12 THliJ OMAHA DAILY BEE ; SWPAY * MAY 5. 1889-SIXTEElN
'T IS YOUR bounden duty to read this "ad. " It tells you how to grow rich while spending
- . your money , and how to stay rich by spending it at Barr's.
XjTOU'IiL ' FIND some matterl'bf ' general interest , many stubborn facts , and a great fund of \
JL useful money-saving information in this ' 'ad. "
CTT T"C ! ItmurpuweU l > nrfn ln In Ilnrr's
t3JL.JJilA.iO , Ktik department thin week. A glance ' IHgli Gi'aac Jfoslcrj ; at jfmnlnal PJ-JCO.I. DRESS GOODS.
at our prices will convince Iho most dubious. 2000 yards BARR'S TUKKEV RKD DAM ASIC
. . Good value at OOc. So dorcn MISSUS' HOSK , in blnrk find nnlhrlggnn stripe. ' , nil sties , worthCTJ 00 plocm 40-Inch All Wool FOULK DKIOR. will
10 plows 20-Inch rom.AHD Sll.IfS SloynrtJ f rom 40e to 60c a pair. Ilnrrn price to clone , only bo offered at llarr's this week A14V ( per ynrd
' . . . . . . . . " % 1fP llliv
10 piece * 20-lnrll TAl'FKTTA Hll.KH. JlTo ynril ' a 40 pieces 4S-lnrh All Wool KIIKNCII 8KIUIK ,
in plecMOMnrhl'liAIN 8UMMH11 SILKS..roe var < l 1200 yards BARR'S POPULAR CREAM I ) AM ASIC 40c Mtlozcn J.ADIICS' 1'ANCV STUIl'KD COTTON IIOSB , full regular made. full line of choice coloring and a
! riioreB2H.lichltKAJClllNABI/iK8 ) Troynrrt Extra heavy , the quality wo sold at C6c. S5o goods nt llatr's tor bonutiriil eloth.condned to llnrr'n.only BV ) per yard
10 pleccB lllack ralllo ami Ores Grain IScyntd " 15c PL DcLll ? BO rilKNOll C6MIHNATION BU1TS. llarr'n
On Monday motnlntr the nbovs seeds will boon 5JO yards BARR'S BLEACHED SATIN DAMASK . - . * * * t LADir.8' lUMCIv I,18fK THIinAD IinSK. fine Riuiffo. warranted fast color , prlcofor this \voot „ . | iu.uuc ch
our Mile tountcr. 1 miles nhopplnit parly . have the These beautiful patterns wo sold nt $2.00. $1.50 aud will not crock , good vnluo for 60c , nt , , r 9i WE 1NVITK m
ndvsnURo or more tlmo and intention.
ire display the Tnrkcji llctl Damask in our cast window. nira rpectal * JKRSRY bargain at rrrriNa IUUIJKD VBSTS.IOW neck and
GENTS' UNDERWEAR
20 dozen ladlos' Drawers worth C0c , |
In our Lace Department wo are offering : nt35c.
FDfflHSHHGS BARR'S Clonk Depnrtmont takes the load for now styles , flno 10 dozen Indies' night Dresses , 81.25 , i
42-inuh Spanish Lace Flouncing atSBc yard.
, quality ; perfect fit and endless variety. nt 50c.
42-inch Chantllly Lace Flouncing atl.BO. Ladles' Silk , Pongee , AUipncn and Mohair Ulsters , in black < 13 dozen ladies' muslin Skirts , 85o , at ]
4B-inch Vol. Lace Flouncing at BOc , 7Gc and 90c. § ? . ESu-liV1 ? the thlna lor traveling , ranging in price from 50o.
pfroO to plOOO
| Unlaundrlod shirts , rolnforcod bosoms Real Antique Tidies at ? lo each. * Tuxedo Suits * * for Misses and Children at popular prices , PARASOLS
ems , GOo each. Juat received , n full line of Carriage ]
IRIIBIBOItsrS-
Gont'a Boamlosa half hoao , lOo pair. - Parasols.
BARR'S No. 12 Armuro Directolre Ribbon , OOc per yard , in BA.RR'Shavo the latest Parasols , in nil the latest styles nnd |
and best assortment of Dross
I Qont's British half hose , 20o pair. all the newest shades. mings. . Trim colors , nt 91.75 , $2.75 nnd $3.CO.
