r
I
X
Electricity Does the Work
in the Big Packing Houses
MB strugglo to kp abreast with
trie timet; to kep up-to-date In
matters of economy and labor
saving, la nowhere mora apparent
than In tha lar nackln hnuui
oi the cny. in thta.ftaid tha matter ma-
f.T -Cf. th ,n"t',"tlon or which ha
labors finds a taak which occupies all hit
energies. In tha wordt of Tom Vaughn of
inV 'T.0Ur . Co- P'""'- "u "0ut
u tha time I have aside from the houra of
necessary sleep. We have to keep abreast
of tha tlmee or ba lal.1 on the thelf. Not
only must wa be familiar with each new
machine or appliance; but. from the In
traduction of an original Invention. Imme
diately follow auch tremendous strips in
the natter of linprovementa that we mutt
ex-riKo caution and alertnett that our
purchases be not out of data by the time
they are Installed. To do the very best
' can- our machinery la many timet an
tique before It weart out.'
Mr. Vaughn led the way for tha party
of hla Interrogatora. who were spending
an afternoon looking over the machinery
of the South Omaha plant, to tha angina
room centrally located among tha numer
oua bulldlnga which accommodate varloua
departments. For a tew mlnutea tha roar
ef the five great engines, and the bustle of
the meohanlca who were Installing a new
fXMiortepower engine was bewildering. Tha
party gazed at tha revolving matter
whoela and tha unlimited plunge, plunge of
the shining pistons, and all working bo
perfectly that not a Bpurt of tteam clouded
the high reccanes of the airy hall. Others
Climbed up the. brnss runged ladders with
Bhlnlng cupa In their hands, and occaa
alonally the engineer turned valvet to
Her the ateam supply. Soon from the
general survey, the attention of the party
fell to detail. Four of the great units, or
englnea wera found to supply the force,
which wrings tho native heat out of the
great buildings Ilka water from a satur
ated towel. Enormous pipes covered with
a marble coat of frost, covering a largo
area back of the compreasora, gave evi
dence of thla battle with tho natural ele
menta of eunllght. The almillarlty of these
englnea, representing as they do a cooling
capacity of 1,400 tons of Ice dally, soon
lessened the Interest at firat attracted, and
the party turned to the great whispering
dynamo and the l.SOO-horsepower Hamilton
Corllaa engine which revolved Its colls. On
Ither aide the pistons, hidden beneath
treat Bhlelds of metal, heaved Ilka the
mailed shoulders of Herculea, and the tanks
they wrought through tha length and
breadth of tho ilant, multiplied the la bora
Of that fabled hero a thousand timet.
"Our plant and that of tha Omaha rack
ing company use electricity exclusively as
a motive power,"' said Mr. Vaughan.
"Swift's and Cudahy make use of eleo
triclty for lighting purpoaea only. Thlt
engine, as you see, la directly connected
with a 1.2fl0 K. W SO volt generator. The
new engine we are laying on that central
aolld cement base la an 800 horse-power
direct-connected with a 660 K. W. generator.
It Is designed to carry our night load. Dur
ing the time we are Installing we borrow
power from the Omaha Packing company
for night service, that wa may not have to
nre to the capacity of tha big engine. The
engine wa are taking out Is far from use
loss. I wish I had It Installed In some
thriving town of t,000 or 6,000 out in the
f "With this engine we move every separ
ate machine or device In the entire plant.
There are above 1000 incandeacent lam pa
In dally use. Wa are gradually changing
from the alternating current to tha direct,
three-wire system aa a mora satisfactory
means of transmission. We can get tha
light with a lower voltage in that way.
With the net work of wires distributed
through the plant, a low voltage is especi
ally desired. Tha claaa of workmen on the
killing floors and in fact tha Ignorant ones
In all departments are intensely afraid of
an electric shock. They don't Ilka to work
around machines of high voltage. The
dampneaa of the plants make an added
element of danger also, aa short circuits
are easy where conduction is good. Tha
high voltage of the arc machlnea la enough
to do great damage, misdirected. This class
of lighting, I presume, will decline in pack
ing circles In favor of tha low voltage
transmitters of the Incandescent generators.
