Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-28

49, vitality associated with human
life, even though his discovery may not be
a money making scheme.
For many years / have longed to take
up purely scientific investigation" said Mr.
Edison, but there have been so many
things to engross my attention that
have had TO defer this kind of work
For years, however, 1 have been
making preparations for this tas.
have Kept notes of curious experiments. but
which at the time were only side issues
When a man is in a LABORATORY working
on a problem he comes across all kinds of
phenomena, and he can't take the time to
trace these manifestations to their source,
because that would interfere with the task
he Is wrestling with He is compelled to
put these things aside, for IL he is striving
for the commercial end OF the business he
must abandon the ideal, unless that. too
will aid him in attaining the commercial
goal. .---
These side vistas into the realms OF
science, however, have so charmed me that
now intend TO retrace my steps and strike
out in sea17h OF the truths that I know
must lie & newhere beyond my former
horizon" .s.. .r.-.-t.
Electricity viii still profoundly interest
1.-THE wizard" because OF what he has al
ready done for the utilization Of electrical
energy. II IL his belief that the world
knows only the beginnings OF what this
mysterious force can do for mankind. For
one thing. Mr.. Edison says that the trans
formation OF coal directly into electricity
without the medium OF the steam engine
can be accomplished. and at a. time not
far in the future. At the present time,
when coal Is burned and it's energy In
transmitted into steam. and from steam
into the dynamic force OF the wheel, and
from the wheel into the electrical power
OF the dynamo, nine-tenths OF the GOALS
energy is wasted. When a means Is found
which VIII utilize the fun power OF coal.
he says, the steam engine will be relegated
to the scrap heap. all railroad trains viii
be run by electricity, all factories VIII be
operated electrically. all lighting will be
done by electricity. At the mouths OF the
coal mines great electrical power houses
viii be established which viii transmit
power direct TO the great centers OF in
dustry. The cumbrous coal train will be
a thing OF the past Instead OF the tons OF
fuel now hauled 10 New York from Pennsyl-
vania, great copper conduits' twin pipe the
power direct TO the metropolis, as Mr..
Edison once nut IT, Direct electricity would
also make II possibly he says TO run an
EXPRESS train from New York TO Buffalo
with two bushels OF coal and to drive a
10 0o0-hofse power steamship across the At
lantic in three days. 'Ht
- t..-..
EJectricity and steam.
In ten years or thereabouts experts claim
that the motive power IN uss on an the
important railroads IN this country will be
electricity. They believe the passing OF
the steam locomotive Is inevitable. Five
years ago. says the Wall Street Journal,
electricity was only used for overhead
trolleys and a few unimportant experiment
tai attempts; today. our elevated and sub
way trains are propelled by II, and on the
New York Central more than 800 electric
trains pass through its tunnels daily, The
action Of the Central In railroad eleetrihca-
ton, It is believed, will be followed by
other roads, and. In comparatively few
years, viii make a steam locomotive az
unusual sight aS the horse car OF q