not suffer elec-
trolysis. Among 1such things are mixtures
of graphite and paraff1ne, powdered anthra-
cite coal, gelatineus compounds of silica, and
number of Othef. cheap and easily handled
substances. 1t is believed THAT the relief
afforded by such treatment will be consid-
eIable, since the current leaving buried
metals lit is the leaving, not the entering
current that hurts) will be spread over a
much larger surface, and thus local excess
sive flows will be abolished.
The power transmission line between Sno-
qualnlie Falls and Seattle, Wash, has been
lOOpeG to make circuit more than $50 miles
long, and power has been successfully trans
mitted over this great distance with the
commercial apparatus at hand. While this
experiment may have no immediate result
in practice, it is of deep interest as showing
the possibilities Of electrical power trans
mission with modern apparatus and under
present -day conditions. Every such demon
stration en- practical scale is another step
toward the general distribution OF the power
of cataractS and ether natural sources to
cities within a considerable redius IT has
often been asked il it is, today, practicable
to transmit Niagara falls power to New
York city. The proposition to do SO would
involve no great difficulties not already con-
quered by electrical engineers, but such a
transmissie would nave to c i-pete with the
already established transmission of power
in the form of coal hasled froal the fields
of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In the