The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-10
ELECTRICAL SCIENCE.
Small Electric Motors and Home In
duStrieS.

The experiment is being made Of supply !
ing electricity FOR small motors ~ the |
homes of workmen instead Of gathering /
the workmen into large establishments. t
The idea is To bring the power 10 the man !
instead of taking the man 10 the power. |
1t is TO be ascertained whether manufac- |
turing can be conducted as cheapiy or !
proitably in the homes of the people as in |
the huge buildings OF the capitalist The |
Electrical Review states tlat a Budapest
company viii tit up a workshop near its
generating plant. and those engaged in any
trade which requires only small amount
of power will be able to obtain electrical
power at a very small cost. The workers
engaged in the industries TO which the
scheme would appeal have not had the
means TO install the necessary electric mo-
tor In their little workshops. Statistics
show that the introduction OF electric
powe" in the larger Industrial applications
is growing but that SO far its advantages /
do not appear to have been appreciated by
the smaller Industrial undertakings. TIE
scheme Of a central electrical workshop
has this advantage. that the class OF work
ers to which it is intended TO appeal have
their Workshop in the same house Off not
room as the one they live In. and their
customers are nearly always people llVlng
in their immediate neishbOrhood and II
is doubtful whether they will be persuaded
to leave their present workshops and work
in the central electric workshop by the m
ducement of cheap power In certain dis-
tricts Of France. according TO the REVIEW
notably AT St Etlenne. where ribbons are
made, the idea of taking the power to the
workers has been more nearly realized. IN
the matchmaking districts OF switzerland
and in the lock, gun, lace and other indus
tries of France and Germany the c1ndl-
tons or customs Of the people favor the
distribution OF power.
The idea" says the Review '"t gain
arfng together in a factory building 'ae
uersonnal of one Of these industries IS re-
Tuanau- TO the Workmeu. who prefer the
crater freedom OF home work where they
make their own hours and ar" under no
direct supervision. It IS 10 THIS class tnat
it is proposed 20 distribute eeetr-c power
il, small units and a. small cost. ana the
l[,narjrua7r IS awaited with much interest
7,y those engaged in manufacturing on me
otoar side The fact that such an LnaGS-
trial condition prevails IN he manufacture
OF small machinery, etc. in Europe : one
az the reasons why Contlneutai manual
! turerg have not been able 70 conpst1, even
in their own markets, with those toFI'e''
| out in this country. Manufactures con
! d}tcted under the system described apoEs
| necessarily fail in the aE-important fequl-
! sites of Standardization Of sizes ana apl.itS
J 10 interchange parts. The presumption
] from a business point OF VIeW-tor &C 4s'7,
from the American business t'.'t' " - -
{ is against the scheme OF carr me- power
! to the homes of rhe workers. There VIII
/ ba waste of electricity in distributing IL, Z"
| cav nothing of the cost OF wires and motors
| on which interest must he earned IAsre
| will however, be CONVERSATIONS IN tFe
] more wholesome social conditions OF nome
! labor The workman will 10 soma extent
] regain his Independence He viii not De
| subject to tho will of the capitalist owner
! Of a huge factory as respects hours Oh
i labor or conditions Of service, but Val nave
| twelve-hour or s.x-hour day, as ne
! nIeases. II it be true that he can produce
! as much in the short as in the longer day
( he will get the benefit of ali the hours
| worked be they long or short The mass
| ing Of thousands in colossal buildings has
| been universally regarded as an unfortu-
I nate necessity of modern cheap production.
ANY change that Will tend TO redistribute
the workers 10 their homes or 10 smaller
establishments will be regarded an i'm
| prtvement from a social, moral and edu-
! cational poin. OF view. Tho supreme test
Will ba the cos, OF the unit OF product Il
tho hons motor enables The hnms- worker.
! 10 produce as che.rp1y al the factory en-
! pIoyt. tho position OF the former WIZ Dc
| secure Otherwise II IS 90 be feared ta1t
the experiment VIII fail.-Eoston fran
| St.fft.,