I QonVa Fr > h Flannel Shlrta $1.36 oaoh 0-inch All Silk Moire Sash Ribbon , $1.28. Ornamental Gimp in all colors at / Oo yard. Children's Parasols at 20c , 30o and C0c |
Gros Grain , satin edge , No. 12 only , 20c per yard. Finest assortment Tinsel Galoon , in all hadings 20eynrd. Plain and fancy chocked , 91.
A large assortment in Jet Silk and Pearl
, Ornaments , also
sortment of shades in the city.
Applique , Passamenterio and Gimp.
ART. HANDKERCHIEFS. WIHJITE Embroideries.
Ladles will always find n com- 1OO dozen Ladies' Linen Lawn Handkerchief , 8c each. Specials. ' At llarr's ! While they last , .
I pinto stock of fancy articles and nil 7B dozen Ladles' Linen Lawn Handkerchiefs , 7 c each. ! tOnncii2.mchHAllIlKDMUI,1.8 : . Barr's will offer this woolt a
I the materials ubcd in ladies' fancy BO dozen Ladles' and Gents' Linen Handkerchief , lOc each. CItAZV ' tJUTIIn full iissortmentot colors . , . . * fine line of Matched Km-
work , at 1OO dozen Ladles' and Gents' Linen Handkerchiefs , 12coach. UAKH'S lu uhltc Kaney , CEMnch Jubilee Stripes Colors , nail Satin niul Hemstitch Strlnes broideries , in Swiss , Nain
BARR'S ' ART DEPARTMENT. The above are the balance of a manufacturer's stock closed At"0o seek , Hamburg and Piques ,
out at BO cents on the dollar.
[ low Wo prices call special on the attention following to arti our , A ID , 8 l-3c , Iflc 12 i-2c and 15c , I
Iclos : Stamped Linen Tidies , oc JUST ypo. Swiss Flouncing , 63 inches , nt
1 apiocn. Stamped Linen Splashors- 2O dozen Lisle Thread Gloves will be offered at Barr's this week NoTK-Tlif llrst consignment of PU11K UNhN I , AWNS were received at Bnrr'sthU
1 lOc apiece. Stamped Linen Dresser week at 28c per pair. ; Imiiilsomo variety or deslfus * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60c , worth 85c ,
| Scant ) , 2yards long , 40c. 3O dozen 6-button Mosquetaire Kids , undressed , will be sold A great point about these Pique- Flouncing , 48 Inches , at
Call and BOO our novelties in this at $1.38 pair. ' TB ! URiilns pectlng is , bnrpalup. they're all self- too Special this week. $1,50 , worth $2,00,1
. BO dozen Children's Silk Mitts , black and colored at 4Oc .
| department. , pair. kind you ahvoyn find nioug- I1KST AMEHICAN XKPITYtt Finished Braided Pillow Shams at
GLOVES FITTED TO THE HAND. aldo the name of llarr's. IJKST AMEHICAN 8ATKKNS
Wo honestly hope ' they UK8T8ATKKN FINISH CALICOES. $1,00 Pair ,
will
bring you to Uarr'soarly
CORSETS. to-morrow morntnfc ; tlmt'H Lace Pillow Shams ,
. House Furnishing Department. why we've lax.cn s rh
big
50c
. pieces gft jrou out to como. of the prices to BLACK GOODS. , GOc ; Stencil , 20c , |
We are now offering special Vou'll form a good Imblt ,
I bargains in Corset Depart- 10,000 dozen Hollies Tins At Ic per dozen best nnd learn that llarr's Is the Our spring and summer stock of Black Goods is complete FLANNELS.
Iment. (57 dozen Scrub Brushes At 5r each purse place strlURS to In.bnauseyou open your and we offer some extraordinary value in NUII'B Vellinas .
