Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, September 1, 1889, Page 19

GAS MADE BY ELECTRICITY, A Promising Field For Practical . Bolent flc Investigation. BENDING PICTURES BY WIRE, Is Manu factured Lightning Dutiable? ~A COurious Question for the Consideration of Congress ~Twenty Questions, “Elcotric-Gas." In av article on water gas and its ap- plications, by Max Geitel, published in a recent numboer of Glasser’s Annalen, is a short historical notice on the de- composition of water by means of elec- thicity, which is here condensed: When a galvanic cucrent is passed through water, hydrogen is liberated at the negative pole,and in the propor- tion of one to two. This method of ob- taining hydvrogen, first tried by Nichol- son nnd Carlisle, in the year 1800, has been often attempted since, but without real success, by Gillard in 1849, and H. M. Paine, of Worcester, Mass., 1n 1850. In 1860-61 the method of the Belgian Abhi Nolet for obtaining illuminating gas, based on the electrical decomposi- tion of water, created quite a sensation in Paris, where it was brought forward by one Shepopard. The essential part of the process, which was kept a secret, was said to consist of a certain preparation which was able to modify the water to be de- composed in such a manner that the gas developed could be non-explosive. The gas was said, according to an analysis by Holmes, to contain twelve parts oxygen and eighty-two parts hydrogen. Moignu,who, in his Cosmos, menticns a prospectus published by Sheppard in the Literary Gazette, remarked that the secret must §imply be that the sub- stunce is added to the water which -seizes upon the oxygen as it is released” by the action of the electric currrent. What is produced js then hydrogen, whichb 15 combined with carbon and then burned. In this gas there is a very small proportion of oxygen, one- seventh part by weight, one #nd one hundred and twelve parts by volume, so that an explosion cannot take place. Moigno found his conjectures verified when present at an exhibition of this go-called ‘“electric gas,” and wrote about it as follows: *'The facts are exactly as we had con- jectured. The apparatus is an electro- magnetic machine provided with seven {nduction coils; the water to be decom- posed is contained 1n seven small glass flasks, in which the electrodes lead from these flasks ‘0 a single tube through which the gas flows, to be col- lected in a gasometer. The whole se- cret congists in this, that there is added to the water a substance yet unknown, which absorbs (to a great extent)the oxygen as it is liberated. and at the same time facilitates the decomposition of water, so that the gasometer contains rincipally only hydrogen gas, which 8 carburretted by a suitable hydro- carbon. The old features of the exper- iment consists in the fact that the power of a man can in a given time roduce as much carbur- rettea hydrogen gas as is necessary for supplying seven ordinary burners during the same space of time. This is certainly very interesting; but to the supplanting of coal gas by the so-culled ‘electric gas’ is an immense stride.” The matter came, moreover, to the notice of Emperor Napoleon III., and experiments were made in his presence. One thousand cubic feet of this gas were said to cost 12 cents; the secret preparation cost per 1,000 cubic feet gas, 4 cents. But this ‘“electric gas” ‘was soon forgotten. .The article closes by stating that this extended notice of the production of hydrogen by electrolyses of water is given in the hope that scientists may gee in it a means for the produtcion of ugm and heat, and that, with our great advance in the last few years in elec- tric science, it may contain possibilities now even undreamed of. Counting vy E ectricity. We have on more than one occasion published a note on the complicated electrical appliances which have been manufactured to be used in taking the forthcoming census. We now give a prief Gescription of the process, says the Modern Light and Heat: The census collector will call with his printed blank, and answers to questions will be written in the usual way. These sheets will then be placed befor a por- son who operates a machine which may be likened to a typewriter, except that, instead of the usual ink marks on paper, small round holes are punched in card, The cards, one for each person, are about six and a half inch in