The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-09-29

}. GSAAeg Bile agent producing yarlol
49, manifestations OF energ
o and the Century Dicuonar
iays. THE true nature OF electriclt
q as yet not Mt all understood" Ma,
= DO II is this very mystery, and th
I. knowledge that II Is the most poten
l oi known forces, that makes the sui
| Iect so attractive and also lures IN
= boy with n taste for things mechan,
al
Anyhow, II IS the biggest thing fl
mechanics nowadays, and offers III,
most varied and most progressive fielc
.or confederation by the man huntinl
Tor an occupation for his son.
But to say that MY son is goine
10 be an electrical engineer" conveys
nothing particular; for It might
mean anyone OF n thousand almost to.
tally different lines OF activity. For
instance, telephones would be impossi.
Die without electricity. and to get into
he practical side Of telephoning one
would be, In that sense, an electrical
engineer. The same with telegraphing,
With wireless teloKraphy; with the con.
struction OF electrical machines: with
storage batteries; with the construc.
non OF switchboards; with central sta.
lion work at the big power houses;
with bell engineering, having to do
with low tension work, as telephones
signals In houses, and other lines not
requiring much power,-and with an
Almost endless number OF other branch.
es, all distinct In themselves, with the
experts In all of them being known as
electrical engineers. Even the motor.
men In subways or on trains operated
by electricity arc known as electrical
engineers; yet they need to know moth
Ing OF other departments OF the bust
ness.
There Is one line. however. that
would seem TO indicate more OF electri.
raj management and use generally
man the others. and that shall be ia.
zen up In the present article for the
lenctt OF the father who has been
milking about the wizardy of Edison |
md how Franklin brought the light. |
ling from the skies. and who believes |
hat his son has the elements Of an
Electrical wizard in him.
This Is the contract work on build.
ngs 1t doesn't sound n bit romantic,
Then compared with the pictures
ueness of whizzing, sparkling dyna.
nos In great powerhouses which move
ong lines of street cars and trains and
I've the light to thousands of glaring
re lamps or searchlights having mil
ons of candlepower. But II really
icans lot more, for the contractor
as to install these very plants and
tring the wires, and knows q great
eal more than the one that merely
rms the switches Of these same mys.
'rious machines. He has to know
about pretty nearly every.
ing connected with wiring anything
nd establishing machinery for cleo.
ical purposes-and electricity with.
1t wires or machinery is as yet un.
To get down to business in most |
aces the boy who Is TO take I'm this |
lase of electrical engineering has to
O.K.d by labor union as appren.
'e before he can get Job. This is =
Their easily done by getting In touch !
IN any electrical workers union in =
city In which he wishes to make
start Then he applies to all the .
ntractors he can find at work on :,
lidings for his first Job. He will J.,
nave to wait long: for practically ;,
cry structure OF consequence going .,
nowadays Is wired for electricity :,
this means the employment OF n =,
Eat army OF men. u
lis first work, OF course, will be nj
yeriest rudiments. He VIII be call.
roustabout, or something eouiva. vi
t. and VIII be assigned to assisting =,
'ular wirers and other workmen and N
ting knowledge of the material VI
"a, how 1t Is put up. etc. For this he "
receive from a dollar to a dollar 70
half day. M
tut we shall say that this particular tr'
your boy. undoubtedly-has more So
billion than to become mere wire M
niger and wants to get out of the 90
deery OF trade. II SO, he will be ~
curing everything readable he can la a'
that has to so with his work and VI
lready wholesomely envious of the
King ability that he thinks ia nos. NE
led by his employer. ON
won't be long--perhaps not more sur
rev months-dll the latter win oa
N the conclusion that the boy has r ru
sitting In him. and will take him ro
MS office as material clerk, pay. =, ORC
aim perhaps twelve dollars week
2 ne sees large blue sheets of pa. iuA
covered with mysterious lines and eco