8 dozen Chopping Knhes and BOH Is Al 20c set don't have to open them bo Clairettes and India Stripes and checks. If you are lookiria
2B dozen Corsets , worth 2 , " > do/en Floor It rooms , good At 15c each wide as nt other stores. for something stylish , handsome and the latest weaves in 6O plooos Outing- Cloth , worth ,
| * 1.BO , at $1.OO. 50 aVa Sets , 5G pieces At $3.50 per set tlio \ Verant lilgprst you store to , the know fullest that light weight black materials , see them at Barr's Black Goods 171o ; Borr'a price , 121o per y rd , I
1O dozen Corsets , worth 20 dozcii lint Hacks At lOc each btore , the cheapest store. Is department. Yaohtinff Flannels , 3O differ
161.OO , at 6Bc. ,100 Lunch Baskets At lOceuch French All Wool Nun's Veiling 5Qc 75c 95c ent patterns , worth 4Oo ; Barr's I
87 dozen Decorated Trays At 5c each Clairettes Silk price , 30o per yard. I
SO dozen Corsets , worth Warp $1 , $1.1O , $1.25 25 pieces Tonnls Sultlnef , 32
IS1.OO , at BOc. Paramattas Silk Warp $1.25 to $1.5O Inohos wide , flno quality , worth I
MILLINERY. NOTIONS. 6Oo ; Barr's prloo , 46o per yard. I
FANS. We are now offering special bargains in Barr's Millinery .
department in children's goods. See prices : fpa : gross Dress Pearl ItnMoim , 4 sizes At Sic dozen CURTAINS.
. Fans lo each
S.OOO J Folding at
apanoso
10 Cnsos yatln 1'alin Lrut Fans nt "Kc 50 ( lo/en Children's/Trimmed Sailor Hats At 2 * > c each 200 gross lYory Millions , in llat and ball shape At fie dozen
each. GO dozcii Children's Trimmed Hats At 35c each 100 gr < a * full ball Tearl linttons A hcrenming bargnlii At lOc dozen 800 yards .TO-lnoh Scrlui , 7 ! < c.
5 Cases Japanese Open Fans at Cc each. 50 dozen Children's Trimmed Hats At 50c each fiO curds best quality Feather Stitch Hraid At 20c each 6CO
10 Dozen Feather Fans , In all colora. at COO yards 38-Inch Fancy Scrim , 13Ho.
35c or.cli. We have many others ranging in price from 25c to $2.OO. jnrds best ( Jartcr Elastic , fancy flowered At 5c yard 00 pair Lnco Curtains , i
Kt Dozen Japanese Parasols for decorating 20i ) pair best Stockinet No. 2 Dress Shields At 18c yards long , 6D
Every lady should see them as they are just the thing for pair Inches
wide , handsome
ing , lOc each. school wear. 1000 spools Harbour's Linen Thread , nil numbers At 5c spool pair. patterns , only 11.33
00 bottles best Ammonia , pint size good > nlue At lOe- bottle
Country orders/or goods or samples ivill receive Great Central J > ry Goods Store , fronting on
prompt attention if addressed to the Win. JBarr
' ltth and Douglas Streets , in the retail and
Dry Goods Co. , 'JLOth and Douglas Streets ,
Jffeb. street railroad centre of Omaha.
'BALTIMORE'S ' CITY HALL ,
rjta History , Together With a De
tailed Description.
AN ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT.
Mayor's Luxurious Apartments
The Council Chambers Tuo
Public Reception
Rooms.
Baltlmoro'H Public Uniiains.
BAl/rniORK , May 3. [ Special Correspondence -
. respondonco of TUB BEK. ] The princi
pal building of Baltimore in the way of
nrchltectural design , proportion , and
cost , is its city hull. At the time of its
erection , it was , no doubt , the finest of
Us kind in the country , and even now
can keep its place among the best.
Baltimore , like most oflior citiesstrug
gled along for along time with crowded
quarters for its city oflicials .in inade
quate and unsuitable buildings. The
first move toward its present condition
was made as early as 1851 , whoa the
.ownership of a square in the heart of
.tho city was acquired by purchase.
Possession was not obtained until four
years after , nnd nothing further was
Bono until I860. At that time a plan
Vras adopted and bids received , but all
( were rejected on account.of the excess
jDVer the estimate. The war put nn end
lo negotiations for the time , but as soon
5j s it was over efforts for obtaining anew
now city building were renewed. The
* | ) lnns of the structure pre
sented by George A. Frederick ,
A local architect , were accepted ; tv
Building committee was appointed , and
-vork commenced the following year.
