The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-04

Wonderful Growth in All Electric
Devices Within the Last
Decade.
Wireless Illumination and the Pro-
duction of Diamonds-A Chap
ter of Marvels.

From The Journal Bureau, Room 20, Ron
Building, Warrington.
Washington, Sept. 4.-The' capital en-
ployed in telephone systems IN the coui-
try Is estimated at s3O0,000,00 Two bill
lion conversations per year are recorded.
The growth of telephony since the explra-
ton of the Bell patents has been wonder
full, especially in the northwest, In l9oo
the United States showed a per capita OF
one telephone in forty, In San FRANCISCO
the per capita is one telephone IN 5tWelVe'
q 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 census bulletin
prepared by Thomas Commerford Martini
just issued, shows growth In invention
and industry as applied to transportation
Illumination transmission of speech and
of power that Is nothing less than as
founding. Moreover, it hints Of new dis
coVeries and improveme nts that promise
to make a still more marvellous record. In
this connection consideration is had of
wireless biography, automatic telegraphy,
teleautogra phic devices, wireless iluni-
nation, and, most wonderful of all, to the
lay mind, the manufacture offdiamonds.
The bulletin Is very exhaustive, and
tells of the universal Improvement that
has taken place In every branch of cleo
tries. Most of this improvement-the
most striking features of power develop
ment, automobilism, X-ray 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 astonishing the variety of new
devices, that even as the historian writes,
his story becomes antiquated as compared
with the improvement that takes place
while his book Is in press. He notes the
production of 200, 900 tons of copper cleo
trolytically during 1899, but can no more
than hint Of the discoveries whereby alu-
| minum, calcium carbide, carborundum,
sodium, graphite, and hundred and one
| chemicals are produced. He notes that
35, 900 horsepower Of electrical energy is
now used at Niagara Falls in the produc-
ton Of chemicals and reducing metals.
The value Of electrical products manu-
| featured in 1900 was only sol, 348, $50. The
| total capital invested in the manufacture
| Of electrical apparatus and appliances is
| only $S3 1908 43. The industry is in it's
| mere infancy. In the seven branches of
| electric railways lighting, telegraphy, tel
ephony, motive power, generation and sig
mailing. 1883 patents have been issued in
the past twenty-five years. During the
| four and half years from 1896 to uJne.
1900, no fewer than 6,796 patents were
taken out. The most prolific inventors
according to the number of patents is
| SueO, wore InOInaS A. Edison, with I'll
patents, and Elihu Thomson, with 1874.
The average annual expenditure fol
| electricity, in one form or another, is s.
per capita. OF this amount $1.25 pei
head represents the demand for electric
apparatus and supplies; So per head TO,
traction; electric lighting, $3.50; telephone
service, Is cents; telegraph, fire alarm
etc, so cents. These values are rapid!
increasing, The people, In short, pay a.
much now for electricity as for bread.
The turning point Of electrical develop
ment was, Of course, the substitution o
the dynamo for primary batteries. TIL
relative cost of electric power from tn
dynamo, as compared with the battery,
as u cent to ST.. The possibilities Of cleo
| trio energy through the dynamo are i
still greater proportion over the restricte
scope Of the battery. The, average powe
Of dynamos has risen to seventy-fiv
horse power. The largest dynamos are a
Niagara Falls, where 10000 horse power
developed in a single machine. These gen
crate a current Of $4,000 volts. The in
crease in the use Of electric power
shown in the case Of one company, tn
Edison company reporting a total Of So