Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-12-02
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.
The Discovery and Utilization Of
illuminating Gas.
Influence Of Light in the Reduc-
tiGn OF Grimes.

Influence Of Light in the Reduc-
ti0n OF Grimes.
When man first began to furnish
himself with artificial light, says The
New York Times he probably used a
pine torch; and when the first lump of
fat was utilized for purposes of illumina-
ton, it must have been a great era in
the history of our race. The ancients
knew no method Of refining oil. AS a
great luxury, they mixed it with per-
fumes, but this rather detracted than
added to the burning properties of the
liquid. In process Of time great i'm
provemeuts were made. and among the
relics Of antiquity dug out Of the
earth and discovered in tombs, nothing
is more common than the earthen or
metallic lamp, and frequently fashioned
in forms of singular beauty. Until
1889 all lamps were dim and smoky,
soiling every thing they came near. The
invention and introduction Of the Arg
and lamp at that time. byAmie Argand,
made a revolution in illumination. It
would take much time and space to
describe the varieties of lamps: IN
some the illuminating material feeds
the wick by suction, which is the
oldest and simplest mode; in others a
constant oil-leve is attained in others
! atmospheric pressure is used.
ARTIFICIAL, LIGHT
has extended the available term of man 5
| life by giving the hours OF the night
to his use. It's influence in reducing
the tendency to crime in towns and
cities has been recognized 1t was a
great day for the world when man first
discovered Illuminating gas and struck
oiP' How different is the aspect al
night of our towns and villages since
these brilliant iIluminators began to
shine from the windows where once the
spluttering candle and the smoky lamp
struggled family with the darkness.
From the most authentic descrip-
tions of the rise and progress of linn
mating gas, it is evident that it's man
ufactu:e was suggested by the expert
ments made with natural gas issuing
from the earth in close proximity to
coal seams. La writir gs Of ancient auth
ors, mention is made Of perpetual are
which were burned on affairs consCorat
ed to the worship Of mytholo2ica:
deities. Strabo and Plutarch refer to
these mysterious fires while Herodot-
US, Vltiyi US, and other early historians,
allude to the bituminous wells of the
islands Of LantO, whence issued streams
Of inAammable vapor, which were used
to inspire the multitudes OF supersti-
tlous worship with profound reverence
for sacerdotal authority. In India and
! China these wells have been known
from remote antiquity and it is said
that In the latter country the gas thus
naturally exuding from the ground has
for long time been conveyed in pipes
made of bamboo, and used for boiling
salt. Gas wells OF this description
abound In various parts of the world one
ofwhich in England, was probably the
means Of suggesting the artificial pro-
duction of gas, and it's utilization as an
illuminating agent. As early as the year
1170. gas was observed to issue from a
salt mine in Hungary. this gas is now
collected and used to light up the mine
lnthis country severalwells Of more than
ordinary interest have been discovered
/ yielding large volumes Of gas Of
|
Among them may be mentioned those
in the town of Fredonia, in this State.
where mill had to be pulled down,
and a large quantity of gas evaporated
from the broken soil, on the banks Of the
river Canadaway. A digging was made
into the bituminous limestone, and two
companies now furnish light to a
village of 5000 inhabitants.
At Bloomfield, in Ontario County,
n. Y, there is well, from which,
according to the estimates of Prof
Henry Wurtz. the daily flow of gas is
upwards Of 100000 cubic feet. In
Ohio, near the town of Gambler, re-
markable wells of similar character
have been described by Prof. G. S.
Newberry, where the gas has constantly
flowed since 1866, and which, on being
/ ignited from the orifce Of two-inch
pipe, produces flame 20 feet or more
in length A stream Of oarburetted
hydrogen gas, issuing from a spring
in Wigan coal district of Lancashire,
was observed in 1867 by Mr., Shirly.
In his account of this phenomenon, it
was rightly conceded that the .sinham-
mable air originated in the under
lying coal seams. In 1925 DIR. Hales
made number of experiments on des-
tructive distillation, useing Newcastle
caking coal, for which he obtained a gas
which he burned for amusement. in
l160 the Bishop of Landau, in Wales
showed how the gas produced in coal