The Osceola times., 1879-05-10

not by looking at them. As soon as the
carbon would be taken in hand, how
ever, the difference would be discovered,
for 1t is ss light "a wood. Two of there
carbons are used to each electric light,
one sitting in an upright position in its
iron csndlestick and the other being in.
verted. The ends OF the two thus come
so close together that knife blade could
scarcely be pushed between them. One
end is negative and the other positive,
according to which csrdlestick they are
in. Between these two ends is that
little ball of fire which produces the
dazzling light. These csrbons burn up
slowly, always being sttractei toward
each other and keeping the same distance
between the II, until by-and by they
get 80 short they can no longer be used.
Two carbons, each twelve inches long,
will burn for eight hours. An arrange
ment is now being perfected by the man
ufacturers OF the above machine by hich
double carbons may be used, which will
burn for twentystwo heurs.
The intense heat between these two
carbons may pe known when it is stated
that no fire save that generated by cleo
tricity or chemical process will burn
them. A copper cent thrust between
them will burn in two in an instant.
They are made from the carbon taken
from gas retorts, which goes through
rather complicated process before 1t is
ready to be used as the electric light
First it is ground up and made into q
paste. 1t is then put in molds aud made
into sticks, round and square, after
which the hardening process begins.
| How hard the sticks are made will be
understood when it Is known that they
are put under a hydraulic press and
pressed with pressure of one hundred
tons to the square inch. After this they
are baked for forty.eight hours, and then
put through q chemical process and
thoroughly ciesnsed Lastly, they are
electroplated with copper, alter which
they are ready for use.
As has been said there ia no flame or
smoke, only a fierce, dazzling ball Of
fame between the points OF the catbons
like molten metal. Wind or storm or
rain can not affect the light one bit. Fed
by the power ul electricity, it burns and
defes the power OF the elements. The
light will burn under water as well as
above the water. Cooper q Bailey are
having strong glass case made for the
purpose OF demonstrating this. n Is
said that a single electric light OF the
size and power of this one described, il
sufficiently elevated, and with refecto,
large enough, would make the darkest
night almost as light as day Tor the spsc;
of fifty miles.
There are eighteen electric lights tt
this machine altogether, ten OF which
were in operation on Saturday night
The eighteen are equal to 35 900 ga
jets. Mr.. Cooper states that their saving
on gas by their new purchase will be no
less than $40 per hour, which il sbou
one half of the gas bill per hour. Tht
cost of running the engine Is the iue
used and smoke-burner consumes al
the sparks. Only two men are required
to run the machine, the engineer ant
the man who has charge of the batter,
and lights. The machine is on the SAINT
principle as that OF John Wanamaker's
though much larger.
In the eastern states the machine
have been introduced in number OF th'
large manufactures, which have don't
away with gas completely. AT Will
mantle, Connecticut, certain largt
thread mandatory, it is said, saves sls
an hour on gas by the electric light. Ii
Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts,
most all the large fsctories have dis
persed with gas, aud are using the elec
trio light. It's great feature in the cot
ton and thread factories, aside from th'
saving of ga,, is the fact that with i
operatives are enabled to distinguish th'
color of cloth or thread by night.