The Opelousas courier., 1907-08-24
rHE WIZARDRY OF WATER
ITS roWER NOT GONE OUT OF

.H VI. VI
USE, AS SOME SUPPOSE.
From the OId-Time MiIl-WheeI to the
Modern Electric Generating Plant
New Ways Of Harvesting it-EIec-
trio Lights For Farmers.
Few persons, when they drink a
glass of water, realize that they are
drinking, in an embarrassed form,
the most powerful substance in the
world. Every year we drink as much
of this loose power as it would take
to run an. elevator or heat a house.
This is not an attack upon Croton-
any other stream is as powerful. The
strength is all in the harness that is
used.
Water can be made to do the most
peculiar things when it is properly
hitched up. The father of a sleepless
baby some years ago evolved a scheme
during his midnight walk up and
down the bedroom of attaching a hose
to the kitchen faucet, and, by a
series Of paddle-wheeas and ropes,
have water power take the place of
arm power in subduing insomnia.
The same principle has been tried
with washing-machines, fans, and
knife-sharpeners. A single glass of
water is enough to cause death when
it is harnessed in the way they use
it in China where it is a form Of
capital punishment. The water is
made to fall n drop at a time upon
the top of the victims head.
Switzerland runs a s~teep-grade rail-
road up a mountain side by water
power. There are two lines of track
and two trains, n on each track.
When stable, one train is at the up
per and the other at the lower term
inal. The front of the train at the
bottom is attached to the zeal Of the
one at the top by a cable running
up the middle of the track to the top,
and thence over by pulleys. Like
wise, a cable runs from the front of
the top car, down the grade, to the
rear of the bottom "a On the ends
of the trains are large tanks. The
one on top fills up with water, the
brakes are loosened, and, since it is
heavier than the one on the bottom,
1t slowly drops, pulling the other up.
Then, when the brakes have been put
on, the water is poured out of the
tank and the train which is now on
top loads up. Grease for the wheels
Is the only expense of this railroad.
Switzerland is responsible, too for
a clock that runs by water power. 1t
Is operated on the hour-glass prin.
ciple, familiar to those who boil eggs.
There are three of these water hour.
glasses, one for the minute hand, an.
other for the hour hand, and the
third for the chimes, which are set
In motion either at the hour or the
quarter hour. In Italy there is a
church bell that strikes the hour by
water power on very much the same
idea.
Bat that is using water in homeeo-
pathic doses. 1t is only In recent
years that it has been made to work
real hard.
Hardly ten years ago the only use
made by rivers was to run the old
fashioned mill wheel, which can now
seldom be seen outside of picture gal
leries. Its place has been taken by
powerful generating plants that have
harnessed the river so that 1t does
something more useful than just drift
down from the mountains to the sea
There is some dispute as to who
first thought of using waterfalls fol
generating power. An EnglishmaI
claims the distinction, and it came
like most inventions, accidentally
This Englishman was standing unde,
a barrel full of water when the bot
tom dropped out. The force of the
blow knocked him over. Being 9
thoughtful man he reasoned that II
a barrel full of water could knock
him over, a river full could do won
ders.
But, whether the Englishman claims
the credit or not, the idea is now il
full swing at dozens of waterfalls
Huge wheels are placed under these
falls SO that the fall of the watel
makes them revolve with tremendous
speed, and these wheels are connect
ed with generators which store up the
power and supply it to all who wan
to buy.
The same principle applies also Il
swiftly moving rivers, and so com
plete is the success that now all ovel
Europe and in many parts of thi!
country, the farmer has his house
electrically lighted. In the little tow1
of Upland, CAL, the people are able
to do their cooking cheaper by cleo
tricity than by gas.
l. There have been numerous device!
for Harvesting the tides, but none, a:
yet, have been eminently successful
Several schemes have been patented
for using the power of waves, but they
have usually met with a sad ending
Some years ago Ocean Grove sprink
led her streets with water that wa!
pumped by mi of these wave ma
chimes, but its life of usefulness wa!
I&. - 49, Ez 80