Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-05

Of coke. This process goes on for thirty.siH
hours at a stretch. during which 1000
pounds OF the crystal are formed.
Electric Heating Device.
A system Of heating houses and cars
which combines the hot water and cleo
trical systems has been devised b. a New
Haven inventor. 1t is claimed to represent
high efficiency and to give a uniform and
most pleasant heat. The heater itself Is
made up Of but few parts and Is yet durable
and inexpensive. II is composed Of cast
ings which form the connecting heads and
circulating hue or water chambers, around
which are placed the electric coils OF high
resistance. The latter are perfectly In
sulated by lava and specially prepared
cement. The heads Of the castings are
made to receive iron plates, which are held
in place by screws, and form a casting
around the coils. The heat Is controlled by
a switch made to use in connection with
this heater. and with its use the current is
reduced without the aid Of any external
resistance, thereby keeping all the heat
within the heating apparatus. In the ap-
plication Of this system the electric water
heater is placed in the cellar In place Of
the ordinary coal burner, the rest Of the
plant being the same as with the ordinary
NoAtA hNdAlhk > 4
switch may be located in any part Of tho
house that may be desired. from which
point the temperature OF the entire struc-
ture may be regulated. The convenience OF
such a system will be apparent to anyone.
There is no handling of fuel or ashes, and
there is also the advantage Of instant ad-
justment. The principle has been applied
to the radiator with an expansion tank and
pig and circulating pipes. thus forming
a portable electric heating system with a
flexible cord connection with the electric
light bracket.
Mld-Occan wireless station.
A scheme is on foot in Liverpool, &C
cordlng to the Electrical World and Engi-
neer. which, 1t is claimed, will soon be in
commercial operation for utilizing wireless
telegraphy in a mid-ocean poetofice and
signal station. 1t is the intention to per-
manently moor at a point 40 miles west
Of the Lizard a ship which will be equipped
with a searchlight and a complete set OF
Marconi apparatus. AS the water at the
point selected will involve the use Of a
mooring chain 400 or 500 feet in length, the
weight OF which would prevent the bows
from riding buoyantly over the heavy seas.
the vessel will be provided with a horse
pipe placed in the keel of the foremast.
Inc SeATCnllBnL Is 10 nave u NeEllCdl Uedm
for the purpose OF Illuminating the clouds
and enabling the floating postofice TO be
picked UP at night from a distance Of sixty
miles OF more. As the vessel will be To-
Gated In the fair way of the English chan
mel, II will be advantageously placed for
| the distribution Of orders sent from shore
by the owners Of vessels which are pass
ing in OF out OF the channel. Thus a ship
coming In from the west or from the south
could be directed, as soon as 1t picked UP
the station, to proceed either to Liverpool,
Bristol or an English channel port. BY
this means ~pilotage and port dues would
be reduced. and, OF course, there would be
a considerable saving OF time. The vessel
will serve as a floating station, which can
be approached In any state OF the weather.
and picked up for wireless communication
The value Of this form OF postof1ce is ex-
pected to be very great. Moreover, lying
at the junction of the three great thorough
fares Of British and continental marine
traffic, the station should prove %particu-
larly valuable in salvage work. The scheme
on the face Of 1t appears to be thoroughly
practicable, and II carried out 1t should
prove to be Of considerable service in the
maritime world.
Safety Dress for Electricians.
Experiments have been made with Prof.
Artemief's safety dress, in the high ten
sion laboratory OF Meesrs. Siemens and
Halska, reports Engineering. This dress
is constructed entirely Of fine but thickly
woven wire gauZe. II completely encloses
the wearer, inclusive of hands, feet and
head. It's total weight is 3.S pounds, its
resistance from hand to hand 0.017 ohms.
and it's capacity varies from .0002 up to
.OOO25 microfarads, according as the wearer
is far away OF near to a wall. The cooling
surface is so great that a current OF 200
amperes can pass through the dress for
some seconds from hand to hand without
perceptible heating effect. Standing unin-
sulated on the ground, and clad with this
dress, Prof. Artemiefi drew sparks from the
secondary terminals Of a transformer which
was giving a tension OF 5000 volts, the
period being so cycles per second. He
next seized the main, and later on, the
potential being raised to 10000 volts, he
drew sparks from both terminals. and
handled the latter. The machine supply
ing this transformer was OF 170-ktlowatt
capacity. In concluding the experiments
the inventor short-circulated this genera
tor by clutching hold Of the terminals, the
potential difference between the two being
1000 volts, and the current passed 200 am
peres. The circuit was broken by simply
letting go OF one electrode' IhTousuout
these experiments Prof. Artemien declared
he felt not the slightest sensation of any
current through his body.
EIectricIty in Place OF steam.
The substitution Of electricity for steam
ms a motive power for elevated trains In
New York Is a success as far as It has
gone. On the Second avenue line the trains
have been electrically propelled for more
than a month, and on the Third avenue
line, between Harlem and South Ferry
they began running on the FIRST OF April.
The new service is extremely satisfactory
the trains running rapidly and smoothly,
and without the Accomplishments Of sui
phurous gases and cinders which have made
the elevated roads public nuisances fol-
years. It will probably be some months
before the west side lines on the Sixth anc
Ninth avenues will be operated electrically
It is expected, however. that before the end
of the year the substitution will have
been effected on the whole Manhattan sys'
TEN. The work has been done with very
4 little fuss" and absolutely without public
> inconvenience. It has also been done ex'
tremely we'll, and the installation is monu'
} mental in electrical engineering. The daJ
! which marks the Anal disappearance OF the
. locomotive from the elevated roads Nigh
A.