The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1915-06-16
GREATEST DECADE
Ten Years That Lead All Other Per-
iods in Mention

the invention of the steam engine.
Its introduction divided recorded time
into two distinctly defined areas, ana
it may well be said that the entire
history of mans material endeavors
counts forward or backward from that
comparatively recent event. The jump
from manual to power operations
which typifies the two eras, was moth
ing short of cataclysmic, and pro-
foundly affected and stirred mankind
in all its relations to an extent IN
conceivablely greater than any po-
litical change or decision in battle that
is ordinarily cited by the historian to
mark the beginning of a new epoch
As soon after this event as dis
tracted civilization could be released
from the sitting bondage Of incessant
warfare, the problem of applying this
mighty agency to the needs OF man
began in earnest-with an energy, ca
pacity and genius never ceasing and
never before equaled. Thus was in
augurated the age of machinery, of
invention, of industrialism-an age
vitality different from all that preced-
ed it and during which the basis of
society was more completely altered
and the economic and political struc-
ture more fundamentally revolutioniz-
ed than in all the preceding centuries
of civilization put together
The ten years most fraught with
.,lfo,,a,,ant IN 20 tho ipvaption of tho
telephone, was the 1840-185O period,
during which the reaper, inflammation
of rubber, sewing machine and tele-
graph were perfected. These inven-
tions, by far the most notable of the
decade, were all American and mark
ed the elimination of Yankee ingen-
uity, and it is safe to assert that no
other people in any equal short span
of time can point TO a record Of ac-
complishments so marvellous and so
revolutionizing, industrially and so
cially.
The decade beginning with 1870 was
also notable-the telephone, the dyna-.
mo and the arc lamp appeared and
gave the first Indications Of the com
ing part electricity was to play in the
affairs of mankind.
But the ten years beginning with
1880 saw an outburst of inventive ac-
tivity that dwarfed all similar periods
in history. The trolley car, which has
changed the face Of urban civilization;
the incandescent light with its more
r1o,.y., f,,l. a,,d haaIthiar s,Io,,, and ,,,,,,
adaptable use; the automobile, the
most distinctive feature Of our time;
the typewriter, the most necessitous
instrument in modern business; the
skyscraper, the delineator Of the new
skyline Of American business centers,
and the cash register, that ubiquitous
instrument and first aid to honesty
to pick out the most obvious Of the
innovations came into being or were
first whipped into shape in the ten
pregnant years beginning with 1880
Before 1880 electricity was sparing
ly used-the first central station for
arc lighting had just been established
in 1879. Its recognition as a source
Of energy for universal lighting. for
propulsion, for power, and for heating
for all the large and vital uses it
could be put to-was matter of spec
ulation, and not one of the expectedly
near realization. No one, even Of the
widest imaginings, could have dream
ed of the transportation so close to
hand. But before this census period
closed the electric incandescent lamp
was incontestably established, the troll
ley car was successfully introduced
the central station for power distril L.
ton and the polyphase motor for 81 e
tionary work began to show its re, .
lutionizing possibilities, and the fl t
electric furnace was put into succe -
full commercial operation.
All the big problems that were =
volved in putting into service in su
large ways of this new and mighty
servant were first confronted a i
solved in this particular decade. In the
Sos the generation, transmission and
utilization of current-the dynamo
the transformer, and motor-were al
made practical propositions on large
and commercial scale for the first time