Gradually wa are exchanging tha alternat
ing machines for the direct. The generators
when removed in good repair are often re
versed and used at motors to give them
an added span of utility. They are not
quite so compact and economical as tha
machine designed especially for a motor,
but wa can use them like the darkey's coon
trap to catch 'am comln' and goln.'
"Beside tha lighting apparatus, eighty
seven motors are distributed through tha
plant, varying In capacity from t te 160
horse-power. Tha ISA motor is in tha beef
killing department, and performs all the
lifting and driving work from the time tha
animal la knocked until it glides Into tha
cooler. Sixteen of our motors drive ele
vators of an average capaolty of 4.000
pounds eaoh. Wa have ona high power
motor to run a compressed air machine.
We use tha compressed air in several de
partments, especially for pressing meats
Into boxes, lifting Ice out of the tanks In
the tea room, and In other departments
where electric motion U an advantage.
"All of the cutting devices of the meat
cutting rooms which can not well be done
by hand clevera and saws are operated by
motors. Tha presses of the lard, oleo and
stearins room are similarly operated. All
the machinery of the mechanics, steam At
tars, plumbers, carpenters, boiler makers,
box factory, cutting, nailing and cooperage,
have their peculiar motor at hand.
"The electrical appliances in every de
partment are operated from thla room,"
satd Mr. Vaughn, turning to the panels of
the switchboard with Ita multitude of lev
ers and dials. "Each panel here controls
a department. We have telephone con
nection to advise of tha requirements.
These dials keep a record of the power
expended; we ran tell from thetr exam
ination exaotly what each department la
doing la the expenditure of power without
seeing the floors where the work is per
formed. Plans have been submitted for a
new 17-pannl switchboard to replace this
one of six. The need is the result of
growth. The only precaution between hav
ing the control of motors so far from the
machines they operate Is the emergency
switch near the machine which the oper
stor can throw In case of accident to stop
the motor Instantly. Where the use Is fre
quent or constant the motors are in per
petual motion and the operator connects
with the motor by throwing In bis clutch,
so familiar a term in the days of tha au
tomobile. "Aa to the economy, I figure the use of
motors a factor representing a saving; of
one-third. This Is especially apparent In
the driving of the ninety-seven large pumps
used In the plant. The use of electricity
permits the concentration of power Into
large units like this big engine; and the
losses of distribution avoided. Ona engine
la alwaya more economical than two of
half the capacity; easily understood from
a slight knowledge of friction, condensa
tion, and complexity of part a
"Now to drive this enginery we have ten
boilers, two 600 horsepower, four 400-horse-power,
and four of 450-borsepower. The
draft for these numerous furnaces Is furn
ished by the largest stack in the west. It
stands EX feat from the surface line of
the base to the top, with an Inside bore of
ten feet at the top. Thaee fires are at
present hand-stoked, but It Is apparent that
the great scarcity of this class of labor
will soon drive us to use the automatic
feeders and car-un loaders. I have been
with the company fifteen years, and I
think I am safe In saying that It has not
been Its principle to adopt machinery
purely to aave labor, but the grade of labor
Is Inadequate. I have as many here,"
pointing to the turmoil of swarthy, black
ened, nre-bronsed faces In the pits, "at
can well work without treading on one an
other, but the lack individual Intelligence
necessary even In a stoker,
"Before you go I want to show you some
thing not strictly electrical. It is our steam
turbine pump. Now, here Is a compact
little machine. This little shaft, three
fourths of an inch In diameter, whirled by
the ruth of tteam through the turbine In
thlt Utile box, a font In diameter, at a
rate of 19,000 turnt per minute, lifts about
1,000.000 gallons of water to the top of this
building every day.
"Everyone looked up to feel the tpray
from the condensers, high above, falling on
their faces. For compactnett and power
the little engine was a alight revelation of
the approaching economies of the new class
machinery quite abreast of the strides in
the field of vehicle locomotion. When suc
cessfully applied to electrical apparatus the
turbine may outstrip the best In piston
propulsion.
