ELECTRO-MOTIVE POWER. 147 



TRANSMISSION OF MOTIVE POWER TO A DISTANCE 

 THROUGH CONDUCTING WIRES FOR OPERATING MA- 

 CHINERY. 



Some interesting experiments were made about 

 thirty years ago for transmitting power from 

 motors to machines through telegraph wires, as 

 a substitute for driving-bands, ropes, and lines of 

 shafting. 



A joint-stock company in the city of Providence 

 attempted to utilize the electric ether as a medium 

 for distributing motive-power. A steam-engine 

 was employed to turn a great magneto-electric 

 machine for putting in motion the electric ether, 

 and thereby utilizing it effectively at remote dis- 

 tances. It was supposed that the power of distant 

 water-falls might be thus rendered available for 

 workshops in cities ; as the clicking armatures are 

 practically worked in distant telegraph offices. 



The company succeeded so well in utilizing 

 this mode of transmitting power from the motor 

 to machines in a workshop, that they were led to 

 believe they had obtained more power than was 

 imparted by the steam-engine to turn the magneto- 

 electric machine ; and that consequently they had 

 made " a gain of power," and had secured " Per- 

 petual Motion." But the pockets of the share- 

 holders, instead of being filled, were drained by 

 the machine, to which was given the burlesque 

 name of " Hifalutm." 



The labors of this company, however, were not 



