The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-09-29
Electricity,

]1 Electricity, says the
Standard Dictionary, is an
fPT imponderable and invisi-
" BILE agent producing various
i manifestations of energy,
and the Century Dictionary
says, 1.-THE true nature OF electricity
Is as yet not at all understood" May
be 1t is this very mystery, and the
knowledge that 1t is the most potent
Ut known forces, that makes the SUBJ
ject so attractive and also lures the
boy with taste for things mechani-
cal.
Anyhow, 1t is the biggest thing in
mechanics nowadays, and offers the
most varied and most progressive field
for consideration by the man hunting
for an occupation for his son.
But to say that "My son is going
to be an electrical engineer" conveys
nothing particular; for it might
mean anyone of thousand almost to-
tally different lines of activity. For
instance, telephones would be impossi-
BILE without electricity, and to get into
the practical side Of telephoning one
would be, in that sense, an electrical
engineer. The same with telegraphing;
with wireless telegraphy; with the con-
struction of electrical machines; with
storage batteries; with the construc-
ton of switchboards; with central sta
ton 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 are 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-
cal management and use generally
than the others, and that shall be ia
ken up in the present article for the
benefit of the father who has been
thinking about the wizardy of Edison
and how Franklin brought the light
ming from the skies, and who believes
that his son has the elements of an
electrical wizard in him.
This is the contract work on build
ings. It doesn't sound bit romantic,
when compared with the pictures
queness of whizzing, sparkling dyna-
mos in great powerhouses which move
long lines of street cars and trains and
give the light to thousands of glar1ng
arc lamps or searchlights having mil
lions of candlepower. But 1t really
means lot moro, for the contractor
has to install these very plants and
string the wires, and knows great
deal more than the one that merely
turns the switches of these same mys-
FERROUS machines. He has to know
something about pretty nearly every
thing connected with wiring anything
and establishing machinery for cleo
trical purposes-and electricity with
out wires or machinery is as yet un.
harnessed.
To get down to business In most
places the boy who is to take up this
phase of electrical engineering has tc
be OK.'d by a labor union as appren
tice before he can get job. This Is
rather easily done by getting In touch
with any electrical workers union II
the city in which he wishes to make
his start Then he applies to all the
contractors he can find at work or
buildings for his first job. He will
not have to wait long; for practically
every structure of consequence going
up nowadays is wired for electricity
and this means the employment of {
great army of men.
His first work, of course, will be a
the veriest rudiments. He will be call
ed a roustabout, or something equiva
lent, and will be assigned to assisting
regular wirers and other wOrkmen ant
getting a knowledge Of the materia
used, how it is put up, etc. For this h
will receive from a dollar to dollar
and half day.
But we shall say that this particula
boy-your boy, undoubtedly-has NOR
ambition than to become mere wir'
stringer and wants to get out of thu
drudgery of a trade. If so, he will b.
devouring everything readable he Cal
find that has to go with his work an,
Is already wholesomely envious of tn
amazing ability that he thinks is pos
sessed by his employer.
It won't be long-perhaps not NOR
than few months-till the latter will
reach the conclusion that the boy ha
something in him. and will take hin
into his Office as material clerk. pay
ing him perhaps twelve dollars weel
Here he sees large blue sheets of pa
per covered with mysterious lines an