File:The world's opportunities and how to use them (1887) (14591003340).jpg

Identifier: worldsopportunit00guer (find matches)
Title: The world's opportunities and how to use them
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Guernsey, Alfred H. (Alfred Hudson), 1824-1902
Subjects: Industries
Publisher: New York, Harper & brothers
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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thecase supposed, where there is unlimited water-power running towaste. It is estimated that the water-power of Niagara is as greatas would be the steam-power produced by 266,000,000 tons of coalper year—a quantity equal to the entire consumption of the world. Steam-power might, in many cases, be profitably used for com-pressing air. A large steam-engine can be worked at much lesscost than a number of small ones having the same aggregatepower. Such a compressing-engine might be located on theoutskirts of any large city, or at any convenient point within it,and the compressed air—the equivalent of the steam—be con-veyed in pipes, just as gas and water are, wherever wanted. Thuswould not only the danger from fire and explosions be obviated,but much of the noise and jar of the steam machinery would beavoided. The compressed-air engine works almost noiselessly ;and, moreover, the room in which such an engine works wouldof necessity be thoroughly ventilated. Unless this method shall
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A SUNDAY MORNING IN SURREY.See Note 34. SUGGESTIONS FOR RESEARCH AND INVENTION. 475 be anticipated by the electro-magnetic motor just mentioned, itwould seem that our street railways must in time be operated bycompressed air. The means for effecting this present no seriousmechanical difficulties, and the man who shall devise a practi-cable compressed-air motor cannot fail to find a fortune in it. Atpresent, we believe that this power, so easily developed and soentirely under control, is used for little else than for sendingpneumatic despatches for short distances—a use which might belargely extended. The force of the wind as a motor is quite too much over-looked in this country. It costs money to run a steam-engine,while water-power and wind-power cost little or nothing. Fewmen can have water-power upon their grounds, while the windblows everywhere, if not always. The disadvantage inseparablefrom the windmill is its uncertainty. One cannot know posi-tively when or how fast it will r

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