The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-31
Edison's Eureka-The Electric
Light at Night.

In to-day's Herald we lay before the
public in all its details and completeness
what seems to us to be an absolute solution
Of one Of the mostimportant problems that
has fixed the attention of scientific men
andinventors in our time-the perfection
of the electric light. How shall cities,
their streets, public places, churches,
theatres and public halls be lighted eff
fectiyely, agreeably, safely, and cheaply q?
That is an inquiry Of dominant impor-
lance in municipal administration the
world over And how houses shall be
lighted; how the people in their homes
shall weather the difficult point of gas,
astral oil, gasoline, and similar commodi-
ties, is one of the grave issues of domes-
tic economy.
x
But the story told in our columns to-
day will reassure the public whose faith
in the Wizard of Menlo Park had
grown feeble; will revive the general
confidence in the future Of electricity as
the common agent of domestic and public
illumination, and may possibly provoke
anew the concern Of gasmakers. By this
story it will be seen that Mr.. Edison has
finally elaborated lamp for the use of
electricity that is simpler than any lamp
in common use in the houses of the peo-
pie; as simple as the gas burner itself
and more manageable; lamp that can
not leak and fill the house with vile odors
or combustible vapors, that cannot ex-
plode and that does not need to be filled
or trimmed. Once more, therefore, the
public may reasonably anticipate time
when they will be free from nearly all
the annoyances and grievances of ordi-
nary lighting apparatuses and in the full
enjoyment, besides, Of light compared
to which every other, save daylight itself,
is mere glimmering and cleaning; com
pared to which, indeed even the day
light Of about one-third the year is de-
Perforated and adulterated article. Peo-
pie generally knew the soft glory of the
light electricity would make, but they
never dreamed of the possibility that it
could be applied without an apparatus
so complicated that it would need spe-
cial education to enable them to take care
of it.
Perhaps, therefore, this may be regard
ed as the supreme point of Mr.. Edison
achievement in this feld-that his asst in
vented lamp is one of such unexpected
and remarkable simplicity, His lamp
may be screwed on at the end of any or
binary gas burner and the wires from
the electric battery may by conveyed
to it.iu the tute that served to convey the
gas to the same burner. Whether the
wires thus connected come from battery
in another part Of the house, or from some
larger common reservoir of electricity
outside the house, is point as to which
householders will be able to choose for
themselves, since both sources are con-
templated by the inventor. Mr.. Edison,
it will be seen in the narrative has con-
trived battery for household use which
can be adapted to any different number
of lamps and to other uses also-can light
the house at night and run the sewing
machine or rock the cradle all day. For
country houses or for the houses in the
city of people who want to keep them
selves out Of the clutches Of corporations
that may succeed the gas companies, that
will be the chosen sources of electricity.
But in every city this subtle fluid will be
made on large scale served to houses
at fixed price as gas is now served, and
Of course the street lamps must be served
from such great public laboratories.
Edlson's discovery Of a substance upon
which electricity could produce the light
of incandescence with comparative mex
and perfect effect is one of
those little romances of science with
which the pathway to every great inven-
ton is strewed. Platinum was a great
obstacle for while in this hunt; and not
a together satisfactory in operation while