From Armour's plant the party went to
the new plant of the Omaha Tacking com
pany, which also makes use of electric
transmission. Conditions were practically
tha same. In the boiler room the com
pany Is getting a new tier of boilers ready
for operation. The economy of automatic
feeders and grates was there at once ap
parent. There was no sign of bustle. Tha
fires were all clear and the steam regular.
A glance at the big stack showed no un
consumed carbon going to waste. Pale
blue, almost white, smoke whirled up and
floated lazily from the top, while all the
other stacks In tha city rolled out dense
clouds of black emokt, heavy with waste
carbon from uneven drafts. These boilers
supply an 8W horsepower engine with direct
connected dynamos. There are two gener
ators, one of 250 kilo watts (230 volts) and
the other 1R0 kilo watts, with the same
voltage. The lighting consists of 1,E0 ln
candesoent lamps and twenty-five arc
lights. The various departments are man
aged by a seven-psnel switchboard. In the
beef-kllllng roomt are two motore, one of
fifty and one of twenty-five horsepower.
Distributed through the plant are fifty
smaller motors, applied to all classes of
machinery which are operated In the plant.
The work accomplished is exactly similar
in all respects to that done in the first
point visited.
At Swift and Company's plant Mr. Pat
terson Informed the party that electricity
was used only for lighting purposes and
the apparatus was in no way dissimilar to
the generators In use at the other plants.
The dynamo for producing the light in the
2,400 Incandescent lamps and the thirty-six
arc lights is rbelt connected with the ma
chinery propelling their system of trans
mission. "We use. said Mr. Patterson,
"what Is known as rope or belt transmis
sion. I think it a decided economy in a
compact plant, where the distribution can
be effected without too much friction of
complicated and distant parts. Of course.
In a widely distributed plant the economy
of electric transmission can be reduced to
a mathematical certainty. Transmission of
energy by steam pipes or compressed air
is likely to be hazardous and doubtful In
any large plant. After. careful considera
tion we have adopted the rope transmis
sion. Strong cables pats from ths engine
room to the various departments and there
connect with shafting from which belts are
passed to the particular machines used in
each instance."
At Cudahy's. also, rope transmission Is
used in preference to electrical transmis
sion. Aside from the 2,200 Incandescent
lamps and thirty or more arcs, eleotriclty
Is confined to ventilation fans. All of the
South Omaha plants have their own light
generators, and all are seeking alike the
low voltago machines and the preference
la growing toward the direct rather than
the alternating currents. The Introduction
of new machinery Is never ending and It
Is the duty of the master mechanic to figure
to a nicety whether the outlay for a more
up-to-date machine will warrant the dis
placement of a machine which will atin do
years of work at a fixed expense, or not.
Rigid but scientific economy Is the prin
ciple which must determine all changes.
If you have anything to trade advertise
It In the For Exchange columns of Ths
Bee Want Ad pages.
ticket agent of the Uurlington, when the
orflca was located at Ninth and Famam
streets, where ths M. E. Smith building la
now located and was with Mr Deuel when
lie moved his office to the Grand Central
hotel, where the Paxton hotel now stands.
He then went with the Western Vnlon
SKaln and was trsnsferred to Chicago,
after the fire. His various posts were sfter
wards at Cincinnati, Buffalo, St. Louis.
Kansas City and Omaha. A week before
the big strike In ln Mr. Hayes left the
service of the Western Union to assume
the position of agent of the Burlington at
Chester and afterwards went to Hebron.
In 1SS3 he enme to Omaha to take the posi
tion of contracting agent of the Burlington
and hat been chasing loaded box cars ever
since.
Friends of Allen B. Smith, the genial as
sistant general freight agent of the Burl
ington, may be surprised to learn that Mr.
6mlth was once a pounder of the live keys.
He learned the Sjrtyivhen a mere boy on
the Hannibal El. Joe road before tho
present form of key was used, when the'
messages came through and an Impression
was made on paper. During the war Mr.
Smith waa an operator at Beverly Junc
tion, and In 1870 was agent and operator
at Sahetha, Kan. In 1S71 ha was agent and
operator at Highland, Kan.; in 1S73 at
White Cloud, in 1873 at Falls City, which
was the last work he did with the key.
