The Columbian Exposition--East India Building

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The East Indian building was one of the delightful bits of color to which the Exposition proper was almost a stranger. Although the East Indian building was not erected by the government, which decided to make no official exhibit, still the Fair authorities allowed the building,iwhich was built by private enterprise, to be placed in the midst of the buildings erected by various governments. The building measured 80 by 60 feet and was 50 feet high. The material used in its con struction was staff, and the splendid polychromatic decoration on the exterior was es pecially flue. The large room in the interior was reached through a lofty gateway surmounted by small mina rets. Goods were sold on the ground floor and in the mezzanine story. In addition to oriental wares, tea was served by red garbed turbaned at tendants. The tea was furnished gra tuitously to all comers. The building was immensely popular with visitors and was always thronged. Dynamo Telegraphy. In the Western Union Company's Boston office the current is taken in a commutator on one side of the machine, and sent out from a com mutator on the opposite side, the transformation being effected hy two different windings on the armature. The Boston plant has at present nineteen of these transformers in use and will put in addition probably ten more. Of the machines now in use, five are of 3 horse power each, three are 1 horse power, two are % horse power, two are \i horse power and seven are 1-6 horse power. The po tential of these machines varies any where from 25 up to 260 volts. The farthest point to which a message has to be sent froui Boston is Buffalo, N. Y., and this can be accom plished by throwing one large machine of 260 volts in to service or several connected in tandem or in series. The small machines, which are wound for from fifty to seventy volts, are thrown into what is known as the loop from New York to Portland, thus necessitating the sending of but one message. The use of primary batteries in telegraphing has mostly passed away and the dynamo, with its greater steadiness of current and economy, is now employed.

SA Supplements Vol 36 Issue 936suppThis article was published with the title “The Columbian Exposition” in SA Supplements Vol. 36 No. 936supp (), p. 379
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican12091893-14953asupp

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