The corner-stone was laid on the 18th
of October , 1807 , when but a small por-
> tlon of the foundation was in position.
It was originally placed at the southeast
corner , but subsequently removed with
out ceremony to that on the northeast.
Considerable damage and delay was oc
casioned by an ovorllow of Jones' Falls
f n 1808 , unil the next year operations
vroro entirely suspended by reason of
legal proceedings which declared the
Invalidity of the or.llnance creating the
building committee. Work was again
, resumed the following year and con
tinued without interruption until the
completion of the building The dedi
cation took place October 25 , 1875 , ton
years after the adoption of the plans
. .And eight after the laying of the corner-
jstone.
The building is constructed in the
Btylo of the Renaissance , but modified
by a partial mansard roof. The exterior
vails consist of Maryland marble rest-
t ing upon a darker base. The whole is
/oblong / , 238x140 foot , comprising a col-
tar , basement and three stories , one o
> which forms the mansard. The super
ficial urea of the block Is 61,000 square
Icot ; while that covered by the
structure Is 30,552 square feet.
p The general plan consists of a
.jnuibscd center nnd two connected Int
. , ral wings' , the former finishing its to (
with pediments , the others with man-
-isard roofs. The principal entrance
fauces oust on tbo center front und is
n pdornod with un olcgujit portico
Etupportlng- upon fluted columns , i
balcony surmounted by balustrade
The main doors are of carved mahofr
jiny , bearing the soai of the city
I'boro uro four entrances to the base
'fcicnl ' story oponlng one upon each
Irfroot bounding the square ,
The center eupporU the tower which
an bo soon from almost every part of
, ho city. It rests upon a marble base ,
mt the top is constructed entirely of
ron. It forms an oval-shaped dome
ome fifty feet in diameter at the bot-
, om. Between the ribs of the dome are
, wolvo circular windows , four of which
orvo as faces for the town clock. This
attor is run by electricity and illumi
nated at night. The roof of the towar
ipholds n covered balcony or "lantern , "
rom which a magnificent view of the
city may be had. Within this is hung
the largo boll of the clock ; also used for
alarm in case of fire. The top of the
centre portion of the building is ninoty-
ivo feet above the street. Including the
toworj it reaches n height of 227 foot.
The whole building is firo-proof. The
corridors In the Interior are wide and
well lighted.iThoy are tiled in black and
white marble and encircled by a marble
joso-board. The casings nro of natural
wood , but the floors of the offices and
rooms are of yellow pine , which is
covered either by carpets oroilcloth. .
Altogether , there are 102 rooms In the
building. The collar is twelve foot
dcop , and contains the heating and
ventilating apparatus besides the store
rooms. The basement is fifteen foot
liigh , the ether stories twenty foot.
Each room is heated by the hot-water
system , and is also furnished with an
ipon fireplace , in some instances quite
handsome. Each department baa its
separate vaults , while two elevators are
in readiness to take passengers from ono
story to another. The rotunda in the
contre wing is directly beneath the
dome. It is illuminated by a light-
shaft which is covered by a stained
glass top , showing the city's seal and
four figures emblematic of commerce ,
agriculture , manufacture and the arts.
The lateral wings correspond with
each other in their divisions. Each is
lighted by an open court , also affording
ventilation. The council ohninborn are
situated in the southern part of the
second story , and nro ouch nbaut forty
foot square and thirty-live in height.
They are elegantly furnished , draped
with heavy curtains , nnd adorned by
paintings nnd busts of the former
mayors or prominent officials. The
colling is decorated with gilded
stucco work. Each brunch of
the council occupies its own chamber.
They are furnished with desks and fine
ly upholstered chairs , twenty-two in
the ono and eleven in the othor. A
small gallery in ouch is entered from
the story above. Between the two
chambers nro the toilet and committee
rooms. In the northern wing , corresponding
spending in position to those apart
ments , is a largo public hull , 140x10
foot , and pf the same height ns the
council chamber. This is utcd on pub
lic occasions for receptions , funerals ,
etc. It , also , is ubluzo with gilded
stucco work , but at pro-sent is in a rather
dilapidated condition apparently the
result of water f rom a leaky roof.