Although Mr. Smith has his messages
brought to him by the basket full in the
morning and during the day, he Is still
able to read or send and delights In sitting
by an Instrument and hearing the mes
sages as they flash across the wire.
George West, general agent of the pas
senger department of the Chicago & North
western road, with headquarters at Omaha,
began to earn his first money at the key
and sounder. He learned the Morse code
In a railroad office In 1RS1 with the
I. P. A C. and the Grand Trunk railroad.
About the time Garfield was shot Mr. West
moved west to Peoria and was with the
I. B. & W. road for one year as operator
and bill clerk. In 1883 he went with the
Northwestern road aa night operator at
Marstialltown. In 1884 Mr. West was pro
moted to be day operator and ticket clerk
at Dea Moines and waa then made ticket
sgent at Cedar Rapids and has been In the
ticket department of the road ever sin on,
giving up ths work of taking and sending
messages.
To Frank Lehmer belongs the distinction
of being the oldest resident In point of
service In the local offices In Omaha, for
Mr. Lehmer was the first messenger boy
to carry telegrams In Omaha, which was
his occupation here In lsno. At that time
he devoted his spare moments to learning
the art of handling the keys and reading
the sounder until 1861 he was sent as as
sistant operator at old Fort Kearny In
lsel. He then held the position of second
pioneer operator on the.Paclflo telegraph
line as It was being built across the coun
try until Cottonwood Springs waa reached.
The pioneer telegrapher went ahead and
opened a station on the frontier and Mr.
Lehmer would follow and take the station
after It was opened. He kept this up until
In 1S62 he was stationed for several months
at Horse 8hoe creek, thirty-seven miles
west of Fort Laramie. Late in ISO Mr.
Lehmer Joined the military telegraph corps
In the south under Colonel Clowry. He
returned to Omaha and w-orked In the
Omaha office until ISA, when he was made
manager of the office, which position he
held from 1868 to 1877, when he quit the
business to enter the commercial field.
Mr. Lehmer Is now general manager of
the Omaha Ice and Cold Storage company.
Charles Ware has risen from the ranks
Until now he holds the title of superin
tendent of the Nebraska division of the
Union Pacific road. He attended school
at the Southern Illinois university at Car
bondsle. 111., and when he reached his
majority he entered the railway service
with the Northwestern as telegraph oper
ator, trick dispatcher and chief dispatcher.
Since 1fno he has been with the Vnlon
Pacific ns trick dispatcher, chief dispatcher
and assistant superintendent until April,
l!Kfl, when he was made superintendent of
the Nebraska division of the Vnlon
Pacific, which position he now holds.
Everything Electrical
FROM
A Door Bell
to a Power Plant
WE INSTALL:
Power House Equipments
House Wiring of all Kind
Direct a.nd Alternating
Current Motors and
Generators,
Switchboards
All Classes of House
Specialties for Cooking,
Ironing and Heating
WE SELL:
Telephones
Automobile Storage Batteries
Fans t
Electrical Instruments
Telephone Supplies
Motors, Generators, Lvmps
Electrical Specialties
Electric Toys and thousands
of other things too numer
ous to mention.
Western Electrical Company
411-13 South 10th St.
Phono Douglas 456. Omaha. Nebraska
Old-Time Telegraphers
(Continued from Pag Three.)
first four years sfter he had begun to as
sume man's else.
John Tetard. general manager of the
Nebraska Fuel company, started to work
a telegraph key when 12 years of are. learn
Ins. the business In the office of I-resldtnt
C. G. Simmons of the Northwest Telegraph
company In Wisconsin. After thoroughly
mastering the business Mr. Tetard decided
to follow the famous mandate of Beecher
end "go west" and In May. 1KB. he landed
in Omaha and Immediately secured employ
ment with Ue Western Union, which waa
then under the management of L. it.
Rheem. Mr. Tetard stayed with ths West
ern Union for six years, when he waa made
train dispatcher of the Chicago. St. Faul,
Minneapolis Omaha road. After running
the trains of that road for some time be
changed to the Burlington, working in the
telegraph office at the Burlington head
quarters and in a short time Joined forces
with the Nebraska Fuel company, with
which concern he has been ever since.
