| Show 70 r 1 t 5 e S- S k f 1 ELECTRIC FOUNTAINS MECHANISM IS INTRICATE BUT EFFECT IS SUPERB Fun Fans antI ant Flowers All Flow Flowers n AH Sorts I of D Design Can He ne Large Mario-Large Maclo Larco Fountains FountaIns Foun Foun- tatna Are Operated by area Tien Under Under- Underground ground WIio ho Change Chance the Colors Colon Special Letter cannot tell teU B the whole story of the wondrous color colora a 10 effects of ot v which whIch the modern electric H fountain h is capable Various I pretty forms forms are made with thousands thousands thousands thou thou- sands of Jets of y water all aU working in unison under the hand of a skillful operator and each a thing of beauty itself Imagine for fora a moment the fan tan shown wn in one of the accompanying illustrations to be made up of myriad ribs of ever chang ing hue an and you will have some Idea dea of what an electric fountain really is It has been said that the electric fountain was originally conceived in th the prolific mind of a theatrical manager and that it served a good purpose in a crude form upon the stage But this was only for a time Artists and mechanics ics led took it up and developed the idea bringing it nearer to perfection until In 1893 It astonished and interested millions of people at the Columbian exposition In Chi Chicago ago In the daytime the electric fountain is not at its best It Is night that brings out Its beauties It would perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps prove too technical to enter into a a. complete description of all aU the tho fun- fun o H S. S I Il I l Ii lIT I I i i I I It t l a III I 1 I Id Il f F A FAN EFFECT Gels nels and the arrangement of the thousands thousands thousands thou thou- sands of Jets which make the different displays These jets are so BO arranged as to form all aU manner of different designs de de- de- de signs umbrella signs umbrella shapes whirling designs designs designs de de- signs globular showers cross criss-cross motions mo mo- In in short everything under the sun sun The very p pretty etty wheat wheat sheaf design shown in the illustration is made by streams of ot water from sixty sixty- I eight nozzles in a funnel and when nineteen of these sheaves are made it brings over a thousand streams of water water water wa wa- ter into play The height of each stream is regulated by the operator who is underground To go beneath the fountain Is to enter the realm of of searchlights switchboards colored glasses pumps primps p and everything which makes a good electric plant Two men are necessary to operate an electric fountain one fountain one to manipulate the levers which govern the Jets of water and andl the tho other to govern the searchlights l The Tho chief operator looks out of two or three windows Just above the surface of the water In the basin and through these he can see the effects of each movement of levers or colors In front of him Is a row of levers each of which controls the water to one set of fountain fountain fountain foun foun- tain jets a long board on which are arranged a number of push-buttons push controlling the various combinations of colors and each individual color Is controlled by a button of the same col col- col- col or When the operator touches a button button button but but- ton there immediately springs into the theair air a golden spout of water that returns to the pool changed to myriad drops drops of of molten gold Another button wilt will be pressed and lo lot the living column has become a vivid red and every drop is like a a gem Another lever is pulled and a score of streams playing toward the center spring into existence followed followed followed fol fol- lowed by miniature geysers that assume assume assume as as- sume every possible color apparently Umbrellas of spray appear as another lever ever Is touched and these are followed by curiously whirling Jets that twist like snakes of fire Underground on every lido are great bowls of fire that seem to be attached to the round globe of glass above by a solid white flame fiame These are the searchlights and tho the globes above are arc the funnels tunnels through which are sent the rays of color to illuminate 11 il- luminate the Ute spouting Jets overhead d. Many buildings are building electric fountains as ns a summer attraction for theIr heir Inhabitants The cost varies naturally naturally na na- with the quality of the fount foun foun- t I. y lama tain That In proA Prospers r cost RaIlway Hallway companies are finding it of benefit to erect these fountains in their parks or in cooperation co opera co tion with cities clUes by supplying the pow er to run run the fountain A valuable return re re- re turn comes to them through the rn creased traffic and in several several cases casesa fountain has been made to pay for itself itsel in a season |
