January, 1917
How Electricity Produces Mystery in the Movies
Electricity is playing a very important
rile in the moving picture art. So much
so, that without the use of this mystifying
agent, it would be difficult, if not quite
impossible, to stage our modern scientific
Spat! Spat! Sings the Mighty Spark of the Wireless in This Latest "Battle Scene" from the Exciting
Film Play, "Liberty." Yes, It Looks Like the Real Thing.
moving pictures, which show so realistically
such wonderful thunder storms, radio con-
trolled torpedoes, mind- reading machines,
and hundreds of other possible and im-
possible creations of the human brain.
Many of us have had the pleasure of
witnessing the spectacular photo play "The
Black Box" in which the most wonderful
electrical ,displays were exhibited. The il-
lustration shows one of the detectives, in
this absorbing screen story, making a test
in his laboratory, also his two female as-
sistants. This room is elaborately equipt
with a startling galaxy of electrical instru-
ments and two high -frequency machines,
one of which is a large Wimshurst static
machine, seen at the left. A mammoth
Tesla high- frequency transformer áppears
in the'background. The high tension cur-
rent supplied to the primary of this coil is
obtained from a large alternating current,
step -up transformer, and is past thru a
rotary spark gap. The leads from the half -
million volt Tesla coil are connected to
various different apparatus stationed about
the laboratory.
One that may be particularly noted is
the rectangular screen. This consists of a
long copper wire wound between two glass
rods and when properly excited by the Tes-
la transformer it produces one of the most
spectacular effects imaginable. A powerful
discharge appears on the various sections
of the wire and the whole effect seems as
if the entire instrument is enveloped in
flames. Two large Leyden jars are used
for the condensers, one of which is seen
to the right of the door.
Radio apparatus has again been 'featured
in one of the latest serial photo -plays en-
titled "Liberty," produced by the Univer-
sal Film Company. This scene shows one
of the duly uniformed Army Officers re-
ceiving an important message via radio
THE ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTER
from one of the commanding officers on
the firing line. The large armored motor
car seen in the immediate back -ground
whirls away at terrific speed as soon as
. the word is received by the radio operator.
FOR THE WOMAN WHO COOKS
BY ELECTRICITY.
The woman who cooks with an electric
range for the first time should be given
careful instruction in its use, for the arts
of cooking by electricity and cooking with
coal differ widely. An electric -range manu-
facturer offers the following excellent sug-
gestions for conserving the consumption of
electricity which apply to almost any type
of electric range.
One of the Best Electrical Laboratory Scenes Eger Produced
Black Boa."
In boiling operations, bring liquids to
boil on full heat. Then switch to low.
This cuts down the current consumption
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by three -quarters -an immense saving. Low
heat will keep the water boiling.
Do not allow liquids to bubble -boil. This
is entirely unnecessary. By so doing you
are merely turning the water of the liquid
into steam, where it is wasted. No matter
how much current is applied, the liquid
cannot be made hotter than the boiling
point.
Many housewives believe that the food
is not cooking unless the water is bubbling
furiously. This is a mistake. If the water
is steaming it is hot enough to do the work,
and current is saved.
Turn current entirely off about ten min-
utes before thru boiling. The heat stored
in the unit will keep the liquid at the boil-
ing temperature for the remainder of the
cooking operation.
Use flat -bottomed utensils, preferably
those made of steel or aluminum. These
are to be preferred to porcelain ware, for
they conduct the heat better.
Do not use too much water. This is ex-
tremely important. It requires a lot of
electricity to heat the extra water and this
heat is usually wasted.
In cooking vegetables, these need not be
submerged in the water. The steam will
do the cooking. For instance-in boiling
eggs-use only enough water to cover the
bottom of the vessel-generally about half
a cupful. This amount of water is quickly
boiled and the steam does the cooking.
The same principle applies to any boiling
operation. Put a cupful of water on po-
tatoes and watch the result.
Boiling is the mcst expensive operation
performed on the electric stove, and the
above instructions, carefully followed out.
twill cause a material saving in your bill
for electricity.
Do not heat a gallon of water if you
need only a pint.
The oven is the most economical part of
the stove if properly used.
Do not use water in roasting, as it is en-
tirely unnecessary. The electric oven is an
air -tight fireless cooker. and the natural
moisture of the meat is not evaporated, hut
is retained.
When placing a roast in your oven, see
that the indicator registers the proper tem-
perature. After the roast has been in for
about ten minutes. turn the current off.
-A Moment from the Screen Play, "The
Do not open the door, but permit all the
heat to remain inside the oven. _allow 15
minutes to the pound for cooking.