The mayor's apartments are in the
first story and uro furnished with lux
urious elegance ; heavy draperies , fine
furniture , nnd ornamented walls. In
his reception room may bo seen the
broimo tablet preponted to the city by
the G , A. U. on occasion of its reunion
in tnis city. The ether departments
are furnished in n similar style though
not so elegantly.
In 180/1 / , when the plans for the build
ing were made , tno population of the
city was about 235,000. The census of
1RSO gave Baltimore 82,8ia ! ! inhabitants ,
while at the prctont time , anything in
the neighborhood of a halt million is
claimed , With the growth of the city ,
of course the official business has nlsc
expanded , but while the rooms in the
oily hall are crowded , it sutllccs for
all that was intendo'd at the time of Us
completion. Even now there uro nee -
o Ml cos in the mansard story whoru sev
eral could bo located. Bui Baltimore
esquires moro .space than most other
cities by reason of its increased busi
ness resulting from the harbor and from
the city ownership of the water works.
The building contrasts nicely with
the gray granite of the now postoffico
on the adjoining square , which is now
almost finished. When the c'.ty hull
was located , its position was about the
centre of the city , but since that time
the business contro has moved westward
toward the. hills. It is situated upon
rather low ground which detracts from
its appearance. The architect himself ,
in one of his reports , says : "While thus
advantageously situated as regards its
usefulness and purpose , it must be con
fessed that its architectural effect would
have boon immensely enhanced hud it
had the advantage of moro elevation. "
The materials oven to the minutest de
tail were products of this state as far as
could bo obtained and the whole build
ing was conttructod by Baltimore nrtl-
7ans. But , nevertheless , it is main
tained that it is one of tbo cheapest pub
lic buildings of its magnitude in the
United States. The aggregate not cost
was$2,271,135 , which , if the price of the
site and furnishing be added , will swell
to about two and a half millions. It is
the boast of its constructors , that it was
built for less than the original estimate.
V. R.
AVuHhlnetoniana.
Kcw I'oi fc m > rW.
George 'Washington , I trow , George ,
It would bo very flno
If you could see our show , George ,
Of ohrhtcen oluhty-nlno !
It's on account of you , George ,
Wo make this grand display ,
For you were ever true , George ,
Forever anu u day !
I tbink you'd show surprise , Gcorgo ,
As no'cr surprise was shown ,
If you could BOO the size , George ,
To wlilch our land hus grown ;
Yon bullclcd tnlphty well , George ,
Far better than you know ,
And history must toll , George ,
If wo'vo Improved on you.
Can not some ' 'mediums" true , Gcorgo ,
lU'cull you , undismayed ,
"Maturiallzlng" you , George ,
To licud tlio great paradol
Ah , what a welcome then , Gnorgo ,
Would rlao on sea und shore !
You nra the man of men , Gcorgo ,
To us forever more.
This , tlila Is our ttoslro , Gcorgo ,
Send to our chiefs straightway
Of your heroic llro , George ,
A spark or two to-day.
And with their acts 1m Due , George ,
The patriotic glow
That animated you , Gear go ,
Ono hundred years ago ,
Pruiititu.
The consumption of peanuts is 3,200-
000 bushels a season , and the highest
production is but 700,000 moro. All
these pounuUs are raised in Virginia ,
North Carolina and Tennessee , but the
Tennessee production is comparatively
small. During the peanut' harvest the
people , the , picaninnles , the dogs , pigs ,
and nearly everything that eats gets
fat in the land of the peanut. Peanuts
are planted at corn-planting time ; each
kernel produces n running vine like
crab grass , r.nd , each root develops
about twentv pods. When ripe the
plow is run through the loamy soil on a
dry day , just before frost. The nuts
uro dried and shocked up just like corn
to keep dry before housing.Vhcn
marketed thov go to u cleaner , where-
they are put through stoum-nowor ma
chines and polished , after which they
uro graded according to size nnd
variety.
Au accurate representation of Persian
fashions and ciutoms U to bo one of the
chief features of tlio production of "Tho
Oolnh , " the new comic opera which Francis
\ViUou and couipauy are to appear in.
LIGHTNING AS DOMESTICATED
Captain Day's Method of Flrlnpr
Cartridges By Electricity.
WHAT THE DYNAMO HAS DONE.
As Great an Improvement ns the In
vention oCtheStcnm HnRliic it
self Klcctrlc Locomotion
in London ,
Captain Day's Electric Rifle.
