Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-06

not apparently differ from several that have
been tried in THE country with Questionable
results so far as lasting cures are con-
cerned. However. the London surgeon Is
apparently working in the right direction
even though a permanent cure is not eff
tected, for any discovery that will alleviate
the pain and suffering and prolong a
tuberculosis patients life for a reasonable
period should prove a blessing to humanity.
COOPERATIVE Telephone Service.
The February Review OF Reviews de-
scribes a striking cooperative telephone ex-
pertinent begun In 1894 In the town Of Grand
Rapids, Wis. The telephone monopoly OF
that district was then operating in the
town and charging the usual rates for
small places-S4S and $50 for business and
residence connections respectively. The
people petitioned, without success. for lower
rates and then they organized an independ-
ent company. The subscribers became the
equal and only stockholders, each one hold
ing a $50 share, which was sufficient for the
installation Of one instrument. The old
company had operated about seventy instru-
ments and the new company started with
eighty-three. The charges were fixed at S27
for business and Sl2 for residence connec-
lions, but so low was the cost OF operation
that even these rates we're needlessly high
and In time they were reduced to SIS and SO
respectively. Each subscriber also relin-
pushed any dividends on his $50 share Of
stock. The enterprise was such a success
that the old company was pushed to des-
perate expedionts and It finally offered
phones rent free for a period Of three
years" Local patriotism, however, was
aroused instead Of quleted by this offer and
the final result was that the old company
was actually driven from the field four
years ago, leaving the independent COM
pany in sole possession. The latter now
has about 300 instruments, or one to every
seventeen Inhabitants; there are no party
lines, the metallic circuit equipment is
everywhere installed and the stock has
been raised to Sic, 900. Several other ad-
jacent towns In the valley OF the Wisconsin
river have also organized such companies
and a population Of from 10000 to 10000
people is now served by cooperative local
telephone service. The lack of long
distance toll connections is, Of course, serl-
Gus and the lesson OF these experiments is
not necessarily applicable everywhere.
New Railroad Signal.
at present to devise means to prevent train,
'@NNhe hAAA NAAe VIZ VI 10 W nv
means confined to America. The London
Chronicle describes a unique apparatus
lately produced by Herr BartelmusY an
Austrian electrician, and exhibited ID the
first time in model form at a recent meet
ing Of Austrian railway officials. Thk Bar
telmus device employs a single electtic cur
rent whereby signals may be trensmitted
from moving engines to stations br signal
boxes, and vice veTsa.\ The signal In a
is placed close beside the en-
gineer and, normally, shows white. A white
light, however, is meant not onlyito Indicate
but TO show that the apparatus is in
working order. When one trail approaches
within n mile and a half OF another on the
track the white light changes to green.
which means that the engineer must pro-
coed cautiously. II he approaches within
three-quarters of a mile Of the train ahead
the green signal disappears and a red light.
warning him to stop, takes its place. And
should he disregard ths red light and run
within somewhat less than one-third OF a
mile of the danger point the apparatus
automatically applies the brakes and brings
the train to a stapdstill. When a train
leaves a station a bell is rung at the next
two signal towers out on the line, and, in
the case of a double-traoked or triple
tracked road. a special apparatus indicates
which line the train is travelling over;
thereby the men stationed at the various
towers are enabled to know the exact ioca-
tion Of approaching trains and also TO warn
other trains OF imminent danger. AS a
precautionary measure an ingenious
arrangement automatically locks the Sig
mails after they have been set, thus prevent
ing their being altered by unauthorized
Herr Bartelmus claims that his
renders It absolutely impossible
for trains to collide, whether they are pro-
ceeding in the same direction or in opposite
directions. And, he says, his system is
every bit as effective in the case Of a train
standing at q station or at any point out on
the road as 1t is where two moving trains
are involved, so that rear-end collisions can
not occur. The inventor has published n
pamphlet describing his apparatus infinitely
and he invites all who may be skeptical
it to peruse the detailed account
and to witness the operation Of his model,
The report does not state how the cleo
tricity is conducted to the engine.
While the efforts Of genius TO provide
means for the safe running OF trains are
and praiseworthy, 1t should not
be forgotten that too much intricacy in
with their consequent likelihood to
become impaired or for any reason rendered
imperative at a critical time, is apt to lead
to disaster. Simplicity in railroad signals
is one of the surest safeguards against
accidental.