The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-28
ALrMrxua AGAINST COPPER.
4 Number Of Obstacles initiate
Against the New Metal.

TIE article by Nikola Tesla which re-
Gently appeared in the Century Aaga-
cine containing the prediction that the
copper industry would snou be anniEiiat-
ed by the aluminium Industry has not
ceaaee 70 attract the attention Of sci
entists and miners A recent contribution
10 the controversy on the subject ~ the
opinion OF Prof. John Trow0rsdge. which
has Just appeared in the independent
Public Opinion has summarized Prof.
Trewhrldge's article as follows.
Although aluminium does not oxidize
IN the atmosphere. yet an elcctroiytic
action sets Ia when i e brought N con-
and steel IL deteriorates rapidly In salt
water. and can not, therefore, De used
for sheafhing yachts Commercial aiu-
minum y generally impure. ana y acted
upon by moisture especially II there Is
salt present, In regard to weight and
strength X can not compete in price with
various kinds 81 wood Ii Is not so easily
worked. and is not made - homogeneous
as steel. In the electrical industries.
however. Its prospects seem TO be higher
than In other Industries. when Il Is
and eopper. We hear occasionally OF the
employment OF aluminium on larger
scale In such industries. Al Niagara falls
great conductors OF aluminium are used
10 transmit electrical currents from the
power house to the works These con-
ductors are aluminium bars twenty-five
ter OF an inch thick-four or these are
rivited together at the ends, and each
group OF bars IL connected 20 aluminium
cahies-the core OF each cable Il about
one and one-quarter inches in diameter.
The amount OF aluminium in the conduct
ors 10 2.0u pounds, The same work In
copper Would require ts.on pounds The
with copper IL s3 per cent. but for the
same weight II In more than double.
Aluminium cables require more Insulation.
hut enable longer spaces TO be USED thus
reducing the number Of poles and In
Suiatcrs.
curious OBSTACLE. however. exists at
present to It's Use as substitute for
copper: this resides in tho difficulty OF
soldering and brarsnx two pieces OF the
metal together. Many soldiers or nuxes
are described for ACCOMPLISHING this con-
neetinn, but they can not be said 10 be
commercially practicable. The necessity
of such an art Of connection is iupera-
tive In electrical Industries Let us CON-
slider the overhead wires In the trolley
system. The pieces OF copper wire which
ara employed are only a FEW hundred feet
IN length. anb the railroad systems ex-
tend over many miles. In order 20 trans
init the electrical current without great
loss. the ends of the copper wires must
he perfectly Joined by soldering or braz-
tapce telephone circuits. IL IL true that
iron telegraph wires are often twisted
together without saider. but the advance
IN slsstvtr@i eaxinsssfnk assnnnds lester
The need ~ Tnethod OF soldering seems
q small matter, and one might expect
that invention would speedily supply II I:
but the need has always existed and
the readiness with which aluminium can
he melted seems 10 Drer a great barrier
to this method Of connection.
Although aluminium may be used for
overhead telegraph lines. Il seems 10 be
esfeetually barred from competition with
copper IN cable work. for In order TO COM
pete IN electrical conducfixtty with cop
per, an aluminium wtrs must have nearly
twice the sertion OF copper wire OF the
same condacftvsty. This increases the
size 81 the cables and also Increases tho
electrical capacity, which il detrimental
To- the speed and proper transmission ~
electrical waves. In general the use ~
aluminium wire for copper would lead 70
the greater size % apparatus the con-
Quoting parts would have 10 Ne approx
inately twice as nig. The element Of
labor, Ia working the material In eon1-
partNoh with similar employment In,
the case ~ copper ami brass. would have
20 be considered No mechanic woutA
work with aluminium y he could take
copper ~ brass. Aluminium can Ne said
90 he Increasing IN use. hat II Il not vet
dangerous competitor % copper