Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-15
HoUsEWoRK BY ELECTRICITY.
Cooking, Washing, Ironing BY Turning
Switch.

If our forefathers. who used to
warm up a bed with a warming pan
or heat a brick and wrap it up in
cloths and put that in at the foot Of
the bed to keep somebody's feet warm
in winter, could have seen a modern
electric heating pad they would
doubtless have looked upon 1t with
astonishment, as indeed might some
people even in the present time.
It Is twelve by fifteen inches in size
and fiat. Heat is developed in it by
electricity supplied through a flexible
wire which can be attached to any
incandescent light socket. 1t can be
adjusted at any one of three degrees
of heat that may be desired, high.
medium or low, and this temperature
It will maintain as long as the cleo
trio current remains turned on.
Such a pad 1t was that, seen lying
on the bed, first caught the eye in a
bedroom especially fitted up for
public display of some Of the many
electrical contrivances that are now
adays provided for greater comfort
and convenience. Here, for instance,
was an electric luminous heat radia-
tor which, duly connected with the
electric current supply, Is by the mere
turning Of a switch, made to give out
heat, while the front Of the radiator
lights up with a cheerful glow.
Here was a sewing machine opera
ted by little electric motor. The ma
chine is started by pressing a button
handily placed, and its speed can be
regulated at will by simple pressure
of the foot upon the treadle.
Standing on the machine is trim
little electric fiat iron, which might
prove handy for pressing some Of the
work cone on the machine, or which,
for that matter, could be taken to
any room and attached, for use, to
any incandescent light socket.
At one side of this room stands a
self lighting wardrobe. Opening the
door of the wardrobe operates a
switch that turns on an electric light
within; closing the door turns it off.
On a table near by is an electric cigar
lighter. In this, under a perforated
mica shield, there is a little resistance
coil which comes to a red heat when
you press the button and at which
you light your cigar.
Here are also an electric chafing
dish, an electric coffee percolater and
an electric teapot. On a table con-
veniently placed at the head of the
bed stands an electric candle in a trim
candlestick. An independent appli-
ance this, the candle-as it is in ap-
pearance-really containing little
storage battery. Turn the little
switch on the candlestick and where
the candle flame would be shines a
little incandescent electric light. The
candle you can carry about anywhere.
Here on this table stands a clock
supported on a base that also contains
storage battery. There is a tiny
electric lamp on this base in front or
the clock. Touch a button on the
clock base and the light glows, to
show you the time O. night. There is
water stand similarly contrived.
On the wall at the head Of the bed
Is a telephone so arranged that by 1t
you can telephone at will to any room
in the house without getting up. And
then standing on the floor there Is
another electric radiator. If 1t should
happen to be chilly morning you
can reach out Of bed and turn on the
heat before rising.
On a dressing table you find an cleo
trio vibrator, operated by an incan-
descent light current, for massage
treatment; and here electric curling
irons; and here little water for heat
ing milk, or water, or which in mans
room might be used for heating shaw
ing water.
Not to be overlooked on another
table is the electric hair dryer, which
as to its outward appearance Is made
up of a nickel framed cylinder about
six or eight inches in length by four
inches in diameter, with a tube foot
or thereabouts in length and of about
an inch in diameter, projecting from
one end of 1t, this tube at its outer
end having a slightly fiaring bell
shaped opening. Within the cylinder
Of the electric hairdryer is placed a
resistance coil, to generate heat, and
back Of this in the cylinder Is placed
a fan turned by little electric motor.
When the current is turned on the
fan, turning, draws air in the cylin-
der and drives it forward over the
heated resistance coil and on, now
warmed air, through the tube and out
at its flared opening.
In another room, this one fitted up
specially for the display Of electric
kitchen appliances, is shown an elec-
trio refrigerator, a cold storage plant
of dimensions suited to household re-
quirements and operated by electricity.
Here are contrivances for heating
water by electricity. Here Is what Is
called a kitchenette, which looks
something like a gas stove. but In
which the heat is generated by cleo
tricity and which is equipped with
various cooking utensils, griddle, tea
kettle, double boiler and saucepan,
and containing within itself an oven
and a broiler. Any part of the kitch-
enette or any one Of its utensils can
be used separately by the mere turn
ing Of the switch belonging to it.
Here is a big Independent electric
broiler in which a steak of any size
can be broiled. Here Is an electric
plate warmer in which any number
of plates may be warmed. Another
appliance here is little motor driven
contrivance turning spindle on one
end of which is a buffing wheel and
on the other grinding wheel; the
one for polishing silver and the other
for sharpening knives.
And in the kitchen, Of course, the