The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-04-23
Ten Great Inventions.

Ten Great inventions.
What are the greatest ten inven-
tions of the past twenty-five years?
Last July the Scientific American Of
fered prizes of $3.50, 500 and $50
for the best three essays on this sub
ject of universal interest.
The stipulations were made that
the greatness of an invention would
be measured in terms of practical
success and general usefulness to
mankind The contestants were linn
tied to machines, devices and dis
coveries commercials introduced in
the last twenty-five years. they
must be "patentable though not nec-
essarily patented
The judges had difficulty in select
ing the winner, owing to the wide
diversity of opinion among the con-
testants. No two competitors Sc
lected the same set of inventions.
They finally decided to award the
first prize to William I. Wyman. OF
Washington, D. c., whose selections
are bbrief1y summarized in the World
as follows:
The Electric Furnace.
This produces a "heat so intense
as to simulate some of the primal
forces of nature" 1t alone has made
possible the production; of artificial
gems, carborundum (hardest of man
ufactured substances,) calcium car
bide and artificial graphite. 1t has
reduced the price of aluminium from
more than $12 a pound to less than
25 cents. 1t has made possible the
fxation of atmosphere nitrogen and
revolutionized the steel industry.
The Steam Turbine.
Has effected striking economics in
steam consumption, abolished vibra-
ton, reduced engine space by from
one to two-thirds, and is sending the
old reciprocating engines to the scrap
heap.
The Gasoline Automobile.
The benefits conferred upon man
kind by the automobile are so wide
spread as to need scarcely any COM
ment. Among them however, must
not be forgotten the creation of thou
sands of miles of improved high
ways.
Moving Pictures.
Have transformed the peoples S
amusements and are becoming an
ever more important factor in educa-
ton, science, trade and recording
current history.
The Aeroplane.
While this presents the least COM
mercial utility of all the inventions
considered, it is the most radical in
novation in the whole history of 10
comotion and threatens to revolu-
tionize warfare.
Wireless Telegraph.
Has made possible the universal
nter-communication Of all the world.
has robbed the sea of its terors and
saved thousands of lives.
The Cyanide Process.
One of the main agencies whereby
the worlds production of gold was
trebled between 1890 and 1908. Has
revolutionized the metallurgy of the
precious metals.
The Induction Motor.
This has made possible the trans
mission and utilization of alternating
electric current and is mainly re-
sponsible for the rapid substitution
of electric for steam power in the in
dustries, conserving from 80 to go
per cent. of the energy formerly
wasted in whirling line shafting and
betting.
The Linotype.
Has made it possible to set type
from five to ten times as rapidly as
before: has saved time and expense
and made the modern newspaper.
Electric Welding.
Makes it easy to Join the most an
tagonistic metals with safety, surety
and swiftness. 1t was the first radi-
cal change that the art of the smithy
had undergone in historic times.
The most fashionable thing in use
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