The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-10-25
ED1sON's ELECTRIC LIGHT.
which VIII RevOIutIonize the Present
Method of atJOn--CheaPer
and Better than Gas.
How the Wizard of BIenIO Park Guards
His Secret.


out good cause. Americas great in
vcntor has, in truth, solved the problem
which has for years has puzzled tho
ablest electricians of the age. He Ia,
successfully divided the electric light
and made Il, for Illuminating purposes
q as far superior TO gas as gas is to the tai
low candle of the past. His marvellous
invention gives a mild, soft, yet brillian
light, pleasing to the eye, clear, steady
and without blemish, and at Il cost les!
than one-third of that required for gas
Those who have seen the invention pro
nounce il wonderful Already a com
pany has been formed, composed of 1
number of wealthy capitalists, and Mr.
Edison's lawyers are engaged in complet
ing the final arrangements for the lega
transfer. Before long, therefore, the
work of introduction will begin. Thu
patents for the United States have only
just been granted, while those for thu
various countries of Europe have no
yet been obtained To-day the Profes
p sor's solicitors send by steamerthe neces
sary documents TO their London agents
for the procurement of the British lettel
patent. The French and other patentl
will be applied for simultaneously will
the English one. When word is cableC
Mr.. Edison that the patents have beer
granted, he will throw his invention
open to the public gaze, but until ther
he declines TO make known its details
his recent controversy with Professor
Hughes over the alleged stealing of TIT
microphone having made him cautious
THE SECRET WELL GUARDED.
When the other great inventions o
Mr.. Edison were in progress the labora
tory was free 10 all visitors. The tele
phone was seen by hundreds long before
letters patent were granted. The same
was the case with t. e photograph, thu
tasimeter, the megaphOne, the quadru
pick telegraph, and many other of hi
inventions. When urged, as he Offer
was, by his associates of the laboratory
to he more circumspect in exhibiting
them prematurely to strangers, he in
varably laughed off their fears and re
newed his orders TO show the inventions
TO all who desired TO see them. TIL,
case with the electric light is far differ
ent. Its place in the laboratory is on,
sacred to a favored few. If the hosts o
visitors who daily swarm the laborator,
of the great inventor see il, they see i
only in detached form. The essence o
the discovery is missing. Mr.. Edison
himself speaks but little on the subject
hut he is almost constantly at work OF
il. Early morning sees him in the labor
atory, and it is after midnight when IN
leaves. On Thursday last he worked
continuously from sunrise until sunrise
the following day, and ceased only aftel
the earnest opportunities of his assist
ants. All his energies seem wrapped
up in the new invention. His mega
phone and photograph lie idle save thu
work done on them by some of the Pro
fessor's numerous assistants.
THE PROPOSED SYSTEM.
A Herald reporter learned YESTERDAY
the system proposed to be adopted afte
the patents are all granted. First, thu
professor will light up all the houses il
Menlo Park gratis, from his Laboratory
watch the lights progress from night Il
night. When all is in readiness for gen
eral introduction, central stations will
probably he established throughout New
York City, each station controlling
territory of, perhaps, a radius of half ;
mile. In the central station will be tn,
magneto-electric generating machines
run by engines. Wires will then b,
run in iron pipes, under ground, afte,
the manner of the gas pipes, connecting
with dwellings, stores, theaters, and 9th
er places to be lighted. The gas fixtures
at present used, instead of being remov
ed, will be utilized to incase the wire
In the place of the burners will be the in
anu VIII uSCN W
ter the quantity of electricity consumed
Their form is not yet determined upon
The light is to be of the batwing, fifteel
candle power character. To light il
little spring is touched, and Instant,
the electricity does its work. TIL
amount of light can be regulated in tn
same way as can that from gas. To turf
off the light the spring is again touched
and instantly all is darkness. No match
es being used, and there being no flame
all the dangers incident to the use of ga
are obviated. The light gives out n
heat 1t is simply pure white light
made dim or brilliant at the fancy O
the person using it.
A GLANCE AT THE INVENTION.
The writer last night saw the inveI
ton in operation in Mr. Edison's laborG
DRY. The inventor was deep in eXper
mental researches when we called. Tn
apparatus consisted Of n small meta
stand placed on the table. Surrounding
the light was n small glass globe. Nea
by was gas jet burning low. The prC
fessor looked up from his work to gree
the reporter, and in reply to n request {
view the invention, waved his hand t
ward the light with the explanation
There she is" The illumination wa
such as would come from brilliant ga
jet surrounded with ground glass, onl
that the light was clearer and more bri
liant. Now l will eXtinguish it an
light the gas, and you can see the diffel
ence," said Mr.. Edison, and he touche
the spring. Instantly all was darkness.
Then he turned on the gas. The differ
ence in the light was quite perceptiblC
the light from the gas appearing in CON
parison tinted with yellow. In a me
ment, however, the eye had become az
customed to IL, and the yellowish tin
disappeared. Then the Professor turne
on the electric lights, giving the write
an opportunity of seeing both side b
side. The electric light seemed niue
softer. A continuous view of it for thre
minutes did not pain the eye, where's
looking at the gas for the same lengt
of time caused some little pain and COZ
fusion of sight. The inventor next e!
hibited the light turned down low.
gave mild illumination
One of the noticeable features of til
light when fully turned on was that a
colors could be distinguished as readil
as by sunlight.
"When do you expect to have the il
vention completed, Mr.. Edison ~ sal
the reporter.
"The substance of it is all right now,
he answered, putting the apparatus ava
and turning up the gas; "but there al
the usual little details that must be a
tended to before il goes to the publi
For instance, we have got to devise som
arrangement for registering-a sort (
meter; and again there are several di
ferent forms that we are experimental
on now in order to select the best''
Are the lights to be all of the san
degree of brillancyP'
FAN the same"
"Have you run across any serious diff
culties in it as yet?"
swell, no." replied the inventor, can
that's what worries me, for in the tel
phone 1 found about thousand obst
cles, and so in the quadruplex. 1 wor
ed on both over two years before owe
came them"
Mr.. Bachelor, the professors assistar
who here Joined the conversation, sal
MANY time Mr. Edison sat down q
most on the point of giving up the tel
phone as lost job, but at the last m
ment he would see light"
THE SIMPLEST OF ALL.
"Of all the things that we have di
covered this is about the simplest" CO
tinued Mr.. Edison, land the public wi
say so when it is explained. We ha,
got pretty we'll advanced now, but the
are some few improvements l have
my mind. You see it's got to be so fix,
that il can't get out of order. Suppo