New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-16


this lamp is the ncandescence Of very small bar OF
carbon in sealed glass tube from which the oxygen
first been expelled. Three Konn lamps have been
employed in the warehouse above referred 10. They
spare the merchants goods from the damage inflicted
by the Of gas, and have given satisfaction. Their
cost exceeds that Of gas however circumstance which
removes them from any possibility Of general in pr
vate houses.
Tits in this general line OF lighting by incandescence
that Edison appears 20 be experimenting. The light
obtained by this MODE OF operation be reduced to
degree and is SOFT and steady There can DE
variation IN its strength except that produced by an
irregulary the speed Of the steam engine generating
the current Of electricity This is the same as saying
that It is a perfectly steady light The fckering OF
the vOltaic arc is entirely obvated III these
lights be produced without limit on one
electrical current at cost DeIow 'hat vi
gas the problem Of lighting Is solved. II Ia
not clearly known what Mr. Edison has hit upon as the
proper device TO accom- this result but the line or
experiment he is following is that of the incandcscence
of metal He has gone back TO KOg's idea 1t requires
no great acquaintance with electrical science TO see that
greater multiplication OF the number Of lights ought to
be obtained the OF metal burners than by the use
Of carbons and that experiment in this direction ought
TO be fruitful of results. II pursued long enough
The resistance OF platinum 10 the electrical cur
rent is about 200 times less than that OF
carbon. The same current OF electricity will answer
therefore for many metallic burners The light Is
less intense, Dut tDaC perhaps no
ing. There Of special difficulties TO be over
In the of metallic burner such as the proven
ton OF fusion by the current, and variation in the
value Of each light with increase or decrease OF te
number Of lamps employed Mr. Edison docs not claim
that these difficulties fully overcome He has stated
within q fortnight that II may take a year
10 surnount them and perfect his idea The end
he aims at can only be reached by actual experiment
and the purpose OF making the necessary exper
ments in the matter that he is building his new brick
shop at MenO PARK, and Is arranging 10 set up two
eightyhOrse power steam engines therein and num-
Der Of dynamO-electrlo machines, and TO subject his
ideas to actual test. Mr.. Edisons present plan IL 10
build this shop and set up long series of street
lamps IN the village of MenO PARK. aud
TO carry the current also into the few houses
Of the place, and see how FAR the hEht
can be subdivided in actual practice. Tbs tests
be thoroughly made upon the methods OF scien-
thc induction Until the results Of these experiments
known 1t will probably he difficult 10 estimate the
value OF Mr.. EdsOn's discoveries
OF the manner III which the electric current Is to
be subdivIded (Which is a different thing from
subdvidiug the lghU, mystery is made The ex-
PLANTATION of this is simple II large wire be parted
into ten branches each of length and conduct
ing power these branches will severally receive an
equal share of tho main current. II the branches
again be parted seveTaly into ten other branches
Of the same length and conducuvliy' the
current will again be equally subdivided each
branch receiving one Onehundredth part OF the main
current This ia according TO the well-known law OF
Ohm In practice, Mr. Edison will make use Of two
large main wires OF copper the outflow OF the
current from the machines, the other Tor s return
The mains viii not be united at the outer ends Ine
positive wire Will throw out Il DranGh mo 'acn
building il passes which takes the electric hght'
THIS branch VIII return to the negative main,
thus completing the circuit 1t is expected that the
current thus he subdiyide ed any number OF times
If the expression ma be allowed, generated by Wal
lace machines, built for quantity and not Tor intensity
fnI
pOrliOUal share OF the current Ii Is not easy TO see how
the details of tins plan to be carried out with safety
and success. There must always "e current enough
10 hight lamps and not much a. to heat or fuse the
wires Perhaps Mr. Edison does how TO accom-
push this himself 1t may be that his experiments are
to solve this question along with the others, ana
is in general the way the thing be attempted, and
may be said mere chat the subdivision aud manage
ment OF the current - tue simpler PlOe oi Tue tMo
aud It's special difficulties present no very serious oOsta
Gle to the progress OF electric hGhg me- EG'SIn ,
jeCt His discovery has reference to the construction OF
At present this is about all that accurately said
in general OF the Edison invention The details
yesTs vet c o nE ms device after making his
don October %, the claim also led here re-
Gently The claim is made merely Tor method OF ana
means for developing electric currents and hgnung y
electricity" which noncommtal claim as could
must await the pleasure or the Inventor
THE SAWYER LIGHT.
II the philosopher OF Menlo Park happens 20 be the
man who attention at this time, ne il not
by any means the only inventor either here abroad
whose experiments seem led to something prac
IDEAL IN this fascinating field of study Other men have
been quietly studying the Illuminating power Of electric
ity III the secuslou OF their laboratories, and number Of
them have already been heard from. Edison's an
nonncement has had the effect Of bringing
fresh lot Of them out of their reracy into notice
Fearful Of losing the benefit of valuable discoveries
they believe they have made; they have rushed panic
stricken to the Patent ONCE to secure themselves
against theft Of their ideas. The departments have
been besigeed by them both in Washington and London
for a month The agitation has also had the effect
of calling fresh attention to TWO or three modes OF
Lighting which have already been tested.
rival of Edison has appeared IN the field within the
past month In the person of MIR. W. Sawyer, Of this
city, who with partner, Mr. AlbOn Man, has taken out
a patent for carbon lamp for dwellings. Within the !
past fortnight several private exhibitions Of the Sawyer
light have been given in this city, at the corner Of Elm
and Walker-ss The machine used by this FIRMS that OF
Arnaud Hochhausen, of this city. 1t is powerful |
generator Of electricity and Mr. Sawyer claims that with
one machine, driven by seven-horse power steam en-
gne obtain current, srong enough for forty Of
bis lamps radianG light equal to that OF five
burners nneydve candles. This claim rests entirely
upon MI sawyers statement 1t has not been subjected TO
the test OF experiment. SO far only five lights |
certainly known by the public 10 have been |
tried with one current The light produced by |
the ncandescence OF a tiny perpendicular bar OF
carbon, an Inch long AM 4lOlnch III d. |
ameter. which is sustained ia place by
two large thick bars arranged above the other hOr
zOnauy The current IN passing from one large carbon
bar the other, through the small one, encounters
great resistance II heats the small bar to whiteness,
and produces light of the admirable character.
II white mellow and pleasing TO the eye, and floods
room with radiance resembling that Of daylight The
blaze In the sawyer lamp be turned up and down
iust Ike gasgdt In order TO prevent the combustion
the carbon. which would be almost instantaneous the
open mir, the lamp Enclosed in sealed glass Tube.
irches in dameter and SIX elght nigh from whch The