The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-08

| Camp had one OF its sides on the edge of
a precipice which was insufficientiy
guarded and up which the Beers climbed
oyerpowering the pickets, and rushing
through the camp, shooting the British
soldiers as they came out of their tents
Six British officers and fifty men were
killed and ffty-four wounded. The Beers
took large number OF prisoners and a
quantity of ammunition and supplies AS
usual, however, they released their pris-
oners. This ended the fighting in 1901
a summary OF military operations dur
ing 1881. based on official reports, shows
the total reduction of the Boer force dur
ing the year in killed, wounded. captured
and surrendered was 1920 men. The
British casualties in the battles were
Glib men, of whom 1,513 were taken pris-
oners. but soon released.
The Beers began al fength 10 show
signs OF WEAKNESS of the extended strug-
! gle. They even took up arms against
themselves. General Vilonel raising a
corps of 1900 surrendered burghers 10
fight on the British side.
February was full of action, although
GOOD BYE TO THE HORSE" Says
New York. May S1.-Thomas a. Edison
has solved the problem Of running auto
mobiles for long distances by light and
| cheap storage batteries
This means, he says, that electric We
hicles will be more common on the roads
OF the country and in the streets Of the
cities than wagons pulled by horses.
His invention has reached the practi-
cal stage where the manufactured out
put will soon be on the market.
Years Of experimenting have resulted
in the production of a battery that will
propel vehicles for one hundred miles on
single charge. The electric vehicle VIII.
with this battery, become an important
factor in commercial Iife-for It is to
business purposes that the inventor viii
first apply the result of his long re-
searches. With storage batteries. light
and almost indestructible. delivery wa
gems may run all day and night, if nee
essary. in the streets of a city and sub
urbs at almost no expense and with no
delay.
Severe tests recently made have given
more encouraging results; more severe
tests are soon to be made. and then the
work of manufacturing the batteries win
be begun at Mr.. Edison's factory at Glen
Ridge, N. ].
And them said the inventor yester-
day 10 an American reporter. good bye
to the horse for commercial purposes.
The storage electric battery VIII propel
all delivery wagons, and the sphere Of its
usefulness IS simply unlimited.
Experiments on the country roads Of
New Jersey convince me that the problem
of the equipment of electric vehicles for
1oO-mile runs has been solved. These ex-
periments have been made with light
run-about. but the principle is the same
for all kinds of vehicles.
Il announced a year ago the invention
of the storage battery; now it is the COM
mercial application of this battery that |
am assured Of
with a battery of twenty-one cells. 4
weighing altogether 332 pounds. one of
my assistants has propelled a runabout (
of sixty-two miles over all sorts of hills (
and grades. A run on comparatively +
level ground with the same battery was
continued for eighty-1ve miles before 1
the vehicle came TO a standstill. heavier /
wagon with comparatively heavier bat =
tery-still very much lighter than gaso- b
line or steam engines-wouid undergo the /
same distance test.
II am not through experimenting. how (
ever. On Monday l hope to begin the 7
test Of five lighter automobiles 1 shall +
have them run for 5000 miles each, re- I
charging the batteries, / expect, after
every 100 miles or so. These tests Will +
probably continue for several months. and /
as soon as 1 am assured of the correct
ness of my belief in the 1Oo-mile batter
les 1 shall start the manufacture OF them
1T is to the commercial value OF this
invention that 1 am directing my atten-
ton now. Electric vehicles for city
work-delivery wagons, etc.-will soon
supercede all other kinds of vehicles
Then attention may be turned to the use
of the storage battery for pleasure and
racing machines. With a 1co-mile bat
terry vehicle should have little trouble
in making a run almost over the whole
country. The speed can run up to a mile
a minute; the ightness of the battery
compared with engines is a great advan-
tage and the reduction of cost for mo-
tive power promises TO be a considerable
factor.
The storage battery is not affected by
joting over heavy roads. and the steep
est grades offer no impediment to the
speed"
Edison's storage battery cells are COM
posed Of tiny bricks OF specially pre-
pared iron and nickel. In the charging
and Gischarging Of the battery oxygen
is driven from metal to the other and
then back again. through the action Of
a potash soiution-and without corrosion
or waste. Renewal OF water supply is
all that is needed to keep the cells in
good condition and the process Of re-
charging the batteries has been improved
SO that less time IS consumed than for
the recharsing OF other batteries.
Mr.. Edison believes the application Of
the storage battery viii be extended 70
trains and ships. bat commercial vehi-
cles Will receive the first attention.
The Locust Crop for 1902.
(FrOm the Worcester TeieEraml
Fosters predictions of a hot summer
have reminded other searchers Of the
past that the years which mark the
recurrence OF seventen-yesr locusts are
bound 70 be extremely hot and sicklv