Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-23
WIZARDRY OF WATER.
It's Power Not Gone out of Use Az Some
People suppose.

Few persons when they drink a glass cf
water realize that they are drinking, n
an embarrassed form, the most powerful
substance in the world. Every year We
drink az much % the loose power as II
would take 10 run an elevator or heat Il
house, says the New York Evening Pos,
which continues.
Water can he made 20 do the most Pc
culiar things when IL is properly hi,chai
| up. The father of a sleepless baby some
years ago evolved a scheme during his
midnight walk up and down the bed room
of attaching a hose to the kitchen faucet
! and by a series of paddle wheels ana
ropes have water power take the place Of
arm power in subduins insomnia. The
same principle has been tried with wash
! ing machines, fans. and knife sharpencrs.
A single glass of water is enough %
cause death when Il is harnessed n tho
way they use It in China, whore II is u
form OF capital punishment. The water
is made to fail one drop at a time upon
the top of the victims head.
Switzerland runs steep grade railroad
up mountain side by water power.
There are two lines Of track and two
trains. one on each track. When stable,
one train is al the upper and the other
at the lower terminal. The front of the
train at the bottom Is attached to the
rear Of the one at the top by a cablc
running up the middle Of the track >
The top, aud 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 car ON the ends of the trains
are large tanks. The one on top nils up
with water. tho brakes are loosened. and,
since it is heavier than the one on the
bottom il slowly drops, pulling the other
mp. 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. Crease for the wheels is the
only expense of this railroad.
Hardly ten years ago the only usa
made Of rivers was to run the d-fash-
toned mill wheel, which can now seldom
he seen outside OF picture galleries Is
place has been taken by powerful gener-
atlng plants that have harnessed the river
So that it does something more useful
than just drift down from the mountain,
20 the sea.
There is some dispute as to who frs;
thought of using waterfalls for gener-
ating power. An Engiishman claims the
distinction. and it came, Ike most nven-
tons. accidentally. This Englishman was
standing under a barrel full of water
when the bottom dropped out. The force
Of the blow knocked him over. Being !
thoughtful man, he reasoned that II 2
barrel full of water could knock hin
over, a river full could do wonders,
But whether the Englishman claims tn,
credit or no.. the idea is now in ful
swing at dozens OF waterfalls Hug
TafH
that the fall Of the water makes then
revolve with tremendous speed, and thes
wheels are connected with generator
which store up the power, and supply
to all who want to buy.
There have been numerous devices n
harnessing the tides but none. az ye;
have been emncntly successful. Sever,
- schemes have been patented for usin
the power OF waves. but they have usuai
, IS met with a sad ending Some year
i ago. Ocean Grove sprnklcd her street
with water that was pumped by one a
= these wave machines, but lis lie Of use
! fulness was cut short by wave that wa
= moro powerful than the machine.
The latest scientific use Of water. fo
To the plunger type Of elevator, engineer
% say. will make the bo-story skyscrap
t'S'''''' anu HNlu'lN'''N ''''S' '"' ''
of the simplest and prettest OF water d.
- vices. To the bottom Of the elevator ca
Is attached a steel column equal in lcngt
- to the run Of the elevator. which runs u
and down shaft IN the earth. A. ih
, bottom Of this shaft are two pipes, on
for supplying water and the other "a
~ drawing it off. AS the water IS pourin
- into this shaft. the steel rod rises, pushin
: the elevator upward When the desire
" story has been reached, tho operator
N the car moves the handle, which instant
b" checks the flow, and the car rests upo
the body of water in the shaft,