Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-11
TWO BILLION. HELLOS
STRAIN TELEPHONE TALKS IN
THIS COUNTRY YEARLY.
A WONDERFUL GROWTH
Wireless Illumination and the Pro-
duction of Diamonds-A Chapter
Electric Development and De-
vices.

Washington. Sept. THE capita,
employed in telephone systems in the
country is estimated at 100000, 900
Two billion conversations per year are
recorded. The growth of telephony
since the expiration of the Bell patents
has been wonderful, especially in the
northwest In 1900 the United States
showed a per capita of one telephone
in forty. In San Francisco the per
capita of one telephone in forty. In
San Francisco the per capita is one
telephone in twelve, a rate that leads
| the world.
But this is only an incident of the
new age of electricity which is now
here. A review of the development
, of the electrical industry in the form
of a census bulletin prepared by
Thomas Commerford Martin, just is
sued, shows a growth in invention and
industry as applied to transportation,
illumination, transmission of speech
and of power that is nothing less than
astounding. Moreover, it hints OF
new discoveries and improvements
that promise to make a still more
marvellous record. In this connection
consideration is had of wireless teleg.
raphy, automatic telegraphy, teleau-
tOgraphic devices, wireless illumina-
ton, and, most wonderful of all, to the
| lay mind, the manufacture of dia-
monds.
The bulletin is very exhaustive, and
! NJ
that has taken place in every branch
of electrics. Most of this improve
ment-the most striking features of
power development, automobilism,
Xray photography, etc.-has taken
place during the latter half of the past
| decade, and even within the past two
years. So swift is the growth, so as
tonishing the variety of new devices,
that even as the historian writes. his
story becomes antiquated as com
pared with the improvement that
takes place while his book is in press.
He notes the production of 100000
tons of copper electrolytically during
1899, but can no more than hint Of the
discoveries whereby aluminium, cal
cium carbide, carborundum, sodium,
graphite, and hundred and one chem
icals are produced. He notes that 35,-
900 horsepower of the electrical ener-
gy is now used at Niagara Falls in the
production of chemicals and reducing
metals.
The value of electrical products
manufactured in 1900 was only $751;
348,889. the total capital invested in
the manufacture CT electrical appara-
tus and appliances is only $50, 13O,943
The industry is in its mere infancy In
the seven branches Cfelectric railways.
lighting, telesraphy, telephony, motive
power, generation and signaling, IT,
539 patents have been issued in the
past twenty-five years During the four
and a half years from 1896 to June.
1900, no fewer than 6,796 patents were
taken out The most prolific inven-
tors, according to the number Of pat
ents issued, we're Thomas A Edison.
with I'll patents, and Elihu Thomson
with 1874.
The average annual expenditure for
electricity, in one fOIm or another, is
81 per capita. Of this amount SIPS
per head represents the demand for
electric apparatus and supplies; So
per head for traction; electric light
ing, $3.50; telephone service, IS cents;
telegraph, fire alarm, ETC., so cents
These values are rapidly increasing
The people in short, pay as much now
for electricity as for bread
The turning point OF electrical de
velopment was, of course, the substi
tuition Of the DYNAMO for primary bat
teries. The relative cost of electric
power from the dynamo, as compared