Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-05-09
TIL. ELECTRIC LIGHT.
4 Brilliant Scene Under Canvas.

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on tine ground, WAS rs clear and clean.
cut rs II Il were done in Silhouette.
Holding up the hands, pantomime fash.
ion, every curve aud motion OF the I'm.
gers could 10 seen with the distinctD.Ss
and c'earnesS ot an illuminated picture.
Above the head burned what seemed to
he two small balls OF fire, without any
i'Nme or smoke, and uf such dazzling
hrtIl,ancy that the naked eye could
hardly stand the glare for an instant. A
imilliou little ueeilos OF variegatod lirht
seemed to W rerpetually shooting ont
from the body of the fire, giving each
the appearance ct Il small chestnut burr.
Looking AZ the light through smoked
glass they took on an entirely diile ent
appearance, The little needles we're
not there, and the eyes saw simply n
round ball o( white tire, about tho size
Of n small marble, seeming, IN its
wMtcncSs and the intensity at its
heat, like drop vt molten met
al Two of these small lights burned
there, rugged on poles, about thirty
feet apart, III the large menagerio tout
lighting NJ the place in such way
that culors i'll cloth could he distin-
suished rs completely ny by the light
OF day, Passing into tho next men.
aScrle tent, the same sight was present
ed. Here two electric lights produced
the Same effect ms in first tent The
brightness was wonderful. No moon
hight ever sent out Il tenth part OF
such hrliancy. So completely were
the tents illuminated that from the
outside could he plainly seen on the
white canvass the shadow of the ami.
mails and wagons, aud even of the men
walking about inside.
lat the great scene was in the circus
tent II WAS large enough to contain
hotn the menagerie tents. Here were
sin electric lights. There were also
some gas lights, The gas must have
been there tor the sake ol the contrast.
Tho difference was remarkable The
electric lights We're OF tho purest and
suttcst white; the gas lights, though
burning alta full head, seemed faded
and yellow, Although the electric
lights in this tent had globes on, AZ tho
naked glare of them all must have
almost blinded tho audience, every
nook and corner Of the immense tent
was as bright rs day. An idea of the
power of single light of this kind
which is said to be the largest electric
light mdde-may he gained when il il
known that when allowed to burn with
out il globe il will make Il shadow ont
of a gas light.
There was great curiosity and no lit.
Tie anxiety among tho circus people
and elcctrll light men to see tho thing
work, The intention was To have IL, il
possible, IN operation on tho opening
night, Monday last, but when the time
cane it was found il could not be
done. Three or four experienced men
were sent ON hy the Telegraph Supply
company, Of Cleveland, the manuac-
turers Of the machinc,to get il IN order
On Friday night everything was in
readiness, and the machine was put in.
10 operation. This il the first time tho
electric light has been used under
canvas, and It's success has been great
card to the manufacturers as well ny to
the circus managers. Tho latter have
bought the exclusive night to use IL
under canvass Tho cost Of the ma
chine alone WAS $4,000. II Ia the
largest machine Of the kind made. 1t
IL known NJ the Brush dynamo-eloctrio
light, Charles Bush being the inventor.
Amy one who understands anything
about telegraphy will be able To form
nm idea of the way in which tho mt
chine is run. There il u regular bat
terry, worked by thirty horsepower
englrc with II forty-horse power boiler,
This engine has been built expressly for
this electric hight ny the Fitchburg En-
CINE company, of Fltchburg, Mass
achnsetts, and h constructed Oh u
wagon, occupying ono end while the
battery occupies another. The battery
seems simple in its construction but all
powerful in ia effects.
"llavo any Of you gentlemen watches
in your pocket 7" asked one Of tho oloe.
tric light men ON Saturday night as II
party gathered around tho wagon, where
the engine was putting away, 10 oxam-
inc the battery.
One voice answered in the ailirma-
tive.
stand back, then, sad The electric
light man; don't come within two feet
Of this battery If you don't want your
watch spoiled"
"Whal2'
II will magnetlzeal the steel in your
watch, draw the springs toward any
steel screw IL may have. It's the Mt.
traction of the magnetism. I've had
two watches spoiled in that way"
All this time II revolving shaft be-
tween four blocks Of steel WIS whrling
with lightning rapidity. The -four
blocks Of steel and the revolving shaft
were the all-powcriul clements in pro.
ducing the electric light. These five
simple things, with one or two other
simple things in the way Of copper
plate and wire, were, producing such n
tremendous current Of electricity that,
in the words Of one Of the electric light
men, "f you were 10 stand ten miles
of and touch that revolving shaft--or
commutator--wi piece Of electric
wire, the wire would burn up like a
flash.
Touch that copper-plate,' said the
electric man, pointing 10 Il harmless
piece Of copper on the edge Of the