The New York herald., 1878-12-20
ALLEGED RIVALS" OF EDISON.

from the Philadelphia Record. Dec. 19.l
Professors Houston and Thompson. Of the Boys
High School in this city. are after Edison with
sharp stick They exhibited ut the meeting OF the
franklin Institute last evening an electric light.
which, they claim, solves tho problem of cheap light
ing by electricity. Owing to the breaking OF wire
in the electric generator during experiments in the
afternoon they were unable to show the light, but
Professor Houston explained its workings and set
forth the claims Of the invention The division OF the
electric light the Professor said Ia not the problem
of the day. for that has been accomplished years ago.
The problem is to furnish number OF small electric
lights economically. This, he continued, is what the
papers allege Mr.. Edison has accomplished by
tho incandescence Of platinum wire. AS to the
success Of this plan he said 1t was best to await
results. He expressed the opinion however.
that it will not be economical one since the
amount Of light produced by incsndescence 10
limited by the power of the material employed to
stand heat without fusion, and although platinum
has very high point Of fusion It is not to be COM
pared in this respect with carbon 1t well known
he said that the amount of light by incandescence
increases with the ,emperaure & ana .nSs y the .en
Professor Houston then proceeded to describe the
invention. An electric current is produced BY
wire. that conveying the primary current, makes
circuit from the machine to the place to be lighted
The subdivision Of the light is thus accomplished =:
Atevery lamp there is coil OF the primary wire and
around this coil is wrapped induction coil. Be-
the two points of the induction COIL or second
ary current, the lamp is plsced The lamp consists
Of two carbon points enclosed in glass chimney.
such is used for coal oil lamp. Tho upper
carbon xed. while the lower is rapidly ubrated in
vertical direction by an electro magnet. The carbon
points close together and the electric spark
ing from one to the other produces the light, the
passage being so rapid that the light Is bright and
steady The current is also rapidly reversed to COM
pensate for the PARTICLES OF the positive carbon which
y the negative. thus maintaining the shape OF the
points
The glass chimney is used to prevent waste of the
carbons for, although they do not burn do those
Of the electric lights heretofore exhibited. there
would be loss the oxygen OF the air had free
As 1t il there is slight waste when new lamp is
started, but the air IL in very short time decom-
posed into inert gases. Could the light be raised
lowered at will? asked. "Yes." he said, lit
Is very easy to turn 1t on and of the same rs an
ordinary gas burner" This. he explained accom-
plished by regulating iron core in the induction
coil BY inserting withdrawing this the light Is
increased diminished exingushed. according to
ciple that the shock from electro magnetic medi
cal machine is regulated by the Of the The
putting out Of one light" he continued, would not
affect the others The power Of the light. he said.
s.would be equal to several gas burners. but when
pressed to give figures showing its economy he re-
piled that he had made the calculations and would
not give approximate figures He concluded by say
ing that he and Professor Thompson working in
direction which promised very satisfactory results.
It will be remembered that these professors
the gentlemen who during the summer announced
that they had discovered the principle upon which
Edison based his microphone.