Robert C. Hayes Is one of the old time
telegraphers of Omaha. Ha Is now and has
been for some years contracting freight
agent of the Burlington railroad and Is
dally seen on the streets of Omaha. Ha
says he learned how to send a message at
the age of 13 In a railroad office In Wis
consin and in 1S6 he secured the position
of testing operator on the only line be.
tween Chicago and the coast, being given
his position by J. J. Plckey. formerly super
intendent of the Western Union at Omaha,
but at that time chief clerk In the Chicago
oirice. When the Rock Island was built
from Pes Moines to Council Bluffs, ths
through wire to the coast was moved to the
right-of-way of that Una and Mr. Hayes
worked at the end of the line while It was
being built to Council Bluffs. While In
spector of lines Mr. Hayes waa ta charge
of fifty miles of wire between Boone and
Lewis and made the trip as often as pos
sible with a borse and buggy. He stayed
with the Western Union until ths road had
reached Atlantic and waa then made train
dispatcher between Des Moines and Daven
port. In 1870 Mr. Hayes went with the
Union Pacific and was stationed at Bryan,
Utah, and afterwards at North Platte. In
the fall of that year he waa moved te
Omaha and made night train dlapatcher
for the Union raciflc with C. B. Havens as
day dlapatcher. At that time there were
three trains a day between Omaha and
North Platte. Desiring a change Mr.
Hayes went with Harry Deuel as assistant
of all descriptions made by
S. H. Gole
1302 Douglas St.
Tel. Douglas 2518
(???Cl Photographer
Postal Cards, two for - 25c
Cabinets, four for SLOO
Opan from 10 A. M. to 10 P, M.
KRUG THEATER DLDG.. 14th (L Harney
'Phone Douglas 4430.
FANS
FANS
FANS
w few first class swivel and trunnion desk fans which ws will
oloes out at less than cost. Ws are crowded for store room. Tfasss are genuine
argaiasi
lt-lnch Deak Swivel and Trunnion Fans
lt-lnch Desk Swivel and Trunnion Fans
M-lnch Celling F
1 t-k. p. 600 volt Oeneral Bleotrle Motor and Starter
13.60
16.60
937.AO
.$40.00
American Electric Co.
403 Jackson Street
Tel. Douglas) 145!
A Reliable Electric Pocket Light
No wires. No imoke. oil, smell, lieat or dirt Can
T las r fli II it a m u itkr... .u..ki .
- wuv mo piiguieM U augur.
W ,o,ui ",0 .h.tJA ''"'. -tore f.c
. , , 7 , ''wuicii. iruug lur ail curDos.s
. . where light Is required instantly, numbers, railroad
ftiV'A5?."1?? n(1 ,VerT houehld "! Any lady or man can carry It In
the Pocket. Always ready. If you wish to avoid dangerous places I ef dark
streets, just ''press i the button" and you have an , liiatant bright l!Sht Th5
K.".?. Ti..r.V: .- nd will burn for months with" proper us.
Kxlre batteries can be secured for only Si cauta unrt p.ni.rJi 1 S 5!"
Ve guarantee every Ump. Money back If no ?ae pseM" Over lOooo ."oid
.V. mF?o. oJly cents01 U"?Ul Ud rt&iUctoom ThY market
II. J. PENFOLD ft CO.. 1408 Firrum St.. Omtha, Neb.
ELECTRIC PIANOS
WILL YOU HAVE A SLICE?
COULD YOU ASK US FOR A
BETTER PROPOSITION?
If we should band you two dollar for every one
70a hand na?
That in Just our argument and we rrrtalnly prove It
up when we trU you that our Klortrrc Plnno IMaj-ers (coin
operated) atxolnt-ly pay for theniKrlrea, healiles pay rou
a handsome bonus every month.
Our Electric Piano Players are conceded hy everyone
who has seen and heard tlicm to be the flKST on the
market. They are perfection mechanically and send forth
the beautiful tone shade of an artist. They are always
ready to play; never tiro out. They furnish you music
anytime without cost.
We hare Electric Pianos that play entirely through tlie
vacuum system with a perforated music roll which Is cut
perfectly to correspond with the touch required. The
music 1 played In an endless roll; it never plays out. Xo
automatic reverse or rewind to net out of order. They
are always ready to play when played either by hand or
coin In the slot. Agency for Euterpe, Peerless, Standard,
Electriva and others. Easy Terms If desired.
