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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1902)
- v ui K. The aily Nebraskan VOL. 1, NO. 91. LINCOLN, NKB., FRIDAY, FKBRUARY 14, 1902. V. D w h THE ELECTRICAL EXHIBIT Display by the Electrical Department Last Night Armory Filled With Wonderful and Beau tiful Creations. If tho old alumni of tho electrical engineering department could have seen tho search light flashing down Eleventh Btreet last night, many a pleasant recollection of former char ter dpy exhibits would have como to his mind. The brilliantly lighted gymnasium appeared just as in for mer years except for the west exten sion, and as before, quickly attract ed tho visitors as they reached the campus. During a selection from the unlver sity cadet band, tho .Tablochkopf candles "commenced firing," and thus opened the exhibit. Then various pyrotechnics were displayed In the shapo of rainbows and pin wheels, with changing colors. Two wheels of incandescent lamps were revolved In such a way as to make the lamps ap pear to strike each other and rebound An electric sign made up of ragged lightning under a pressure of 30,000 volts Indicated tho popularity of "Bennie." Tho evolution of the electric lamp was shown by samples of the early, crude contrivances, various brands of modern Incandescent lamps, and flu Mly tho Nernst lamp, which has reached tho highest degree of perfec tlln among lighting apparatus. A klnetoscope displaying a skele ton alternately removing and replac ing his skull, and committing various o'her hair-raising antics furnishe I great amusement. WireleHH telegraphy was explained and messages sent through the brick wall between the chapel and the armory In order that the visitors might have a more tangible remembrance of the exhibit E. E. pins were plated and distributed to the crowd. mon who preceded him. Marconi, a youth of twenty-two, would never havo succeeded In sending a single wireless mossago. But before taking up tho Marconi system, let mo refer to some early experiments In wireless telegraphy involving other principles. Early In tho days of tho first or dinary telegraph, Samuel F. B. Morse telegraphed across tho Susquehanna river at a point whero tho stream was about a mile wide. This was accom plished by sinking In tho river two largo metallic plates upon tho same side of the river, one down the bank below tho other a distance equal to tho distance across or somewhat greater. These plates were connected BION J. ARNOLD One of the Foremost Electrical Engi neers in America Formerly Student and Lecturer In the University. To bo a successful engineer not only requires groat preparation, but also natural inventivo and construc tive genius. Then ono must possobs that force of character that impresses othors with tho possibility of tho ulti mate success of his projects, and be tenacious enough to carry through plans' that may moot with opposition from others who aro unable to boo the WIRELESS TRLKwllAPIIY AND HERTZ WAVES. The history of electrical engineer ing is largely the history of tho phys ical laboratory. Beautiful things como to light under tho hand of the physicist. They grow and dovelopo like children, but ero they havo reached maturity they aro seized up on by tho electrical engineer, to bo trained and strengthened and set to hard labor until their full measure of strength has been acquired. Tho ma tured device is like a strong man, wonderful to behold, doing Its dally share of tho world's work, but It has lost much of tho delicacy and beauty of Its early days. I have to Bpeak to you today of such an evolution. But, unlike most of the applications of science, fully as much of tho credit for the development of tho Marconi system of telegraphy Is duo to the mathematical department of science as to the physical. Without the keen est and most powerful mathematical tools, In the hands of such an one as Clerk Maxwell, the principles upon which tho Marconi system depend would probably not havo been discov ered at all. Were it not for the won derful labors of the older and wiser I BION J. ARNOLD. together by a wlro In which was in serted a powerful battery along with a regular telegraphic key. On the other sido of tho river were two ex actly similar plates, conected In the same way, but Including In the circuit only a telegraphic sounder. With this arrangement signals were easily sent across tho river. Tho system devised by Professor Morse was the prototype of a number which have Blnce been rediscovered and success fully applied. With tho advent of the telephone re ceiver a new and powerful Instrument was placed in tho hands of tho eleov triclan. The telephono receiver Is most delicate and will register wi an audible click tue passage of a cur rent too small to be noted by any save the best of galvanometers. Another and well known system of wireless telegraphy employs tho telephone re ceiver. Consider for a,- moment such ( Continued on page j. ) ultimate results of correct solutions of engineering problems. That Blon J. Arnold possesses all those nocossary qualifications which go to make a suc cessful engineer has been demonstrat ed by his career, and though still a young man, he stands at tho head of his profession, and his ability Is gen erally recognized throughout the engi neering world. It has been his most striking characteristic to keep In ad vance of his profession, and In doing this he has frequently encountered strenuous opposition which, upon the successful demonstration of his the ories, has been turned Into well-merited praise, and his Ideas havo become commonly accepted practice. Mr. Arnold was born near Grand Rapids, Michigan, August 14, 1861, and is a son of Joseph Arnold and Geraldine Reynolds Arnold. His father moved to Ashland, Nebraska, with his family In 1864, and It was In the public schools of Ashland that young Arnold secured his early educa- FIVE CENTS tlon. Tho Arnold family Ib of Welsh descent, the first members having sot tlod In America In tho Colonial period. On his mother's side Mr. Arnold comes from Scotch ancestry. Aftor passing through tho public schools, In 1879, Mr. Arnold entered tho civil engineer ing course at tho University of Ne braska. Ho remained horo but ono year, going to Hillsdalo College, Mich igan, whero ho completed tho scien tific courso and rocolved tho degree of B.S. In 1884, taking the prlzo for a six years' courso In mathematics, and three years later was given tho de gree of M.S. In 1889 tho samo Insti tution conferred upon him tho hon orary degree of B.Ph. for engineering work performed subsequent to his graduation. At about this tlmo Mr. Arnold completed a post-graduate Course In electrical engineering at Cor nell University. While only a boy at school Mr. Ar nold was always building something, and when twelvo years of ago ho had built any number of small steam en gines, motors, and the like, and at fourteen had made a bicycle, tho first one built In tho state of Nebraska, ho having been guided entirely by an ad vertising cut of a high-wheeled ma chine published In a Juvenile paper. At eighteen he had constructed a small, working railroad locomotive, complete In all details, which Is still preserved. In all his work ho had built his machinery complete from tho raw materials with the aid of the crude tools available In a new coun try where skilled mechanics and good tools were unknown. In this connec tion It may be well to state that the boy's home during his early childhood was located In a wild country, wl ' three Indian reservations within a few miles and no railroads, machine shops or other Inducements to Inspire me chanical genius. His tenacity of pur pone, however, eventually overcame the difficulties of his surroundings, and at nineteen years of age he left his western home to Beek Instruction In the Enst, where he could be In con tact with engineering works and the men who made them, but without a friend or even an acquaintance In his chosen field. While at school he spent his vacations running traction en gines on western farms, bo as to gain a practical knowledge of the handling of machinery. While at college, dur ing vacations ho traveled as an engine expert for engine companies, and one summer was engaged with a civil en gineering party. His first employment aftor graduation was as general agent and expert for an engine company, be ing so engaged for two years, from 1884 to 1886. He then went with the Edward P. Allls Company, of Milwau kee, as a draughtsman, but resigned this position to accept the post of chief designer with the Iowa Iron Works of Dubuque, where he designed much heavy machinery and many large steam engines. He left there to go with the Chicago Great Western Rail road, where he became mechanical en gineer, prior tn. this promotion haying been employed by the company as a civil engineer. It was this year, 1888, that Mr. Arnold decided to specialize In electrical engineering, and re signed his position In order to take a post graduate course at Cornell tin" versity. Upon the completion of his course he engaged with Thomson- A .1 j 1 .1 ,f e Oh wa