length three inches in width, and the par- ticular position of hole in a card indi- cates an answer of the questions in the printed blank, As many as 250 items of information can be punched out upon a card, al- though no one card would ever have more than one-tenth part of- the whole number, For example, no one person can be classed as both white and black, Awerican and foreign born, and if foreign born he can only come from one country. These cards, when punched, arve placed one ata time in asort of P and a lever operated by one hand 8 brought down, when a series of pins are brought against the card. When- ever a hole has been punched in a card, the corresponding pin passes through into & mercury cup beneath, completing an electric ciremt, These circuits, one for every hole, pass out to a large num- ber of counters which oporate elec- trically, and whichadd upon their dials all items of thesame kind upon the same dials, For instance, all white men are counted upon a dial marked *‘white males;” all siness or professional people, upon dials which indicate their partioular business or profession. The cards, as they leave the press, are all sorted by means of an electrical sort- ing device, whereby they muy be sep- arated into grou states, Come to Omaha. Several years ago an electric railway was put in ‘at Denver, Col., on the plans and system of u local inventor, and after some time spent in experiments, which were not entirely successful, the project was abandoved. During the time it was in operation or thatthe current was on, to speak more properly, perhaps, several accidents occurred, horses re- ceived shocks and in other ways and quite naturally, the prejudice of Den- verites was aroused against this form of street locomotion, says the Electric Re- view. But this was years ago and it can only be ignorance which causes a Den- yer paver in a receut issue to say that Mthere may be such a thing us a success- ful electric railway system, but it had Dbetter be tried in” the suburbs.” The Denver editor should take a trip east, THE OMAHA DAILY BEER Wi b b éUNDAY EPTEMBER 1, 1880.—~TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. 1 and by coming so far as Omaha he will find that electric ronds are past the ex- perimental stage, and while they are fully good enough for the suburbs, the suburbs are not good enough for them, but they keep right on into the hearts of the largest cities and win highest praise on every hund 18 Electricity bie? Is electricity generated in a foreign country a dutiable product? The fact that it is proposed to install a generat- ing plant on the Canadian side at Ni- agara falls has given rise to the ques- tion. A large proportion of the current would mm.u.lly be utilized on A i Solicitor Hepburn, at Wash- to whom the question was re- rod. said last week that he would in- form the gentlemen interested in the proposed generating station that it was contrary to the practice of the treasury depnitment to answer hypothetic questions of this kind. A Chicago at- torney to whom the qu N was put, says the Western Electrician, replied that it would be neceseary to ennct a special act to provide for the taxation of electricity. Inasmuch as the govern- ment imposes duty on copper, etc., he believed that such an act might bo passed, An exchange says, in discussing the subject: Tt would be interesting to see a customs house official trying to seizo upon an_electric current of say 5,000 volts, which was t ng to sneak into this free nation without putting up its cash for the privilege. Pictures by Telegraph. The fac-simile telograph by which ipt maps or pictures may be transmitted is a species of the automatic methods in which the receiver is actu- ated synchronous'y with its transmitter. By Lenoir’s method a picture or map is outlined with insulating ink upon the cylindrical surface of a rotating drum, which revolves under a point having a low movement ulong the axis of the cyl- inder, and thus the conducting pofm goes over the cylindrical surface in a spiral path, The electric cireuit’ will be broken by every mark on the cylinder which is in this path and thereby corresponding marks ave made in a ngiml line by an ink marker upon a drum at the receiving end. To produce these outlines it is ouly neces- sary that the two drums be rotated in unison. This system is of little utility, there being no apparent demand for