An electric rillo has boon invented by
Captain Soldon A. Day , U. S. A. , who
says that bo can transform almost any
gun into an electric arm. He places in
the stock a small battery similar to the
Loclancho. It IB a chlorate of silver
battery , and there is no consumption of
material except when the cartridge is
in place and the finger on the trlffiror.
There is no cocking or uncocking. The
oloctrioity ignites the powder directly
without any hammer or mainspring
whatever. One of these little batteries
has boon fired 35,000 times without re
charging. Captain Day claims that the
only safe way in which to lire the higher
explosives is by electricity , and that
none of the fulminates will do it satis
factorily , as it is llablo to produce any
one of throe or four "orders" of explo
sion.
sion.Ho further says that percussion is
dangerous , because of the unevenness
with which oven the best-made caps ox-
plodo. Electricity , however , gives a *
steady , ovou flro , and is bound to supercede -
cede percussion , UB that in turn dis
placed the Hint-lock ana match-lock.
Millions of primed small-arms cart
ridges nro raado every year by the
government at Frankford uraunal ,
Philadelphia ; by the United States
Cartridge company at Lowell. Mass. ;
by the Union Metallic at Bridgeport ,
and by the Winchester at Now Haven.
It is claimed that this use of electricity
as a detonator will make it possible to
use high explosives in rides. The spark
is furnished by monhs of u primary coil
in n manner similur'to ' the portable gas-
. T '
lighters. _ (
Kleolrlclty for Propfp tatlng Smoke.
The ideal stale of ( things is of course
one in which the production of smoke
as it issues from the inti/zlo of a heavy
gun shall bo simultaneously urecipitutcd
by means of u simple electrical appara
tus. The invontioails .based upon the
researches of Prof. tTy.ndnll , Lord Ray-
leigh , nnd Prof. Lodge > in the action of
nloctriolty UM > n floating dust and vapor.
It may bo of military value some time.
If smokeless explosivesuro ! used it will ,
of course , bo valueless.
A Ton-Yeur-OKI'Operator.
Little Johnny J uin'mol , aged ten
years , is one 01 the must remnrkablo
prodigies in the United States in tele
graph work , says the Now York Sun.
Monday the boy entered the largo rail
road olllco ut the Reading railroad sta
tion and was introduced to the chief
operator and his men. Johnny is the
eon of Charles Hummol , nn export lolu-
graph operator ut Porkiomon Junction.
The last few years he has boon quietly
perfecting the little follow in the art ,
and Monday ho carried the boy to Rend
ing to show what ho could do. The boy
is bo sraall that an operator's chair was
too low for him , bo ho stood atone of the
tables containing the instrument of one
of the heaviest wires nn the lino.
Johuny very coolly received by sound
three long messages from Phllndplphln
without a uroak , and made as legible n
copy as any mun m the otllco could do.
performance was voted as simply
wonderful.
Subwav Kxplosions.
Various theories have been advanced
to account for the recent subway explo
sions in Now York , says the Electrical
World. It is admitted that the subway
contained an explosive mixture of
gases , but inasmuch as there wore no'
workmen in the manholes where the
trouble occurred and the covers were
properly fastened down , the origin of
the spark which ignited the gases is in
volved in mystery. The theory of
spontaneous combustion docs not receive
much support from these who have for
some time past boon conducting i a
chemical analysis of the gases found in
the subways , and naturally the blame
is attached to the electric light cables
which were laid in the ducts which ex
ploded. The statement of the subway
commissioners , however , to the olToct
that there was no current in these
cables , obliges us to look elsewhere for
the cause of the trouble.
It Is maintained by some that a cur
rent might have boon induced in the
iron ducts by underground olcctrlo
light wires in the neighborhood , which ,
under proper conditions , might proiluco
a spark. A much moro probable expla
nation is , that there may have been a
leak to earth on one of the adjacent
lectric light circuits , which found its
way into the manholes through the iron
ducts nnd load-covered cables.
Considerable weight is attached to
this hypothesis by these who have seen
the havoc which is sometimes worked
in telephone exchanges by leakage cur
rents from dynamo circuits being taken
up by telephone Hues connected with
the earth. An instance is related where
the entire business of an exchange was
interrupted until the ground was re
moved from the dynamo circuit. It Is
oven suited that the entire telephone
business of a city could bo paralyzed by
any ovil-disposcd person who was will
ing to erect a dynamo in FOIUO out-of-
the-way collar and properly connect it
with the earth.
