The New York herald., 1878-10-12
ED|SON'S ELECTRIC Light.
What Will ReyOlutioniZe the Present
Method of Illumination.
CHEAPER AND BETTER THAN GAS.
How the Wizard OF Menlo Park
Guards His Secret.

invention in electric lights narrated In yesterdays
HERALD cable dispatches, not without good cause.
Americas grea; Inventor has in truth solved
the problem which for years has puzzled the
ablest electricians OF the age 40 has successfully
divided the electric light and madc II, for illumina
ting purposes far superior to gas gas to the
the salow candle OF the past His marvellous inven.
tion gives mild. soft, yet brilliant light pleasing ia
the eye clear, steady and without bemish, and at
cost less than one-third of that required for gas.
Those who the invention pronounce
IL wonderful. Already company has been
formed, composed OF number Of wealthy
capitalists, and Mr. Edison's lawyers are engaged in
completing the na arrangements for the legal trans
ier Before long therefore. tho WORK OF introduction
will begin. The patents Tor the United States have
only Just been granted, while those Tor the var-
Gus countries OF Europe have not yet been OBJ
tanned. To-day tho Professors solicitors send by
steamer the necessary documents 10 their Lon.
don agents for the procurement OF the British
letters patent. The French and othor patents
will be applied for simultaneously with the English
one. When word Is cabled Mr.. Ddson that the
patents have bson granted he Will throw bis invention
open the public gaze, but until then he declines to
make known it's details, his recent controversy with
Professor Hughes over tho alleged stealing OF the
micropnone having made him cautious.
THE WELL GUARDED.
Whom the other great inventions OF Mr. Edison
were progress the laboratory free TO all vis
itors. Tho telephone seen by hundreds long be.
fore letters patent were granted The same was the
with the photograph, the taslmeter, the mega
phone. the quadruplex telegraph and many othoT Of
his Inventions When urged. he often
by his associates OF the laboratory, to be
moro circumspect in exhibiting them prema.
tursiy to strangers he Invariably laughed of their
and renewed his orders 10 show tho inventions
ltoh Ia far its nla Tn utp
tory one sacred to favored few If tho hosts of
visitors who daily swarm the laboratory OF the great
inventor see H. they see II only in detached form.
The essence Of the discovery is missiug Mr. Edi-
himself speaks but little ou the subject, but
ing him In the laboratory and It is alter mid
night when he leaves. On Thursday last ne worked
day, ana ceased then only after the earnest impors
tunities OF his assistants All his energies seem
wrapped up IN the new invention. HIS megaph0ne
and photograph lie idle save the work done on them
by sCms OF the Professors numerous assistants
PROPOSED SYSTEM
A HERALD reporter learned yesterday tho system
proposed 10 be adopcd after the patents are all
houses IN Msno PARK gratis ana from his laboratory
watch Mss, the ngnps progress from m n'sn. . 70
Introduction central stations will probably
be established Throughout New York city. each sta-
sioD ' conrong "a :Sna.ory Of: perhaps, - E radius o.
reto-eectric generating machines run by engncs.
Wires Will then be ran IN iron pipes under ground
dwellings,, stores. theatres and other places 70
be lignted. The gas fixtures AZ present used,
instead OF being removed, viii be utilized TO encaso
the In the place OF the burner will DO the
vcuton and meters Will be used TO register the guam
vet Determined upon. The light Is 10 be
OF the ba-wing. attesn-candle power char
sSasnsd s and instantly inc oecrsy aoss n''ns s wsr
The amount Of light be regulated in the same
way a. can snat from gas 10 Turn gu inc ,isas the
No matches being used, and thore being no flame, all
the dangers iacdont 70 the use Of gas are oova.ed
n ph tg III IN h0uf n nm A Wltit
light, made dun or brilliant at thoiancy OF the person
using II.
A GLANCE AT THE INVENTION
The writer last night saw tho Invention In opera
tion In Mr.. Edison's laboratory. The Inventor waa
apparatus consisted OF small metal stand placed
the table, surrounding the liRht was a small glass
lessor looked up from hts work to greet
the reporter, and IN reply TO roqaes.
TO view the invention waved his hand
toward the light with tho explanation. "rbere she
Is" Tho illumina alton was such as would come from
that the light was clearer aud moro brilliant "NowI
will exlinguish It and light the gas. and you can see
spring. instantly all was darkness Tneo he turned
on the gas The difference In the light was quite per.
ceptbe, tho Ign, from tho gas appearing In compare
son tinted with yellow. 10 moment however, ths
oye had become accustomed TO Il, and The
yeowish tint disappeared. Tnen the Professor turned
nifty OF seeing boin side by side Tue electric ight
seemed much softer. A continuous view OF It Tor
three minutes did not pain the eye, whereas looking
at the gas Tor tho same length or time caused some
little pain confusion OF signt. The inventor next
exnibnsd the light turned down low II gave mild
Illumination.
one Of the noticeable features light when fully
turned that all colors could be Distinguished
as readily as ny sunlight
.'whsn do you expect to have the invention com.
pletcd, Mr. Edison ~ asked tho reporter
"rns substance OF It is all now" he answered.
putting tho apparatus away and turning on the gas
'out there are the usual little details that must DO
attended to before II goes to the public. For tn-
stance, we have got TO devise some arrangement Tor
rsgistering--a sort OF meter: and again there are
a haf arirron I'm n
now in order to select the hest"
'.Arc the lights 10 be all OF tho same degree OF
brillancyY"
'Ali the same"
s'Have you run across any serious difficulties In Il
.weli, no,n replied tho inventor "and that's what
worries me, for IN the telephons found ABOUT =
thousand obstacles, and 80 IN the quadrupiex
worked on both over two years before overcame
them"
joined In tho conversation said, ''Many tims Mr..
Ed down almost the point OF giving up the
telephone as a lost job, but at the Last moment he
rmx SIMPLEST or ALL
"0f all the things that wo have discovered this
is about tho SIMPLEST" continued Mr.. Edison, sand
the public will say so when 1t is explained. We
have got 1t pretty well advanced now, but
there are some few improvements have in my mind.
You IFS got to be nxed that II cant get out Of
order suppose where one light only 10 employed it
got out OF order once year, where Two were used
u would get out OF order twice a year, and whore
thousand were used you can see that there would DO
much trouble IN looking alter tDem Therefore wnen
the light leaves laboratory want 10 be in such
shape that u cannot get out oi order AT ALL sxcspt Of
course, py some accident
Leaving Mr. Edison continue his work, the reporter
accepted the invitation OF Mr. Grlren, mis- private
secretary, to view the generating machine.
'sMr. Edison has just purchased new one." ne
SAID, (which gives much more power, and IN a low
days we viii have y-horso power engine TO worx
II, as wo don't got power enough with the presens
one. As regards the generators" continued M.
CIR en .Mr Edison has yet given but little attcn-
ton TO them The cost eau by an improved generator
by reduced to much smaller fgure"
MISSIONARY CONFERENCE.