fac-simile transmission. particularly ut 80 great an expense of speed, for it will be seen that initead of making a char- acter of the alphabet by a fow separate pulses, at is done hy Morse, the number must be greatly increased. Many dots become necessary to show the outlines of the more complex characters. The pantelegraph is an interesting type of the fac-simile method. In this form the movement of a pen in the writer’s hand produce corrc8onding movements of the pen at the distance station and thereby a fac-simile record. Electrical ution. Ironton Register. They placed the form of the murderer Upon the electric track, And fired 1,700 volts Into his naked back. He quivered an awful moment, “Then quietly raised his head, And asked that his friends might take ‘Ihe corpus of the dead. But the cruel executioner Again discharged the boots— At least a score or two of ohms Aud full 3,000 volts, “Now this is simply shocking,” The murderer did say; “Go get a rope and let me die In the good old-fashioned way.” The Mountun Electric Railway. One of the most interesting achieve- ments in modern eugineering is the electric mountain railway recently opened to the public at the Burgen- stock, near Lucerne, the Levant Herald. The rails describe one grand curve formed upon av angle of 112 de- grees, and the system is such thut the journey is made as steadily and smooth- y as upon any of the straight funicular lines. The Burgenstock is almost®per- endicular---from the shore of Lake ucerne the Burgenstock is 1.330 feet, and is 2,800 feet above the level of the sea, The total length of the line is meters, and it commences with a gradi ent of 82 per cent, which is increased to 58 per cent after the first 400 meters, this being maintained for the re the journey. A single pair of ra used throughout, and the motor power, electricity, ie generated by two dyna- mos, each of twenty-five horse power, which are worked {;y u water wheel of nominally 1 horse power, erected upon the River Aar at its mouth at Buochs, three miles away, the elecuri current being conducted ' by me insulated copper wires, The loss in transmission is estimated at 25 per cent. Sparks. Brooklyn,N. Y., is to have a new Ed- ison central station of 50,000 lights capacity. Tne people of San Francisco expect to find themselves, ere long, at the end of an ocean cable, the other end of which will be fastened at Hawaii, To lay the wire, which must be 2,080 miles long, will cost, as estimated, $1,500,000, and of this sum the Hawaiian govern- ment and people will furnish a third. There are now in use in the United States, says the Scientific American, more than 5,650 central electric stations for light and power. There are 210,000 arc lights and 2,600,000 incandescent lamps. There were 59 electrial rail- ways in operation in gMarch last, and 86 roads in process of construction. The increase of capital in electrical in- vestments during 1888 was nearly $70,000,000. These are very significant figures, and they pownt unmistakably to the course of future inventions and dis- coveries, Electricity is going to revolutionize mining, a8 it has already done some other Fnduntries. and the time will come when it will be the sole force used for bringing up gold and silver, says the St, Louis Globe-Democrat: Even now you can have an electric plan which will light up your tumnels, run your tramways, operate elevators in your shafts and work your drills. Ten mills with drills operated with electricity can take out as much ore and tunnel as far as 100 men with picks, shovels and blasting material. The wages of ninety men would soon pay for an electric plant, Besides, you can light your building and save insurance and oil. The remarkable results attained in the use of water at high pressure in combination with a water wheel de- signed for such work suggests the thought vhat it might be well for me- chanical and electrical engineers in the eastern states Lo investigate the merits of devalurinu power in this way, says Llectrical Power, It appears vary probable that many of the objections raised against wator power, as ordinar- ily understood, may be removed by its use under different conditions. - e An Absolute Care. The ORIGINALABIETINE OINTMENT is only put up in large two ounce tin boxes, and is an absolute cure for old sores, burns, wnund“,ch-pwl bands, and all skin erup. tious. ill positively cure all kinds of piles- Ask for the ORIGINAL ABIETINE OINT- MENT. Sold by Goodman Drug cempany at 25 cents per box—by mall 30 cents, Electric Motors. Wing's Disc Ventilating Fans. Automatic Heat Regulators. Sewing Machine Motors. Ventilating Fan Motors. Dental Motors. Medical Batteries. _ Cautery Knives and Electrodes. House Annunciators. Electric Call Bells. Burglar Alarms of all kinds. Electric Gas Lighting. Hotel Annunciators. Electroliers. Combination Fixtures. Glass Shades. ELECTRIC HOUSE FURNISHING AND GENERAL ELECTRIC REPAIRING. NEBRASKA) ELECTRIC COMPANY. 