The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-08-17
|THB WIZARDRY OF WATER
IT'S POWER NOT GONE OUT OF

New Ways Of Harvesting it-E'ee-
trio Lights For Farmers.
Few persons, when they drink
glass of water, realize that they are
drinking, in an embarrassed 1orm'
the most powerful substance IN the
world. Every year we drink as much
of this loose power as 1t would take
to run an elevator or heat a mouse.
This is not an attack upon Croton-
any other stream is as powerful. Inc
strength is all in the harness that IS
used.
Water can be made to do the most
peculiar things when 1t is properly
hitched up. The father of sleepless
baby some years ago evolved scheme
during his midnight walk up and
down the bedroom of attaching nose
to the kitchen faucet, and, by
series of paddle-whee4s 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 one drop at time upon
the top Of the victims head.
Switzerland runs a steep-grade rail-
NV
power There are two lines of track
and two trains, one on each track.
When stable one train is at the up
per ard the other at the lower term
inal The front of the train at the
bottom is attached to the rear of the
one at the top by q cable running
I'D 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 car 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,
it 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
clock that runs BY water power. It
is operated On the hour-glass prin-
ciple, familiar to these who coil eggs.
| There are three OF these water hour
glasses, one for the minute hand, an
other fer 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 en- very much the same
idea.
Bat that is using water in homeGo-
pathic doses. 1t is only in recent
years that il has been maze to work
real hard
Hardly ten years ago the only use
made by rivers was to run the old
fashioned mill wheel, which can row
seldom be seen outside of picture gal
leries. It's place has been taken by
powerful generating plants that have
harressad the river so that it 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. Al Engl.shma1
claims the distinction, and it came
like most inventions, accidentally
; This Engiishman was standing under
} barrel full Of water when the bot
J tom dropped out. The force Of the
J blow knocked him over. Being q
J thoughtful man he reasoned that i
a barrel full of water could knoci
| him over, a river full could do won
ders
But, whether the EnglisLElan claim.
} the credit OR not, the idea is now il
. full swing at dozens Of waterfalls
Huge wheels are placed under thes'
falls so that the fall of the water
makes them revolve with tremendous
speed, and these wheels are connect
ed with generators which store up tn
power and supply it to all who wan
, to buy.
! The same principle applies also t.
swiftly moving rivers, and SO com
: plete is the success that now all owe
Europe and in many parts of thi
country, the farmer has his hous
electrically lighted. In the little tow
, Of Upland, Cal, the people are abb
! to do their cooking cheaper by cleo
tricity than By gas. q
, There have been numerous device
for Harvesting the tides. but none, a
yet. have been eminently successful
: Several schemes have been patente