Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-06-19

.ronder Of the agc-perliaps | should say the won
der Of all ages.
hav. known Mr.. i. some eight years as
v.rv.,ngenio mechanic, and man OF good
deal Of science, picked up here and there lie
has been engaged IN a good many inventions ani
his history has been very curious
For several years he has had his eye upon sep
arsting water into It's elementary gass"s by the
AID Of electricity. IL is about ~ months since
he first invited me IN to his Dach hinc a nj wit
ness some Of his experiments. From That tune
have watched his operations with inirnsr m
ter-st For six months ! have been INTO his
room two or three times a week For ihe last
tire. weeks he has been lighting his own house
with five common gas burners, aud have been
in about every evening.
Al first his object to produce light By the
action Of hydrogen and oxygen upon calcium
points-thc same the old Drumn"nd Light,
only producing his gasses from water, ani Of
course at no cost. This he does triump IN intl :.
But there are some difficulties about bringing
the discovery into practical uses, especially do
nesiic
inc an intense h.at but little light He now
conceived the idea Of carbonizng this gas
10 make IT luminous and burn IT alone This
he tried by tntbitng 1t through II lltile vial of
spirits of turpen,ine. The experiment was com
pkieiy frinmphant In this way he produces
light exceeding any thing in the shape Of artifi-
cIa light mortal eyes ever bchcld, and At M
c0st, xcept the interest on his machine, and ITS
wear. The cost Of the spirits Of tnrpentlne IS
near to nothing that you cannot appreciate H.
He has not, in lighting has own house for three
weeks. used moro than half gill As 10 the
cost Of his machine b. cannot yet speak with
precision. lie thinks one can hc got up Large
enough to light half dozen contiguous houses
for about 800 One to light ward III Il city
from $500 to S 100. The pipes aud gas fittings
would be the for coal any other kind
Of gas. His machine is put in motion by IA hand
crank, by falling weight wound up like clock,
or bv Il belt and drum inuvcd by steam or water
in his own house his wife girl vii! 20 and
turn his crank some five minutes and make gas
enough for the evening. Your wife would like
this better than filing and trimming lamps, to
say nothing about dirtying her pretty fingers.
The light is cicar. sott. rhne. and most intense
The other evening in coming out Of his house,
IN company with hall a dozen friends, | called
their atte eniion to the light as shining through
the window into the street. told them be-
ievcd coul read by il in the street. ! re-
turned, brought out a new wspaper and read 10 the
gentlemen an article, with the most perfect ease,
standing by the door yard fence, some twenty
five to thirty feet from the light suSpe ndrd on
the wall INSIDE. thrown through the window
There some Boston men associated with
Mr.. T. in this matter. They have already com
ne need $, Hing rights Their rule in selling ci-
ties is 10 charge according to population, 81 for
person For city Of 900 people Sin,0ho,
aud They have Sold New YORK for
$500 900. and somr other citlrs under negotia-
government an invitation to buy the inven'i"n
and give IL to the country, aud III tlles" sales
now making. they provide Cor contingency Of
this kind, engaging to pay back the purchase
money ease L nclc Sam walks up to the line
and does the handsome thing. SO that all will
stand a level
From what have stated you will see, If am
not mistaken. and do not how can be }
that this matter will rcvolutionzc the whole
question Of artificial light. 1t will be worth a
million. or more TO the general government for
its light houses.
There are two other prob4ble values connect
ed which remain to be cstabllshed-heat and
power.
Hydrogen alone burns will, intense heat, as
be fore stated. but is not luminous. Paine is
now going into the matter of seeing # he cannot
warm as well as light our rooms for u.s. aud
/ mock my coal mine in the head. lie thinks al
50 that hr the gas 4 HDfirf power aud
81 set aside steam a motor. This remains to
he proved.