Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-12-10

III Jh Ill y - / CIA~-t
There was a time, (aud that, not so very
long ago. when people were desired to
place their candles in their windows, when,
upon returning home, the great lords and
ladies' were preceded by their servants
bearing torches, while the citizen aud his
wife illumined their way by the aid Of a
little horn lantern, specimen of which
may now be found among antiqulrians.
Now, six thousand gas-burpors il!umine
the vast city, and food the pavements with
streams Of light. The ancient appurtensn-
ces have disappeared we no longer see the
old street-lamp, suspended by cords, wav-
ing in mid air the candelabras, surpassed
by pretty lanterns of crystal, have been
removed, and the brilliant light Of the gas
rauetrates into distant corners. 1t is the
cls light, in the handsome stores, which
makes their brilliant goods more enticing
still
The origin Of this beautiful light, which
traverses by its subterranean pipes so many
Of our cities, may be unknown to many of
our readers. Lighting by gas follows very
readily the chemical discoveries made with
in the last century.
oH Ws sf tefx caflsI IqRs AiGs that the eaRbR
,anied by light and heat; and since the
,yen;oeuth century, it has been shown by
mous,ration, that oil placed in closed
So. ..qnd submitted to high temperature,
...as-h.. a gas capable of burning with
-.-.-r,.-. But. until tie close Of the last
-:-.y 10 one ,Lo' E m'Sing PFa'i cal
... it. 1t vas Philip LsJon, an lnge-
pi5us Fr1rer nan, who first formed the
lie, Of obtaining light from the eomtu--
uLle cascs which were formed during the
decomrosi,ion Of certain organic substan-
ces. The means employed at this time,
for applying to light, the gas obtained
from the decomposition Of wood or coal,
were very imperfect aud i; was not until
SINE years afterwards tha; it was revived
IN En- md.
Tue ,hearctic principle Of lighting BY
IS belongs, as We see, to France; but the
a.a-r Of its practical application is due to
t., perseverance aud skill Of our neigh
blrs, aud the march Of the discovery III
wolves equally both nations.
The first scientific observation relative
to Illuminating and combustlble gases, IS
due to au English physician, named James
Clayton. He extracted, from the heart OF
the earth, certain elastic fluids, subject to
inflammation. These phenomena, which
were considered inexplicablc wonders, have
been observed for ages the fires of Pietro
Mala and Barigazzo, in Italy; the burn
ing fountain of Dauphine; the fires which
appeared on the shores of the Caspian sea,
and in many parts of the United States
are instances we'll known. In 1864, DR..
CLAYTON observed phenomenon OF this
kind at the surface Of coal vein. In
putting an ignited body to certain assures
Of the mine, fame would Immediately
appear Clayton attributed this to vaPor
emitted spontaneously from the coal, and,
to verify this conjecture, submitted the
coal taken from the mine to disti!iation.
4 He found that the coal furnished water,
tar, and gas which he could not con-
dense. Being kindled, and tube placed
! at the extremity, the gas burned, emitting
q much light. lie attempted DO practical
results from the discovery, and it remain
ed, for nearly century, unless: regarded
merely as curious phenomenon.
Philip Lebon, engineer of bridges and
I highways, first conceived, as we have said
1 the idea Of producing ligh, from the case:
] which came from wood He announced
i his discovery to the Institute and took a
! patent for the preparation, which he called
"thermolampe." But the process for puri
flying i, proved insufficient its disagreea
8 tie odor vas barrier to its public recep
ton, aud the inventor, almost ruined, re
tired to Versailles. He came to his death
III some ,ragical manuer In 1902, hi:
ioay vas found, covered with wounds, il
we Champ Elysees. The cause Of hii
1'1.n Vas never known.
whist Philip Lebon failed in his al
'P's' nnding in France no encourage
- - i: -e7.,9Vo@:-t ot his ite-s, =.