It is not altogether necessary to loolc
to obscure electrical phenomena for the
unfortunate spark. It could bo caused
by the jarring or friction of the top
manhole cover caused by the passage of
heavy vehicles. Too much time , how
ever , should not bo spent in looking for
the origin of the ppark , but prompt no
tion should bo taken to expel the dan
gerous gases by a comprehensive sys
tem of subway ventilation.
The Dyiiiinio.
The dynamo , stripped of itn technic.ll
details , is a machine for transforming
energy. It converts mechanical power
into that phase or manifestation of en
ergy which wo call electricity. Me
chanical power is cheap and the dynamo
mndo electricity cheap. The moment
electricity was reduced in costthe oleu-
tric motor assumed a commercial value ,
says a writer in the Century , it coasjd
to bo a more laboratory apparatus uVl
bncumo a practical machine for convert
ing electrical energy back into mechan
ical power. It is not nasy to compre
hend the immense importance of
this latest evolution of machines
and all that it means when wo bay that
wo have now Joined the Hteain engine ,
the dynamo and the motor in one. It Is
as great an improvement as the inven
tion of the steam engine itself. It is
not necessary hero to enter into the
study of the olectrle motor as a machine.
The point to consider Is the position of
the oleotrio motor as a transformer of
energy and Its place in the artsbusinoei ,
transportation and manufactures.
UliuroitMli ICIoutrluIty
Some peculiar electrical phenomena
were witnessed at Ocala , Fia. , the past
few days. The building occupied by
Benjamin k Fox anil Julius Isr.iel have
shoot iron fronts. During the thunder
storms , recently , these iron fronts bc-
came charged with electricity. Every
person who entered either store while
those conditions prevailed , and stopped
with one foot on the iron threshhold
while the ether remained on the
ground , was given a vigorous shock. It
is a matter of comment that every one
cringed perceptibly at the shock , and
some were completely doubled up by it.
The wood foundation and floor of the
building apparently are poor cortduct-
ors and leave the latent electricity to
expend its force upon those who estab
lish the necessary circuit.
Klcctrlcnl Advance ! ) In the South.
Among the southern cities which have
recently made grout strides in man-
facturing enterprises , and which have
come to the fore as cantors of electrical
enterprise , there has been none which
has shown greater advance and enter
prise than the city of Ashville , N. C. ,
especially in the line of electric power.
This city hns now one of the mostsuc-
consful , if not the most successful , elec
tric railways in the south , and the pres
ident and directors of the road oxprcbs
themselves as very well pleased with its
operation.
This road uses the regular system of
overhand wires , with n small No. 0 wire
as a working conductor , which is the
only wire suspended over the street.
Electric locomotion in London.
The Now York Elevated railway com
pany may not , after all , have the honor
of being the first large undertaking in
the electric propulsion of trains , savs
the Electrical Review. The City of
London & Southwnrk Subway un un
derground railway in London three
miles long-has decided to adopt elec
tric locomotion , nnd has closed con
tracts for the work with Mather & Platt.
The plant will comprise a 1,000-hoi'so-
iiower engine and dynamos to match ,
nnd fourteen oloctrio locomotives of " 00
horse-power each. Trains will be under
tlirea minutes headway and will carry
JOO pasdenget'3 each , and the speed will
bo twonty-Hvo miles per hour. The
overhead conductor and trolley syslom
lias been solcctcd. Tills system \vfll
noon bo In regular operation , and wo
bollovo will bo the llrst trial , on a largo
scnlo , of the application of the olcctrlo
locomotive to the problem of rapid
transit in cities. The result will bo
watched with great intorosl.
KliHilrle Woldliit : .
A public experiment in olootrio weld
ing took place recently at Maiden ,
Mtibs , , which was witnessed by Governor
Amos and several business and goiunt-
tlilc men nnd electricians. The oxpnri-
menu tried were the welding together
of all kinds of inntal , of , arkum dimen
sions from a quarter of an inch lo two
inches in diamoter. The most general
satisfaction was exprcsnud by all present
and the ovur-growlng success of the
business was predicted. On the bouth-
ern wall of the station two cases nro
placed , and those noses contain speci
mens of the work aceoinnlKhwl by this
wonderful process warning , shaping ,
rivaling ami forging , from the lineht
thread-like brass wire to an iron pipe
au inch and u half in diameter.
