Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-10-26
WORLDFAMED
ELECTRICITY
WIZARD DEAD
DIR. Charles Steinmetz,
Whose Inventions Have
Revolutionized Electrical
! Equipment, Dies

SCHENECTADY, ~ Y. Oct % Dr.
Charles Proteus Steinmetz, the electrical
wizard, died at his home here today after
a physical breakdown. due 10 trip t1
the Pacific Coast from which Ne recent
ly returned
The attending physician said that
breakfast was being served the patient
when his heart seemed to suddenly give
way and he died almost Immediately.
Dne of the most recent electrical fcats
uf SteinmriZ was the production ~ IN
in door thunder storm. in luding bolt
of lightning. the lightning being under
the control of the wizard. II had ali he
characteristics of natural >'orir. cX-
Ccpt the clouds.
The American career of Or. Charles T..
Steinmctz. A. NJ, Ph. d., chief consult
ing engineer OF the General Electric
Works, Schnectady. \. T., hId its be-
ginning in New York in 1889. where
pcnnless and able TO speak but very
little English, he arrived from Zurich.
Switzerland. lie was accompanied by
young American who had been his tei-
low student at the Zurich Polyicchn!-
cium.
At the time of his death Dr. Stein
metz was regarded not only as one of
the foremost authorities on electrical
engineering but one of the greatest ma.
thcmaticians in the world. Strangely
enough. one Of his greatest difficulties
as a child was in learning the multipIi-
cation table.
Born in the city Of Breslau. Germany,
on April o, 1865 and educated az it, ~
nous university. young Steinmeiz early
became interested in socialism al
time when vigorous steps were being
taken against it By the government. An
issue of a socialist publication in which
the students were interested and in
which Steinmctz had several articles.
was eonfiscated, the publication sus
pended and the editors arrested and inn
prisoned Steinmetz fled from Germany
and found refuge with a friend clcr-
Eyman. near the Austrian border. From
there he went to Zurich.
Two weeks after landing in America.
Steinmetz found employment in the
manufacturing establishment Of Ru
dolph Eickemeycr AT Yonkers. y. r., as
craftsman. At that time the company
was making few electric motors and
generators and had just taken up work
on the problems Of the electric street
ear. jointly with stephen u. Field. All
the designs for the experiments with
the electric cars passed through his
hands. Quarters for a laboratory were
obtained and he began TO specialize on
magnetic testing. His writings on cleo
trical subjects began 20 attract attcn-
1ion. his discussion Of the law Of
hystcresis elicting much interest on the
part Of electrical engineers.
In 1892. the General Electrical com
pany bought the electrical manufactur-
in. business Of the Eickcmeycr company
except the making Of motors for cieva-
tors. which the Otis Company took over
10 its own plant and StcinmctZ went 20
the Lynn. Mass. works Of the General
Electric Company r. January. 1898. he
was transferred TO the Schenectady works,
and has since that time made Schenec-
tady his home In 1912. he was appoint
cd president Of the Board Of Education
of Schenectady. and in 1915. was elect
ed president of the common council %
that city on the Socialist ticket. lie nev-
ar married.
DR.. Steinmctz served for many terms
as The president Of national and inter
national societies connected with IN"
electrical industry. Harvard honored
him with the degree Of Master Of Arts
and Union College made him Doc'"
of Philosophy. Since 1913. he had sell
we'd Union College as professor of cleo
sr;..t onripceyiuy and elect trOphvSicS.