Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-11-14
A NEW ELECTRIC LIGHT.
NEW York Times, Dot. SO.I

s. IL 80
An interesting exhibition Of new electric
light was given by the Electro Dynamic
light company yesterday AFTERNOON, at the
corner of Elm and Walker streets. The
new light is the invention Of w. E. Sawyer,
Of this city, and ALBION Man, Of Brooklyn.
Il is very simple affair, consisting Of q
small pencil of Carbon a little larger than an
ordinary pin, connected by wires with an
electric machine and inclosed in q her
metically sealed glass globe, which is filled
with pure nitrogen gas. The pencil of
carbon is heated by the electric current to
temperature of from 10000 to
$4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, in
IN atmosphere with which it
cannot chemically combine. The carbon is
practically indestructible, and the light is
therefore produced without any consumption
of material. In the experiments made yes
terday, five lights were placed in different
parts of the darkened room, and all con-
nected by wires with small Hochhausen
electric machine in an adjoining room. A
simple key was placed in one of three ordi-
nary keyholes in one of the walls and turned
a little. Two of the burners attached to
hanging chandelier in the center Of the room
Immediately glowed family, and, as the key
was turned still further around, the glow in
creased, until brilliant and perfectly steady
white light was obtained, equal to the light
OF twelve ordinary gas jets. The
key was then turned in another
the lamps was tlighted up" In
the same way the fourth and fifth burners
were ignited, and there resulted an exceed
inn hrI mt xrhSf 1Srv1,k
steady that it did not pain the eyes. The
lights were easily turned to any desired de-
gree of brilliancy, from that of mere spark
to light six times the intensity of the COM
mon gas jet-that being the maximum DOW
or of the lights in use yesterday. The COM
pany asserts its ability to easily fit up lights
equal to thirty gas burners. By a very sim
pie 'sswitch" in the wall the current of cleo
tricity is divided and subdivided to supply
any number of burners desired, the electric
ity reaching the switch through single
wire. The light is turned on or off, or regu-
lated to any degree, merely by turning a
key which operates the switch.
Messrs. Sawyer and Man have recently taken
out number of patents covering all the
points of their new invention, which are now
the property of a stock company, which has
been formed to introduce the light to the
public. The plan is similar to that proposed
by Edison,- the establishing of central sta
tions in various parts of the city, from which
powerful electic generators will supply the
necessary electricity. The company claims
to be able to supply the electric light
at one-fortieth the cost of ordinary
gas. Whether this will prove true or not
remains to be seen. The difficulty of
meter has cen overcome by the invention
of meter which will record the number
of burners used in any given house and the
number of hours each burner is lighted.
The measurement of the electricity used
would involve so complicated and delicate
instruments that the time plan has been
adopted. Mr.. Sawyer asserted yesterday
that Mr.. Edison was behind time with his
much trumpeted light, as the Electro
Dynamic company have their light nearly
ready for the public, and every necessary
point is covered by patents of recent date.
Hastings Gazette: A young man named
Lane was brought into town by Isaac Lyle,
of Ravenna, with a shoulder dislocated, one
eye closed, and several teeth knocked out,
which injuries he claimed to have received
from the train men of the up freight the
night before while trying to steal a ride from
Etter. He received medical treatment and
left for parts unknown.