An Klnnlrionl Kmlwiiy Tor New York.
Several years ago a number of gentle
men in Now York cltv quietly obtained
from the legislature u nhnrter to con
struct an eloctrie railway from the Hud
son river to Long Inland Hound through
the lower portion of Wuslchcstor
county. They did not intend to build nt
once , but they foresaw that the ac
quisition of Iho now parks by the city
would in the near future make the rail
road a necessity nnd their franchise
valuable. They proposed to tap the
Hudbun river railroad and cross the
Harlem and Now Haven lines and ren-
? , „ H tr"nsfor , of Iuse ff ° r3 possible.
Chester. Finding the time ripe now
Iho company has made a contract with
the corporation in this city known na
the Bentloy-Knight Electric Railway
company , and the latter will go to work
at once , having contracted to complete
three miles of the first section of the
road by the 10th of April. The onttro
length of the road will be sixteen miles.
One peculiarity of construction is that
it win not be necessary to grade the
tracks as on ether roads. The oloctrio 1
engines can push a train up-hill as oas- I
lly us on a level , and as the line to bo i
followed is by no moans a hilly one the '
road can bo
pushed forward
very rap *
idly. A ride "up-hill und down-hill" '
in a railway car will bo pleasing varia
tion from the present mode , beyond '
doubt , after ono becomes used to the f
novelty of the sensation. /
ICIoctHo Lighting in Coal Mines. '
In reply to Electric , Stepney , who
asks what the consequence would bo it
an incandescent lamp were broken in n
coal mine , I bog to etuto the immediate
result would bo for the light to go out ,
writes Charles Ilibbort , of London , England -
gland , in the Newcastlo-upon-Tyno
Chronicle. The
incandescent light can
only burn In vacuo ; the inside of the
incandescent lamp is a vacuum as
nearly as possible , of course not perfect.
Iho current supplied 1ho lamp would
return to the dynamo or battery , and
would continue to come and go , in this
way. until supplied with a now outlet.
In other words , the moment the current
finds it cannot got out , it seeks another
outlet in the same circuit. It is very
obedient , and will , if disappointed , run
all along the cable socking to got out
anywhere.
In this passage wo lese current by re
sistance of the conductor. In fact , re
sistance and itn inlinilo calculations are
thii bane of the electrical engineer. It
moots him nt every turn , nnd with ro-
fipcct to everything attempted. The
current produced in the dynamo , if not
used up , returns to the dynamo , and
would ( unless properly supplied with
outlets , such as lamps , to expend its
energy upon ) burn up iU own gener i
ator. For it will got out somewhere !
Practically , there is no danger what
ever from the breakage of a lamp or
two in a circuit ; and , as the lllamont
crumbles away at once , upon exposure
to the ordinary air , oxygen , ate. , and
will not burn , it is evident that it would
not burn in the Hory gases of a badly
ventilated coal mine. Carbonio acid
gus puts out flro. The so-called hand ,
grenades nro bottles filled with car
bonic acid gas to dash down upon a
newly kindled flro , upon the principle
that lire cannot exist in nn atmosphere
charged witli carbonic acid gas ,
i
i ) < iiiimlH iho Kolilnoor.
The famous ICohinoor is demanded of
the queen by Dhuleop Sing , the Indian
plnco once hold as a hostngo in Eng
land and lately escaped to India. Ills
letter to her inajobly Is as follows : "It
will bo usuloH3 for mo to demand the
restoration of my kingdom , swindled
from mo by your Christian government ,
but which I hope shortly , by the aid of
Providence , to retake from my robbers ,
Hut my diamond , the Kohinoor , I un-
doretnrul , is entirely at your own per
sonal disposal. Therefore , believing
your majesty to bo 'thu most rollglou *
lady1 that your subjects pray for every
Sunday , I do not hesitalo to aMc that
thin gem bo returned to ma , or else that
a fair prlcu bo paid for it to ma out J
your privy puruo. "