1521 FARNAM STREET, OMAHA. Contractors and Dealers in General Electrical Supplies and Novelties. WESTERN AGENCY. Pumpelly Storage Batteries . for Street Railways. Incandescent and Arc Lighting and Power. Waring Electric Light and Tele- phone Cables. Experimental Apparatus. Telegraph Instruments. Electric Light and Railway Sup- plies. Bare Copper and Insulated Wires. Incandescent Lamps and Sockets of all makes, clear or colored. The Phonograph and a compl“ete Electric Lighting Station will be among the many attractions offered by this company at the Coliseum Exposition “Merchants’ Week,” to which all are invited. Complimentary tickets furnigshed our patrons. THEY HAVE BECOME FANOUS Some Omahans on Whom Fortune Has Smiled. A DESTINY SHAPED THEIR ENDS. Incidents of Their Lives in This City— How They Grew to Greatness— frain and Stanley, the 2 Explorer. Omahans Who Have Grown Great. Though Boston may boast of the many cultured meu, it would uppear on inves- tigation that Omaha has not been back- ward in furnishing her quota of men who have won distinction in the worid’s arena. A BEE reporter has been able through different sources to glean tho following incidents of eminent men who have made their residence here for greater, or lesser, portions of time. Among those justly renowned are Wm. Pitt Kellogg. This gentleman first made his appearance here as judge of the district court in 1862, and presided at the first murder trial that ever took place in Omaha, that of Cyrus Tator, who was condemned and afterwards hanged. Kellogg subsequently occupied the position of governor of Louisana and also that of collector of customs for the | port of New Orleans, This last service merging well into the troubulous times of the late unpleasantness. Still later on he was elected as senator of the sume state and served the public welfare with distinction. The only thing that now attests the memory of this man’s connection with Omaha is the lot situ- ated on the northeast corner of Dodge and Fourteenth streets which he owned for several years. but which has since passed into other hands, - George Francis Train has been so thoroughly criticized and praised through the press that any lengthy de- seripuion of him here would be a mere travesty, and it will suffice to write up lightly” some of his eccentricities en passent. Amoog the literary lore possessed by Mr. Reed is & copy of Train’s newspaper run in his own "interest during the period of his wild attempt at the presi- dency of the United States. It is full of the **Hurrah Boys!!!” type of jour- nalism and reckless prophesving which characterized all of Train’s sayings and actions. It would seem rather peculiar of this man that he took little stock in his own predictions as regards Omaha’s future greatness. But such seems to have been the fact. Shortly after the advent of the Union Pacific railroad in Omaha he purchased a tract of land in the southern section of the city, now embraced between Tenth street and Twentieth on the east and west, the railroad track on the north, and Vinton on the south. A small sum was paid down to close the sale, but Train suddenly losing all faith in Omaha, the subsequent payments were not fortheoming, and thus he lost property which is to-day valued at over five millions of dullars. The invention of horse carsin cities does not seem to be generally accred- ited to him, but such is his due, and it was through his efforts that they were first introduced in London, The preju- dice against them was so bitter at the tima l.fml. Train was placed in prison for a short time by the Londoners, who ob- jected to having their streets cut up with tracks, on about the same groun that the people of Sherman avenue fought the motor men. They consid- ered him a direct emissarv of his satanic majesty, and were not slow in telling him so. Train hus been connected with Omabha's prosperity, off and on, up to his lectures at tne Grand Opera house last fall. He now passés most of his ! a short time, and among the first sleep- time playing with children and feeding | ing cars invented by him wero used on the sparrows of Madison pquare, New | the Union Pacific railrond. York, where he occupiess@ seat almost daily. It seems uloiost'h desecration that an intellect once so brilliant should be now employed in~an occupation so trifling. 