Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-16
THE FIELDOF ELECTRICITY
Substitution Of Electricity for Steam of
New York Elevated Roads.
EQUIPMENT or THE POWER HOUSE
Foreign Demand for American Elec-
trical Appliances-LayIng he Ia
ciAc CsbIe-Progress OF TrOI-
ley Lines.

CtMC he-fEoREe OF NEot@
ley Lines.
The substitution Of electricity for steam
as the motive pover on the elevated rail-
roads Of New York City is the most sweep
ing dethronement of steam projected In re-
cent years. Preparations for the change
have been under way for over a year, and
are almost completed, so that the vast
service on these roads will be inaugurated
with electricity In a few months. The
general equipment is similar to that In use
on the elevated roads Of Chicago. but sew
eral important improvements have been
made. These improvements are chiefly In
the signal and switch systems and in the
equipment of the power house. the largest
Of its class In the world.
The great power house, which is located
at Seventy-ffth street and East river, Is
a magnificent station, 2o4 feet wide by $50
feet in length. II is built Of light-colored
brick, but its immense size Is dwarfed by
the four chimneys that rise 27s feet above
the ground.
Some interesting facts and figures, taken
from the engineers reports, as to the cleo
trical equipment and what It is expected
to do, have been given out. The eight
dynamos, Of which only the FIRST will begin
working this week, are expected to fur
nish a total OF 100,0 900 horsepower, or
about twice the amount generated by the
present plant at Niagara Falls. Each
dynamo is literally as big as a small house,
the ring measures forty-two feet in diam
eter and weighing about 100 tons. Each
dynamo, as a whole, is estimated to weigh
about $50 tons. The steam power required
for the whole plant is generated by sixty
four boilers, heated by sixty-four furnaces,
fed automatically from coal bunkers at the
top Of the building, holding 5000 tons Of
coal.
The ashes from the furnaces fall into
dump cars running upon tracks in the base
ment. A force of about 100 stokers will be
required. Before the present automatic
stocking devices zane into use 200 men
would have been needed. All over the
building machinery has replaced hand labor
so far as possible. The giant engines are
oiled by what is known as the Siegrist
automatic oiler, which forces oil to every
bearing n does away with at least fifty
men who would be kept busy handling the
5000 gallons of oil daily needed to keep
the machinery in condition. Electricity is
used for handling machinery, raising coal,
water, carrying on ashes, etc.
Some conception Of the vast size Of the
new power house is afforded by the state
ment that 1t has required 5000 tons Of iron
and steel, nearly the amount used in the
Brooklyn bridge. With light on all sides,
the interior, both boiler rooms, as we'll as
dynamo rooms, are beautifully light, the
walls of white tile and the tile floors add
ing to the impression of strength and
cleanliness. The ofices for the engineers
are on the second floor, commanding a
view Of the dynamo room.
For the public, there is a reception room,
from which a view Of the machinery may
be obtained. 1t is probable that when this
Is thrown open, a small fee for the bench,
Of the men will be charged, as at Niagars
Falls. Elaborate conveniences, including
shower baths, have been provided for the
employees.
Besides the power house at seventy-nfth
street, there are seven gubstations in con-
venient parts Of the city, which serve Il
reduce the current, which is sent out at 9
pressure OF $4,000 volts, and has to be re.
duced to 500 volts before reaching the ele.
waited road motors. The substatlons have
neither boilers nor dynamos. 1t is ex.
pected that the eight dynamos of the mair
station will be in place within the mex
year. The engineers are confident that
with the quicker starting and stopping o
the trains, the passenger-carrying e~ficienc!
of the elevated road will be Increases
fully 20 per cent. The doing away Will
cinders, smoke, much Of the noise, and tn
possibility OF lighting the cars and station
with electricity are some OF the additions
advantages.
Seeing by Wire.
About every six months there crops up 1
the newspapers an account of the achieve
ment by someone Of a design for visus
communication by wire, says the Electrics
Review. Almost invariably the invento
resides at the ends Of the earth or In tn
backwoods. Ever since Prof. A. @. Bel
devised the photophone and succeeded Il
transmitting sound impulses over a bear
Of light. the idea Of transmitting picture
or Appearances, or light In some form owe
a wire, has exercised q peculiar Fascination
upon inventors. It was thought for q Ion
time hat the development OF the peculia
electrical M absorptive properties Of sele
MUM might show a way for the design o
such a system. Blu the further knowledg
which has since been obtained of the be
havior Of this substance does not bear GU
this view, and 1t is not now believed tina
It can be used In this connection. A mum
Der OF more or less intelligent method
have appeared from time to time, but 81
far hone of them has met even with tn
~faintest appearance Of success, and the sub
ject remains today about where It was whel
It was first thought OF fifteen or sixteel
years ago. There is no doubt that such a
improvement would be OF use could 1t b
made. At the same time. It does not toda,
appear as II there IL any hope for It, an
those who put faith in scientific articles Il
Sunday newspapers are warned to lool
twice before they believe much in thi
direction.
Electrical Exports and Imports.
The value Of electrical exports and i'm
ports during 1901. December being esti
mated, is: Exports. machinery. S5,T42, 720
appliances, including telegraph and tele
phone instruments, ss.66s. $50; total. Ss.406.
$50. The exports Of electrical machiner
for 1899 and 1900 were respectively 1895.
412 and IS. 46e, o1s. compared with the IS. T42,
100 Of last year. showing q healthy growth
although the rate OF increase from 1900 I
1901 is very much less than from 1899 I
1900. As to electrical appliances. the sep
arate enumeration OF this class OF merchan
disc was not attempted prior to July. 100.
But there has been an increase under thi
head OF perhaps 8 per cent, comparin
1900 ana 1901. Relatively, the value {
manufactured electrical apparatus importe
| - A