NOW IS THE TIME TO GET 1U SY.
Catalogue for the Asking.
Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co.
181 1-1313 l nrnam Street, Omaha, Neb.
ikli..,nM.s,irU
-4
-1
Tie Victor Amrtonhoiie
Operated by Electricity
Aux e-to phone means big things, grand music, not
noise.
It means specifically an auxiliary power.
It means that when the record starts the sound
waves, the Auxjtophone principle gives th:m air to floit
out upoi. The result is more music; sweeter and more .
pleasing tone.
Here is an instrument which will fill a large hall as
a band would a Victor that can be used satisfactorily
for exhibition purposes with no disappointment in vol
ume or tone quality. Here is a complete musical equip
ment In itself, for large private residences, hotels, restau- '
rants, pleasure resorts, etc One that neither eats nor
sleeps. It will take the place of an orchestra and c o the
work better because of i s unlimited repertoire.
"Dancing?" Why, what could be more bewitching
than to dance to Sousa's full band? No matter how Iare
the ball room, the Victor Aux e to-phone will fill it with
music, and provide entertainment between the numbers.
HEAR THE GREAT MACHINE PLAY.
Buy Your Phonograph Now
BEFORE THE PRICE ADVANCES
Save S5.00
t
PRICE $500.00
WE WILL SELL YOU NOW
A Standard Machine for...
A Horns Maohlna for ...
A Triumph Machine for.
..$20.00
30.00
.. 50.00
oh m
Ws offer to sell you
an Sdlsoa or Tlotor
Talking Machine at tho
Ijowsst Cash Prlos at
which machines can be
bought, on the condi
tions that you pay for
the records only, and beg-In
to pay for the In
strument 80 days later.
lath or UPTEM1H
FXICEI WXX.& n AJD-
TaJTOllB 93 OBT BAOX BTTLB OT
MAOKOra. BTEBT DBA LEB
TBJsOVOBOUT TBB V. B. IS U
BSB OOHTBAOT AJTD BOBS TO
XX.& TXBK AT THAT TIES AMD
TBXBBATTB AT THIS A9.
TABOSS VBIOB.
wb rmiFAT zxraxss cxabozs
On AI.Ii BETAIX OXSEB8.
Writs for catalorue,
PRICES FROM
$10 TO $100
75,000 Records to Select From. Do You Want Victor
or Edison Records? See Us, We Have Them.
Geo. E.
Mickcl,
O Manager.
Nebraska Cycle Co
331 Broadway, Conncll Mulls Both Phones 559. Cor. 15th and Harney Sis., Omaha
A Short Talk on
Electric Fixtures
A sane man wouldn't go to a hardware store for
a pair of shoes. He would go to a shoe store.
In buying electric fixtures for yqur home il is of the
utmost importance that you have the advice of persona
actively engaged in the fixture business, who devote all
their time to it; then you will receive advice thai; will
be invaluable and that will help you beautify your
home.
Did you ever stop to consider that the selection of
fixtures (usually put off till the last) has more to do
with the appearance of the home when finished than
almost any other item t
Don't mate the mistake of waiting till the wiring is
agreed upon before seeing us. s
For the same reason that a man wouldn't go to a
hardware store for a pair of shoes, neither should you
go to Borne small dealer who "dabbles" in the fixture
business and has a few lines he wants to "close out"
and has probably carried in stock for years.
He doesn't know anything about the business any
way and you will soon be sorry you failed to call at our
store first, where we carry the largest assortment of
Electric, Gas and Combination fixtures west of Chicago.
Doing business on a large scale, we can keep our
stock up-to-date and are in a position to offer lower
prices than any other house in the city.
BURGESS-GRANDEN CO.
313 South Eighteenth Street. Telephone Douglaa 631
IN
Msg? - -m
issrm Ta J!
BRAMBLETT
do.
UTS I DRAWINGS
I 1311 Bernard. I
J-OMAHA.-L
Advartlaa
THE OMAHA DEE
Best th. West
i
IT