The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-01

The story of how man from Chicago travelled to London with an idea and shook the very footstool of the British Empire reads like a page from a new Arabian Nights" An epitome of this marvellous career and what 1t means Is contained in the following brief sen- tences on September 30 in the editorial columns of the London Times-"Old Thunderer'-a very prop of the empire
 "Mr. Charles T. Yerl1es. of Chicago and London, has now nearly under roof at Lots Road, Chelsea, water suburb of London. the greatest electrical power plant ever contemplated by man. It covers nearly four acres of ground, will cost when complete $s,OOOoOO and will de- velop a total of 13O, O,OO0-horsepower."
 This great generating station at Chel- sea is the material evidence of the trl- unph of "Charlie" Yerl1es. as only a decade ago the curbstone brokers of the Chicago Change familiarity called this keen-slghted. absolutely audacious and financially magnetic American.
 xnst, Huge and NofseIess Machinery
 From the 10 sets of huge generating npparati will run great shining cables. silent but potent. rushing at lightning speed the vast power which eventually hurries into the distributing stations of five separate and widely distant rail- way systems. The imagination of Jules Verne has never narrated so romantic an episode in fiction as the career of Chicago Charlie YerSes since he went to London. five years ago. and laid the plans which have resulted in the mod ernizing and reorganization of the vast est municipal railway systems on earth, besides which even our boasted New York subway Is a slngle-track road in New England.
 Mir Yerl5es had three things with him when he first walked up the Strand-an idea, unlimited pluck and $10O0, ,0OO-and with these articles and MT. Yerkes to back them this American has conquered British pride and obstnacy. has actual ly dominated the British Parliament in open session, although not present him. self, and has finally swung Into vast tandem system of railways the five mu- nlcipal transportation companies of Lon don. mobiIized for a single purpose $780, 00o, ,000 and from the abused and misun- derstood foreigner of half a decade ago
  the famous American railway king. As a crown to his remarkable career he will have the pleasure of pressing into the hand of King Edward VII. the in- sulated lever which by the first of the year will be showed home and so start into silent, remorseless and almost su- perhuman energy the gigantic forces of nature that quiet but indomitable pow CT which Chicago Charlie" Yerkes has harnessed together. Only two years will have been required to complete this marvellous concentration of natural energy.
 The machinery. despite the prejudices of British stockholders. has come al- most entirely from American shops. The labor has been directed by colony of American electrical engineers. and to ob- tain the best of this class of American labor MT. Yerkes has spent money ike water These men were collected by MT. Yerkes fully six months before he touched his pen to the S9,0oO,O0O contract for this power plant installed in London. Their expenses have been paid, their wages being drawn regularly, and much of the practical success of the work has