1t is fact well known among old set- tlers that Alfred Conkling, the father of the great Roscoe, once lived and practiced law in Omaha in 1859, with the Hon. J. M. Woolworth. Itis counted of him, that, having once dor some legal work for the city council he sent in a bill for $300. The council made no objection to the amount asked, but as their wealth then consisted mostly of brilliant prospects, they pre- vailed on Mr. Conkling, after much ar- rument to accept in payment the lot on Toward and Fourteenth,now occupied by the new natatorium. He left word with Mr. Byron Reed that when he could dispose of this vezlty at the fabu- lous sum of %300, todo so. Mr. Reed subsequently sold the lot at a price con- Dbly above the one. specified, and it is supposed Mr. Conkling quitted Omaha well pleased with this particular transaction. M. Stanley, the great African explorer, as is well known, lived here during the years of 1867 and 68. He was then employed as a correspondent for several New York papers, on one of which the New York Herald, he sub- sequently occupied a position as an edi- torial writer. The Herald in the mean- time discovereda his exploring abilities, equipped and dispatched him in search of the lung lost Livingston. This lastde- parture was of a sensational charac and is what is called in newspaper cles a “fake.” It is to Stanley’s credit that he made success out of & small be- ginning,and his right to be classed among the great explorers of the day is undisputed. Amoug people of more local celebrity is William Np Byers, who resided here several years prior to 1859, when he started for Denver in a wagon overland, carrying with him the printing press that threw off the first copies of the Rocky Mountain News, of which he was the founder. As this paper has since risen w a place of considerable prominence, as well as having been the first started in Colorado, his name de- serves honorable mention in connection with its snccess. Leroy Tuttle, afterward treasurer of the United States, before Wyman, re- sided here duriug the jears of 1856-57 and 1858, and was interasted in many of the local enterprises then afloat, Among the military generals of national fame that have been stationed here at different times are the names of General Crook, of Indian war fame; General O, O. Howard; General Augur, who was general-in-chjef of the defense of Washington during. the rebellion, and General O, E. C. Opa. Of lesser rank therg is Lieutenant Schwartsa, the celebrated Alaska ex- plorer, and Lieutenant Greely, who was stationed here in the seyenties,and who is now of world-wide reputatjon as the the great Arctic explgrer, was well known by many Omahu, people. He is said to have been u& & 8light, rather effeminate build, and, it, was a common joke among his associates that Greely would prulmnli}: not stand over one or two cavalry charges, but it has since transpired that he did stand what most of them would have quailed at, and with that steadfast courage and bravery that betokens the man, David H. Moffatt, president of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad, in 1857 worked for Woodworth Brother's, who then kept a small book store on Far- nam street. Meoffatt, then a young man, used to sweep out the store morn- ing and sleep behind one of the coun- ters at night. When the Pikes Peak excitement broke out in 1859 Moffatt moved to Denver, where he accumu- lated the great fortune which has made his name famous in mining circles in the United States. George W. Pullman lived in Omaha A number of the facts here given were furnished by Byron Reed esa., of this city. DRS. BETTS & BETTS 1403 FARNAM STREET, OMAHA, NEB, (Upposite Paxton Hotel.) Keir £ Offico hours, 9 a. m, to8 p. m. Sundays, 10 a. m. 01 p. . Spe s Blood Disenses. “Consuitation at office or by Medicl packed, h cure guilckly. sately and permanently. S ]]EBI ITY Spermatorrheea, semi- nal Losses, Night Emis sions, Physical Decay. 