The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-12-24
Electric Lsabt--A Great HevoIuSt0n
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The Cincinnati Commercial has double
leaded editorial, and whole illustrated
trio light Is at last perfected and ready to
illuminate the world. We quote as fol-
lows:
We were not speaking uuadvisedlv the
other day when we said that Edison had
perfected bis electric lamp and made 1t
complete SUCCESS.
This morning. we publish carefully-pre-
pared history OF the steps Of the great in
ventor in reaching this result. with cuts
fully illustrating the descriptive parts.
II will be recoliected thata premature an
nouncemept OF this discovery agitated Eng
land in the fan OF 1878. aud caused panic
pened owing to the unauthorized publica-
ton OF a few enthusiastic phrases from
! private letter.
AS matter OF fact, ut that time Mr. Edi-
son was far from the solution OF the mys-
| terry OF producing and dsffusiDg light by
! electricity. He had not then earned the
| splendid success he has row achieved.
Then there were interviews OF Edison by
| enterpIising newspaper correspondents OF
American and English journals, all express
ing great expectations and giving pictu-
rescue accounts OF the mighty inventor and
his mystical workshop.
After period OF almost total silence, as
Edison began to refuse to see inter viewers.
for the reason that they took time and
strength, and committed him to inaccura-
clcs that excited the mockery OF men OF
science, we heard OF the lamp in which
platinum was employed, and its complex
| gearing TO prevent the flow OF too much
| electricity.
| The general effect OF this was to reduce
the anticipation Of Edson's success TO
minimum. The panic in gas stock passed
away altogether. The appeal to American
miners 10 lind enough platinum TO make it
cheap metal excited amusement rather
than alarm among the holders OF invest
mcnts in illumination.
The point OF the discovery we make
known this morning is that carbonized pa
| per answers the purpose that it was thought
| platinum alone could serve, and Is not only
as cheap rs ashes, but better than precious
metal.
All difficulties but this OF the compost
ton OF the wick OF the electrical candle
| had been overcome. The generation OF
| electricity has become familiar. There are
many wcil-kncwn electrical machines. The
diyisbility OF the current has been found
possible. 1t is as Invisible under Edison's
process as u volume OF gas.
What OF the Edison lamp? 1t can be
made al cost OF twenty-five cents. In its
simplest form it is as cheap as gas.tip. 1t
is a plain glass globe, about the size OF a
small orange or large lemon. In the bot
tom is fitted a metallic supper, through
which the copper wires pass, and strip OF
carbonized paper, shaped like horseshoe,
connects the wires. The air is exhausted
| in the globe. Turn on the electricity,
which is quite as simple an operation as
turning on gas, and the carbon becomes
and remains luminous, giving out soft,
brilliant, powerful light, and the wick en-
dureS. No limit to its endurance has
been found. No matches are needed to
strike 4 light. You touch the key and
there is your illumination. The glass
globe does not become heated. 1t
grows warm, but by no possibility can
there be any combustion. Break the glass,
and the light is instantly and utterly cXtin-
guished. The moment the air enters, the
light is out. II would be perfectly safe
therefore TO use such light in q powder
magazine. 1t will be Of incstimabie adyan-
tage on shipboard. 1t can be employed
with the happieSt results in mines here
toforc ra.hazardous. 1t will, by at once
aboishng the use OF matches in our houses,
and introducing a light that neither heats
or enkindles, vastly reduce tue liability o!
fires, and thus speedily put down the rates
OF insurance. This light will do away with
the necessity Of heat in wcl-lightcd apart
ments. One cun produce dazzling i!lumi-
nation without changing the temperature
AS there is no combustion, there is no
smoke, so that this is the light long sought
for pici ure- galleries. Wherever q wire Gun
be stretched light may be cheaply pro-
duccd, so there will be no excuse for dark
alleys. This will be terror OF burglars, for
by the noiseless touching OF a key, not only
an apartment, but an entire house. may be
instantly flooded with light, to the terror
and discontinue Of all who seek darkness
that they may do evil.
1t Is q light that does not hurt the eyes.
and that may be shaded and regulated at
plcas,lre-co mbining the softncss OF the oil
lamp with the splendor OF the burning OF
carbon points.
The opinion is not entertained that m en-
tire city could be supplied with electricity
from 4 single establishment. New York,
for instance, is to be divided into twelve
districts, each receiving the magical current
from an independent centre. From four to
six districts usder this system would COM
prehend the compact portion OF Cincinnati.
Edison's favoritc theory on the subject is
that the gas companies Will be glad to buy
| the right or lighting under MS Invention,
and that the wires will be conveyed through
the gas.pipes, the new lamp being simply
screwed on where the gas-tiDs are found
Very fine insulated wire will suffice. All
the appointments are simple.
Agents are already here for the purpose
of introducing the Edison lamp. The OBJ
iect is not to sell the right to individuals,
but to employ capital in supplying districts.
IL is Edison's careful estimate that the cost
OF the electric light, according to this sys-
TEN, will be something less than one half
the cost OF coal-gas. He is sure it will not
exceed that figure. Beyond that, he pro-
poses to use electricity rs q motor, to run
sewing. machines and the like, and has pre-
pared Il meter for the exact measurement
OF the electricity furnished to each house.
We need not dwell upon the importance OF
this discovery. tits revolutionary.
| WORKING RI THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.-Wal-
lace d Son. of Ausonlo, not only use the
electric light in their factory, but last week
were engaged in putting up an addition on
| which work is done at night by the Use OF
that light. Two Of the electric lights are
| uscd-one being stationed at one end Of the
| building. and the other at the other. The
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