Year: 1862

Figure No. 2-Transvcrse section.


Now by this plan the strain equally upon the
external wires and the internal core which
ducts the electricity, and before the latter can
give way the outside wires must break. Now, in
the cable here represented there seventeen
strands Of wire-hrst, the core and outside
sixteen Of No. TO- all Of the best charcoal wire. Each
Of them capable Of sustaining weight Of $50 pounds
consequently their united strength is 700 pounds be-
sides whatever Is impaired by the single wire
Of the thickness which drawn around the whole
spaly in order 70 keep them together At the end Of
every ten feet this spiral wire is tapped several times
around the cable at right angles, that should by
any accident Be cut broken the cable would stn be
held sufficiently togethsr This Is far stronger cable
than THAI which attempted 10 be laid across the A.
lantc, and had IL been used the probability is would
have been successful. Il inch and quarter 10 dia
meter There il another peeuiarty In this cable II
the rst time that iron wire has been employed for the
II has been adopted order to give greater
strength.


As regards insulation we may state that the core wire
Is covered with gutta percha onequarter inch thick and
that Is enveloped in tarred hemp, thus efscting
double insulation Upon the tarrcd hemp the external
wires laid and pressure upon them has the tendency
to bind them together, like the stones bricks IN an
arch The effect Of pressure the very opposite IN tn
old sprally constructed cable.


This cable has been manufactured In lengths or a
mile each, and thon tested in the water spcod and put
board the boat che lay beside the factory Of the
Bishop Gutta Percna Company tho East river In the
extremely short space OF three weeks cable OF twenty
five miles thus manufactured and put on board
the dismasted schooner Colorado, which, on the 14th
instant, was taken in tow by a steamer and
drawn through the canals the greater part OF the dis
tance to its destination at Cherrystons Virginia. whence
It laid across tho Chesapeake to Fortress Monroe
This feat accomplished by the great energy and ac
tvity OF Mr. Heiss tho superintendent Of the work on
the part Of the government, assisted by Mr. Buckley


well known telegraphcr and electrician and the inventor
OF huxley repeater but civil engineer Mr. Hcss
has long favorably known as superintendent Of
the telegraph lines at the South and was compelled
for the sake Of his Union principles retreat Norhward
between two days at the breaking tho civil war
But with the activity OF these gentlemen the fcat
could not have been accomplished in short space OF
time but for two things-hrst the workmen labered
both day aad night, and secondly, machine was in.
vented for uniting the wires, which in the beginning
put together by hand. This is hee1rst machine ever
used for such purpose, and u makes two miles OF cable
per day Great credit due 20 the general agent Of the
company Mr. Bishop and to the foreman OF the factory


We should not omit TO mention that Mr.. Buckley has
invented very simple paying out machine which won.
dsrfuy facilitated the laying OF the csbe and great
improyemen. on the unwsldiy drum used in the lay
gsnuy and energy they only want chance TO develop
themselves, TO the asonishment Of the world.
Tornado and Loss OF Life at wheeling.


WHEELING, Va, May II, 1862


A destructive tornado at two O'Clock this afternoon
unroofsd and demolished the Lutheran church. occupied
school, killing three and wounding six scholars
II blew down the stccps aso and partially unroofed ST.
Johns (fpiscopal) church.


The same tornado demolished the upper works Of the
steamer Mariner bound down with troops The captain
mate and pilot were somewhat injured. No lives were
loss Ins huh Of ths boat and the cargo were saved