The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-12-29
None NEW ONES.
SOME GREAT INVENTIONS ARE
ON THE WAY.

Thos. A. Edison Says They Will Soon
Come and Pave the Way for Hum
dreds Of Others.
In q recent article in the New York
| Times Thos. A. Edison says the next
era will mark the most wonderful
advance in science and Invention that
the world has ever known or hoped
for, so vast will that advance be that
we can now have scarcely any con-
ception of its scope, but already a
great. many of the inventions of the
future are assured. 1t is only Of
those which 1 regard as practical
certainties that shall speak here:
1. Within the next twenty or
thirty years-and it will start within
the next two or three-concrete ar
chitecture will take enormous
strides forward; the art of moulding
concrete will be reduced to a science
of perfection, and, what ,is equally
| Important, Of cheapness; there will
rise up large number Of gifted ar
! chhreuts, and through their efforts
cities and towns will spring up In
this country beside which Turner S
picture of ancient Rome and Garth
age will pale into nothingness and
Bhe buildings of the Columbia ex-
nibition will appear common. But
great expense Will not attend this; It,
will be done so that the poor man
will be able TO enjoy houses mere
beautiful THAT the rich now aspire t.,
and man earning $3.50 day, with
family to support, will be bette
housed than the man Of today who
Is earning $40.
2. Moving picture machines will
be so perfected that the characters
will not only move, but will speak,
and all the accessories and effects
of the stage will be faithfully pro-
duced on the living picture stage.
This, of course, will not be done as
we'll as on the regular stage, but Its
standard will approach very near to
that, and the fact that such enter
Itainment5 will be furnished for five
cents will draw vast numbers Of the
working classes. The result will be
that the masses will have the advan
tage of the moral of good drama,
they will find an inexpensive and In
proving way of spending the evening
and the death knell Of the saloon will
be sounded.
8. In perhaps fifteen or twenty
years-depending on the financial
condition of the country-the loco
motive will pass almost out OF us,,
and all our main trunk line will lie
operated by electricity.
4. A new fertilizer will spring into
existence, containing large percent
age of nitrogen. This will be drawn
from the air by electricity, and will
be used to increase the arability of
the land. Even now this is done to
large extent in Sweden.
5. All OUR water power will be
utilized by electricity to ar extent
now almost unthought Of, and Will
be used with great advantage, both
industrially and for railroads.
6. A successful aerial navigation
will be established-perhaps for the
mais-and achieve sound, practi-
cal working basis.
7. VIE shall be able to protect our
selves against environment by the
use of serums and things Of that sort
so that the general state Of health
will be improved and the average
span of life will increase by a large
percentage. The grand fight which
is being made against tuberculosis
and cancer will reach a successful
elimination, and those diseases Will
be entirely mastered.
| .. "A new lOlCC III liotuiS, VI SN---N
sort or other, will be discovered by
which many things not now under
stood will be explained. We, nnlor'
tunately, have only five senses; If We
had eight, we'd know more.
9. We shall realize the possiblll'
tiles of our coal supply better and
learn how to utilize them so that ~
per cent of the efficiency will not be
thrown away, as it is today.
Finally, let it be said, hardly an!
piece of machinery now manufactrr'
ed is more than ten per cent. per-
feet. AS the years go on this will re
improved upon tremendously; moro
automatic machinery will be devised
and articles OF comfort and lnxury
will be produced in enormous nuns
bers at such small cost that al
classes will be able to enjoy the Dene'
fits Of them.
These are some Of the inventions
which the world is awaiting which N
is sure of seeing realized. Just no"
they will be realized Is what the III
ventors are working now to deter
mine.