The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-29
ELECTRIO ILLrMINITIOM
A Roman Catholic Priest. Experiment.. on
the Pacific Coast.


Yesterday afternoon experiments with n
new electric light apparatus. the invention Of
John L. Boone of this city. took place at the
laboratory OF Father Nerl. in st. lgnatius Col
lege. in the presence Of large number Of pcr-
sons who ara interested in the progress OF this
new means Of illumination. The Ja5lochkon
apparatus was also tested and the comparative
merits 81 the two inventions brought out. As
II may not be- generally uu lrr-tood upDu what
principles electricians ARE NJ present working
Tor the production Of light 10y eectririty-a pro-
cess which VIII, without doubt. revolution ~
inc business 81 Illumination when thoroughly
porlectcd-a brief explanation is here given. Il
Is n fact discovered many years ago. that 20
battery together through two carbon points
which are placed n short distance apart. tho
passage ~ a powerful electric stream Will pro-
duce hrllunnt Name, from the iuSlnit off tho
carbon. This principle wins applied los "a French
scientist named Jahlochkon fuI tho puruusr {
making what he called nm electric candle am
arrangement which he designed Introducing m
Heu 81 candies, gas. mlnls, grrH~y rags ana
other things used bv tho human family To- ncu-
uAlUr the darkness uf Uight.
This invention cons -ts simply ~ two carbon
bars VARYING n length, aud ahlut ha.i an inch
tnick, which are placed parallel prrprndicu-
lhrly WIN an insulator, or uon.rcuductor. sep
arHtinE them. To each carbon bar a current ~
rleHrl.iiy Is conducted. aud the pass. - ut the
current over tho nfe Formed 10y me two upper
points iguites th" hnrs nnd produces i4 imam.
DESCENT iHmr, Which continues until ti,r carbon
~ consumed. Tn" arrangement Is drfpctiN. tI
that II has 10 he lighted bYcunnrcunE thr points
for moment with stick OF rarhnn' ana On ,.,-
lng ont must be- rehrhted. Mr. Boon-'> uVrn-
ton ~ designed To o'vintN this objection. II
consists ~ three cgrhOn bars. Two hring solid
anu one having an iusulator through tho
Gentre; two nrc place NJ rght angles in "A
| holder prepared Tor tho purpose. meeting NJ
the top, while the third stands upright. anil
nuchcs unirrnehth the apex made by the other
two, To this last Is attached "A magnet aud
armnture, and when the current is applied. the
magnet WtruHs the Hrmuturc alt lurccs the
centre hnr %, carbon M through tn" other two
IblnlS, mus forming tho urt. breaking the
CUT. ana iEnlting All three bars, BY the simple
twist of a screw the current H. stopped. the mag
net II demaEhetiled, tho centre bar TAILS and
tho llght Is cNilngulshri.
Although al tho exhibition yesterday NJ.
bonhnS apparatus Wns crude and ms carbon
mnniirstly bad. Father Ncrl's alliance cener-
minute, upcrnted his invention very we'll and
produced n light equal to that Of Loo caudlrs.
me work OF lighting and cNtiuguishins was
| shlsla l9rllN accomplished. The principal dit
ference between MIR. BOOnc's and tho French
apparatus II That his Is more bulky which is
9whE IN some measure 10 the present impcr-
/ lrcl cohdliipn u his machine. On un expert
mrnl h"lng tricd With the lAhlochkoil candle. il
! wa found 10 nlekor cons Acknowledgement more
nnunI.Nps, man Nr. bnonas Ign and som" III
| Npuiy was eNp'rlenrrd IN lighting Father
Nerl. WHO is probably ono Of tho host eeciri-
chns ON THIS conS pronounors Mr.. Boone'- in-
Nehtloh greut Improvement on the French
arrangement. and b'l"vcs 1t will eventually it
! MAJ" 10 sup"r-"de all other things for the puI-
pos, ni ii'nmiuali9n. InMmns \. Ed-on, tho
! celrblard electrician OF Meulo park. y j.. In
! WORKING on another electric light. which Is pro-
| uufcd hV heating iron or steel and forming an
| Rrn iol me passage OF we spark; hat Father
! Neri thinks that this plan II less practicable
! than cuher ~ tho Inventions exhibited ycster-
| dav, Milton ). Latham. the ell-known banker
! Of ms rily, who returned from Europe recently
| brought with Nun the right tu Introduce one or
two electric candles II late invention. founded
oh " principle above explained; but ms nearly
all thls species OF electric research IL ~ yet rN-
| Detrimental, what success will attend his enter
/ prise romans TO be seen.