The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-12
To TAKE the Place of Copper

In the current number Of the Century
magazine Nikoia Tesla makes some
startling statements in reference to the
growth of the aluminium industry, in
which we are told that in short time
copper is to be relsgated. and even iron
displaced by this new metal made from
clay. In this connection it is interest
ing to note what a Cleveland pioneer in
electric railway work says on the sub
1ect. Referring to the use OF aluminium
for electric trolley conductors he re-
marks:
At the present price OF copper alumni
mum is far cheaper for this purpose,
and owing TO its increased sectional
area. 1t offers advantages which the
copper wire does not possess. The con.
tract surface between the wheel and
the wire is increased the tensile
strength Is greater, and the low spe-
ciflc gravity OF aluminium decreases the
cost OF poles and cross wires. l be-
liSVe that very wide field will now
open for aluminium wire for this pur-
pORa. It will, OF course, come Into use
for Underground feeders as well, owing
to the less cost per unit OF conductivity
Commenting upon these facts the
Cleveland Leader calls attention TO the
recent equipment of some Of the ele-
waited electric roads of Chicago with
aluminium conductors. where copper was
formerly used, and It Is estimated that
such use OF aluminium effects an ecouo-
my of about 80 per cent. The produce
ton OF aluminium in the United States
increased from 5000 pounds in 1886 to
100000 pounds for 1898, and It's pro-
ductlon is said to have been still greater
in 1888. To make comparison with
copper, one pound Of aluminium Ia as
bulky as three and one-half pounds Of
copper. Therefore this quantity Of
aluminium would have equaled in bulk
and displacement somewhat over l7OOO,-
900 pounds OF copper. The production
Of copper in the United States for the
year 1898 was 535. $780, 32 pounds, These
statistics are given by the United States
geological survey. Fence the bulk OF
copper produced was about thIrty-one
times greater than the bulk Of alumni
mum. These figures disclose that to
supply the equivalent In aluminium of
the output of the copper mines OF to-
day the aluminium plants Of this coun-
try must be increased thirty 20 forty
fold. With larger profits on capital in
vested In the aluminium Industry, 1t
does not take very far-sighted vision to
see that the humiliation Of the copper
industry is. as Tesla says, not far
away. Aside from present conditions
there is also great opportunity to fur
ther cheaper the production OF alumi-
nun; not so with copper.
But Tesln tells us that aluminium, be-
fore mnny years have passed, is to be
engaged in fierce controversy for SUI
premacy with iron, too, may be very
largely done away with. It is probably
true that there arc many places where
aluminium will dispiane iron and even
wood, but until such time us our rich
iron ore deposits nre exhausted this
other prophecy cannot be fulfilled.
At present, then. there need be no
particular alarm about aluminium TAX
ing the place of iron. Thc difficulties
OF making the former metal ere set
forth by the Leader which saya'
with further development the cost n
the present process Of maklnB hiunl,
mum WIN become greatly cheapened' bu'