The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-23
ELECTRICITY AND IT'S USES

The forthcoming meeting of the
American Institute of Electrical Engi
saeers Charlotte g. wifi bring
out many interesting discussions of the
,robienas that confront the electrical
world This body of men constitute
a sort of court OF last resort in affairs
electrical, not SO much In the way of
invention as In devising ways and
means toward making all electrical
progress available for the use OF the
race. They are mainly men who are
connected with the big electric estab-
iishments of the country, and they dis
cuss kilowatts. anperes, ohins, arrna-
lures and such things in an intimate
way that is quite confusing to the lay
man.
One of the most important problems
In the field OF electricity is that of IT, :
commercial practicability of the new
storage battery street car. Trials have
been made which prove that IL IL a
mechanical success and III II works as
we'll commercially urban transportation
problems will undergo az great Il
change as marked the passing of the
horse car and the coming of the troll
ley. For years the central power plant
has been considered the last word in
the economical operation Of street car
systefns. although it's installation has
. meant the expenditure OF millions for
plant equipment. underground trolleys
and overhead wires. Now comes the
y storage battery car with claims for
preference, which the New York trials
under actual transportation conditions
seem TO yindicate The cost Of opera
ton is very much less. and the cost
of Installation amounts to even still
less Moving independent of every
other car on the line. so far as motive
power is concerned, there can be no
t.e-up on account OF the Juice" CIV
Ing out There are no plows to get
stuck IN a slot. or overhead wires to
he broken in case OF sleet or storms.
The storage battery street car will
prove a boon TO the ambitious but EN-
hryo metropolis that fiourishes in
almost every county. The prohibftsve
cot OF installation has prevented many
small places from having street car
systems With the storage battery car
ali thai needs TO be done is TO lay
track buy the cars, and street car
system is ready for the gala day of
formal opening. Thus the horse car
has come back, with the exception
that instead Of horse OF skin and bone
and SPAWN. dragging the car along at
"a snaiFs pace, the passenger has q
horse Of metal and chemical riding be-
meath his feet and carrying him as II
woes--sa horse which is never liable TO
condemnation by a local society for the
prevention Of cruelty to animals,
In these days. when wonder follows
wonder with ltghtnfng-like rapidly
Ia the field of electrical invention. the
latest announcement OF tslevtsion
telephone does not tar the credulity
n much as the telegraph instrument
did two or three generations ago. This
great idea no longer exists merely
: h, the fevered Imagination OF some
Jules verne---it IN now In actual pro-
cess 0f accomplishment. Think of II!
Going 10 your telephone and seeing
the PERSON at the other end OF the
wire, though miles and mountains lie
between. The idea Ia said 10 be as
well developed as was wireless tele-
graphy q decade ago. II all Is to
come about through the discovery that
80 Of the sisments known AZ selsn-
- WIN conduct -slAotx3aasy whApvuuhr