The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-20
THE LIGHT OF THE FUTIRe
N. Y. Sun.

ILL., Il LIGal Cp lHH L ClLR
N. Y. Sun.
According to cable dispatches of Tim,
day, gas stocks in London on that dsy A.
clined heavily in price, in consequenes Il
statements printed in the newspapers I'm
concerning MIR. Edison's successful e1Oss
ments in lighting by electricity.
The results so far accomplished by al
fertile inventor, of which he was resd,sE
give the public information, were, seI,sE
weeks ago, described in the Sun, and AL
bad their effect here also on the saMt
value of gas stocks. Mr.. Edison think,S
has solved the problem of the applicasrl
of the electric light to domestic and shs5
purposes, and if he has done 80, and sa
be able to furnish better light Al
cheaper cost than that to be obtained fma
gas, he will revolutionize the whole bufl i
ness of artificial illumination.
That there has been for some time s,g
ous apprehension that we are on the eva sds
the substitution of electric light for ssl
light has been evident enough from ~
rapid fall in the prices of gas stocks whiil
have hitherto been held firmly by the mui.
pradent investors. In London the r'l
companies have gone on amalgamstip,.
until at length the prospects are that than:
will be left but single one, in which ii!
the others will be merged. Notwithstsl.
ing this consolidation, which must esuu
expenses to come extent aud do away viR5
an embarrassing complexity of intere,h
we find gas stocks declining there on q.
pu blicatIon of mere hints of an inverted
over which Mr.. Edison is still laborir,,
The idea is abroad that, in some way HI
another, the difficulties in the way of al
general use of the electric light are abor|
to be overcome, and that we are reacbinrt
the last days of coal gas illumination.
Ga the 4th of Septem Der the stock Of og.I
Manhattan Gaslight Company sold at 2OOtt,.
on the 25th it fell to 1924 and on TbursdgI
last 81 shares were sold at 157. Duria1
the came period the metropolitan GasstccH
fell from l32 to los to IO6. New YoikI
Company stock is now at about 80, aud al
the other gas stocks have suffered from the
same fall, which may yet be even greshr
If the electric light shall not do all thst|
ia claimed for it, or if it shall be several
years before it can be extensively brought
into competition with gas, the buyers d
these low figures may do we'll, though &rI
Edison is very confident of having ATTAINED
practical success. AS for the old holdera
of the best gas stock, no one need expend
say pity on them They have been rakina
in profits for years, which have paid them
back the whole or q large part of thei5
original Investment, with fair interest, and
they can now afford to stand some ad7egI
sity. Moreover, the plant Of the com1
panies is valuable and the stock of one O,
the largest ispretty full OF water. Tb1
gas people have had fat living for quartsI
of a century, and they must not complain
it it now grows or threatens to grow leaal
Fhey charged too high for gas and a bssl
is Just what the consumers G1
out for.
E ectric ligh ting hes been successfulgI
tried 10 London and Paris, and at Ayr III
Town Council lately made experlmea1
with it which proved its superiority to gt
light for the illumination Of streets, laGaI
open spaces, and great buildings. 1t BAY
however, yet to he made eerviceabletd
general use in d elings and shops, and ths
is what Mr.. Edison says he can do. TnS
light produced at Ayr was excessively bnt
liant. and completely eclipsed the light q
the gas jets of the street lamps, which y
appeared of dirty yellow bae
and within radius of several hundrss
yards it threw into the shade the light
a foil moon. At the Gaie5y Theatre,
London, the LOntin system of elecn
which has been attended WY
much success in Paris, was tried with sans
factory results, and NJ. Loptin claims 70.
the expense of thu motive power OF ~
engine and the carbons used in the !sns
will enable light to be prod uced at aooss
half the cost of gss. Mr.. Edison assetI
his ability to do even better than this, u
by means which are simpler and mODH
to general USE
1t can hardly be doubted that the elecu
light is the light of the future.