The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-02-15

number of motors. Finally. TO the ell.
ectriciau, the plan will commend itseli
by its comparative simplicity. Wher
two messages are sent over telegra'
ph wire simultaneously under the "du.
plex" system special appliances arr
necessary to steer the different currents
, OF to the right receivers. Such appar-
atus more than pays for itself, but i
adds TO the cost of telegraphy. The
Ithica Inventor gets around that neces-
sity easily. First, he establishes tive
complete direct current circuits by
means of four wires. Then he couples
together one wire of each pair for one
alternating current, and the remaining
wires are connected for second cur
rent of the latter character. Four diff
ferent combinations are possible with
his four wires. The ingenuity and SIM
pliicity of the method are positively
captivating,
In estimating the future usefulness
Of this system Of distributing current
from central stations one must recog-
nize the fact that the scheme is advan-
tageous chiefly df not exclusively
where it Is desirable to run four
distinct circuits over parallel routes.
says the New York Tribune. Form
erly incandescent and arc lights were
operated by different circuits, and often
with different kinds of current. OF
late the tendency has been toward the
employment of the same circuit and the
same kind Of current-a direct current,
Shop and fan motors, too, are driven
by electricity from the same set OF
mains. If, though, more satisfactory
results can be obtained by dividing up
the service. and doing four kinds of
work with four separate circuits, the
facilities which Doctor Bedelt offers win
be welcome. He has himself called
attention to the benefit to be derived
from separating motor circuit from a
lamp circuit. Variations in the de-
mand for power from one minute to the
next would not then alter the brillian-
cy Of the light. Moreover, the time is
probably not far distant when alternat-
ing current motors will be more extens-
lively used than now in workshops.
Doctor Bedell's system will undoubted-
ly encourage their introduction.
Another limitation which must be
borne in mind is the necessity for MAX
ing the four conductors uniform in size.
If only two currents were to be trans
mitted one pair might be large and the
other small. 1t would be both absurd
and wasteful. though, to couple big
ad little wire together in making up
he third and fourth circuits. One of
he most important requisites of elec-
rical engineering is such close ealcu-
alton of the size of conductor that |
t shall carry current without undue
assistance and yet without costing too
much. No two currents of the four
lere contemplated need have the. same |
foltage of volume. The higher the
'oltaga the less would be the metal re-
Iuired to transmit a given amount of
mercy. 1t would be feasible to send |
more power in the form of high pres
sure current than as a low pressure
.ur-ent over the same conductor.
Hence the voltage employed for the ex-
ra service must be computed with
pecial reference to the size of the wire;
nd it may not always prove so conven-
ent to vary this factor in the eompin-
tior as it would be to change the dia-