Chapter 127 Voltage War
Sheffield actually didn't know how important electrification was, because he had never read relevant historical records. However, he did know that the Soviet Union, the lifelong enemy of the United States, promoted electrification, which enabled the Russian Empire, which was defeated by the German Empire, to become the second largest in the world in a short period of time.
The rapid modernization of the Soviet Union was based on electrification. The more popular propaganda was that there were electric lights and telephones upstairs and downstairs, which made the defeated Russian Empire suddenly become an existence that made the free world tremble.
Sheffield didn't need to personally intervene in this matter. The southern states had their own opinions! The Civil War was a life-and-death battle. Due to the population disadvantage, the South mobilized boys over the age of twelve to fight in the second half of the war. The Union soldiers who went to the battlefield that year were only in their forties today, and they were the main population of the southern states.
At least until they die, this hostility will be slightly loosened. Once the North-South issue is involved, they will instinctively remember that their fathers and brothers went to the battlefield and fought a decisive battle with the Union Army in the North. Once the North-South issue is involved, it is impossible for the Dixie people to remain rational.
Farmers, plantation owners and even factory owners in various states have automatically stepped into the role to exert their influence and put pressure on state governments. In the overall environment, the Democratic Party is still in power in Washington. Although the Republican Party has a better momentum, it is still an opposition party. Criticism is allowed, but interference is basically impossible. The opposition party has its responsibilities, not to mention that there are also many forces within the opposition party that advocate reconciliation.
The North-South issue was a hot topic, and the momentum of public opinion was so strong that even Sheffield, the arsonist, was shocked. He felt guilty, but he immediately forgot about it. The Republicans have been stirring up hatred during elections for so many years, so why can't they do it once? You do it on the first day and I do it on the fifteenth day. Isn't this fair?
The public opinion in the southern states was surging, and naturally it quickly caused a reaction. As the victors, the Northern Republicans and the Yankees in the northern states did not pay much attention to this hateful report. Just pay attention to it, it is completely acceptable for these Dixie people to make a fuss. Isn't it okay for them to refuse to accept the defeat?
Thirty years have passed since the Civil War, and many people have lost interest in campaigns that stir up hatred. Even if they know about it, they just think that the Democrats may have learned from the Republicans to consolidate their election situation through hatred. Everyone knows that the economy has not been good in recent years, so it should be a diversion of contradictions.
The first person to publicly stand up and loudly call out the mistake was the representative of the American dream in the hearts of the citizens of the United States, the disabled but strong-willed inventor, who rose from the bottom to become a successful person, Tesla's lifelong enemy, the supporter of direct current, the great inventor Mr. Edison. Although the electric current war between Edison and Tesla was undoubtedly a failure.
However, through his early connections and close relationship with Morgan, Edison made Tesla, the winner, live worse than the loser. Edison believed that Tesla would eventually give in and become the background under his shadow under the cover of time. However, he never dreamed that there was someone in the United States who dared to confront Morgan, and directly brought Tesla's research team to the South, and soon started the electrification process.
Edison was the first to accuse Tesla of unsafe AC, which was of course a rehash of an old accusation. Moreover, this accusation was untenable. Edison combined AC and voltage standards together, which was to bully ordinary citizens who had no knowledge of electrical principles.
Tesla, who had rebuilt his laboratory, expressed his respect for Edison to a newspaper in Houston. He pointed out that alternating current and direct current had nothing to do with voltage standards, and that Edison might have been too impatient, resulting in errors in the newspaper's content of his appeal. He also refuted Edison's statement by using the successful operation of the Nicaragua hydroelectric power station.
Niagara Falls was going to build the world's first hydroelectric power station earlier, and the AC system was chosen because of its economical and easy manufacturing. Westinghouse gave the design and manufacturing task to Scottish engineer George Forbes. The latter built a set of equipment using three Tesla AC generators. This power station was built by Tesla before, with the support of Westinghouse Electric, using AC generators.
This year, the hydroelectric power station was officially completed, and the winner of direct current and alternating current has been decided. There is no point in discussing this, so Tesla began to elaborate on the second question, saying to the reporter of the newspaper, "In a broad sense, the vast land and population in the South do not match. Unlike the densely populated and large cities in the North, the population of citizens in the South is much smaller, and there are not many large cities. If the voltage is 110 volts, it will cause great waste. It is precisely because of this land and population ratio that a voltage of 220 volts is applicable."
The southern states have their own national conditions. Tesla did not understand this difference, which was naturally instilled by Sheffield. Of course, there is a reason for this. In fact, if the area of the western states west of the Mississippi River is not counted, the area of the South is actually larger than the traditional area of the North. Of course, this includes Texas.
It's just that the population of the northern states is more dense, and there are not many large cities in the south. It is normal to use different voltages in such a living environment. Neither Sheffield nor Tesla mentioned the issue of the North-South conflict, as if it did not exist. Tesla really did not have this understanding, and Sheffield covered up the problem.
But for Sheffield, the benefits of citizens accepting Tesla's voltage standard have nothing to do with him. The biggest benefit is that if the voltage in the north is 110 volts and the voltage in the south is 220 volts, then from the perspective of power loss, he can set the charging price in comparison with the electricity price of the Yankees in the north. You waste so much electricity and set the electricity price. Even if I am one cent cheaper than you, I will make more than you.
Although the initial investment is huge, it will pay off in the long run. As long as the electricity price is a little cheaper than the 110-volt electricity price in the north, he will be the most conscientious capitalist in the eyes of the citizens of the United States. Compared with other electrical companies in the north, Sheffield will definitely not be criticized. He will only become the representative of the conscience of the United States.
After the current war, Tesla and Edison started another verbal battle over the safety of voltage. It immediately attracted the attention of the media and newspapers throughout the United States and became the focus. Some rumors of previous discord were also dug up. Some newspapers reported Tesla's strange behavior one day, and dug into Edison's reputation the next day, making the voltage war attract everyone's attention.
I don't know if the 220-watt voltage saves costs is correct, but that's what I mean.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