1 1 ndiscre tion, Excess or Indul ness, Despondency. Plmp! ., BVer- slon to soclety, easily aiscouraged, 1ack of confi dence, dull, unfit forstudy or business, and finds life &' burden. Sn!el{. permanently’ and pri- vately oured, ‘Consult Drs. Hetts & Betts, 1408 Farnam St;, Om#ha, Neb, I d Skin Di 2 Syphills, a discase 000 A0 DKIN DISEASES mose corrible in its results, completely eradicated without the uid of Meréury. Scrotula, Erysipelas, Fever Sores, Blotches, Pawns in the Head and Bone: Syphilitic Sore I'hroat, Mouth and Tongue, Ci tarrh, etc.. permanently cured where others huve tailed, Chronie, Nervous Skin and Kid Urinry and, Bisdder compiaints, 1006Y, UTIA'Y Puineus, Ditmeutt, too fra: quent Burning or"Bloody Urine, Urine high col- ored or with milky sediment. on standing, Weak Back, Gonorrhaa, Gleet, Cystitls. etc Promptly and Eafely Cured, Charges Reasona- STRICTURE! S e moval complete, without cuttiug, csustic or dillation, Cures' effccted at home by patient without & moments pain or ann: ce, o Young Hen aud Middic-Ased Men, A' SURE GURE The awful effects of early Vice. 'Which brings organic ness, destroying both niind and body. with all its dreaded ills, permanently cured, DR" BBI[TS Adress those who have umpaired 0 themselves by improper indul- gences and molitary habits, which ruin both )dy and mind, unfiting them ror business, study or marriage, MARRIED MEN, OF those entering on that hap ware of physical debility, quickly s OUR SUCCESS. 1s based upon facts, First—Practi Tience. Becond—Every case is especlall thus starting aright.” Third—Medicines are pre, pured lu our Ibatory exaotly to suit each case, us affecting cures without injury £~ 8end 6 cents postege for o on Chronie, Nervous and [ ‘Thousands cured. E®A friendly letter or call may save you future suffering and shame, and add_golden years to' lifo. 1#"No letiers an: swered unlesh accompanied by 4 cents in stamps. Address or call on DRs, BETTS & BETTS, 1408 Farnam Street, Omaha, I Guaranteed per- obrated works cate Diseases. DR. R. W. BAILEY, DENTIST. The original purchaser in Omaha of the formula for Dr. Stinaus' Loca Angesthetic for the PAINLESS EXTRACTION OF TEETH. The ONLY METHOD whereby teeth are extracted without pain or danger, and without using hloroform, gas, ether or electricity. The patient remains perfectly conscious of all that trans- spires; but feels no sensation of pain. No sorencss of the gums after extracting, as 1s the case with so many so-called anwsthetics, Many who have been suffering from badly decayed and broken teetn and roots, have visited Dr Bailey and had them removed painlessiy. After having used this aumsthetic for two months for nearly every tooth extracted in this office, the FIRST PERSON i to be found that {s not entirely satisfled with its merits. Some dentists may try to prejudice you against visiting us: do not allow them to do so. Make us a call whether you desire dental work or not; we are always pleased to see any or all who may choose 10 come, Speciul attention given to FILLING teeth, thereby preserving their usefuln DO 'NOT'LOSE TREFH THAT CAN BE SAVED, ' § Sty ) Pl TEETH WITHOUT PLATES, Bridge Work, Gold and Porcelain faced Orowns, GOLD, ALUMINUM, SILVER, CONTINUOUS GUM and RUB~ BER PLATES at lowest rates. A Full Set of Teeth on Rubber for $5.00. DO NOT FORGET THE LOCATION, DR. BAILEY, DENTIST, Paxton Block, 16th and Farnam Streets. (Entrance on 16th Street.) Cut this out, mentioning this paper. » JAMES MORTON & SON, BUILDERS HARDWARE, - Gutlery, Mechanics’ Tools, Telephone 437, One door wast of Postoffice, 1511 Dodge St. W 7. W ELSET.AITS, 811 South 16th St - - . LI SRR TS Omaha, Neb. —SOLE AG FOR— ST. LOUIS HYDRAULIC-PRESS BRICK. Terra Cotta work and Fire Proofing, Pecora Mortor colors, (all shades), Sweeny's D Wi Hard Wood Floors, Venetian and SHiding (naids: Binds. " Contactors and. Billdors: st al and see sam ple ind get prices. Correspondence solicited. STANDARD SCALES. MFAIRBANKS. MORSE & CO. 1018 Farnam Street, Omaha, DEWEY & STONE, Furniture Company A magnificent display of everything useful and ornamental in furniture maker’s art at reasonable prices, PIANOS & ORGANS &9 —ee———— §FEMERSON, & HALLET & DAVIS & KIMBALL, &7 PRAMES, ¢ ySHEET MUSIC, e —————————y ——————— 1818 Douglas Street, Omaha, Nebraska. ETCHINGS, e ENGRAVINGS, % ARTIST SUPPLIES @8 MOULDINGS, r: