The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-07-19
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
Cxnerimenfal Trial 10 be Made In the
Hall Of tho House.
(WaslingtOn POst.)

(WaSilinStOn fOSt.)
"This ia the dynam"-clectr'c ma
chine" said Professor J. II. Rogers I"
the Post yesterday. as lie began I"
explain the manner in which the cap
itOl il soOn to be illuminated with
the electric lish.
The reporter was glad to know it.
II looked something like tn" half "f a
flour barrel. But how did it work !
IL will show you." sai! the pro-
lessor, and 80. both metap horically
and literally, he relieved the dense
ignorance Of the quill driver by tnrn.
ing on tho current and igniti"g the
cat bon points. Tho apparatus was
down in the room where are placed
the boilers that supply tho engines
underneath the house, and the bril-
liant glare Of the light contrastcd
strongly with the usual gloom Of the
snbterranean chamber. The MA.
chine is Of the kind made by Arnoux
& Hochhausen, of New York, and, as
explained by the professor. consists Of
many helices connected together by
soft iron bars worked around a mag
netic center SO as to have a cylindri-
cal shape. Tho revolution Of these
helices produces continued stream
Of electricity, which is conducted by
means Of copper wires to the lamp
situated about sixty feet distant,
through the low dark corridor. This
dynamo electric machine is set in
motion by being connected with ono
Of the engines and is capable Of max
ing 700 revolutions to the minute,
and Of producing a light equal in
brilliancy to from sixteen to twenty
thousand sperm candles. The lamp
was next visited, and the reporter
saw a proclaim globe resting on small
bars Of copper, fastened t" a metal
ring that encircled the globe. There
were four narrow cylinders which
contained the carbon pencils, aud
they projected from beyond the edge
Of the ring and c"nverged till they
met eQuidistant from tho center of
the globe. This obviates one Of the
Objectionable features Of other cleo.
trio lamps, which is that the carbon
points do not always remain equidis.
tant from each other, and consequent.
" there appears a stalagmite on the
negative pole, which obstrncts the
brilliancy Of the light. There is also
another irreguIa'ity that is prevented
by using four carbon points. When
only two points are used the positive
pole becomes c0ncave, causing the
light to burn "a in a crater; but by
using tho four points the carbon in
eacl, cylinder is let down equally and
simultaneously hy a small weight
running over several pulleys, cons
Meeting with the carbon. 1t is con-
sumed on all sides in the same quau.
tity. thereby doing away with all IT.
regularity The Focault burner, the
one heretofore used, was regulated by
clock work, which could not he de-
pended upon, and hence the light
f1ickered aud became painful to the
eyes. But Mr.. Rogers light is soft,
brilliant, agreeable ana steady, max.
ing no glare, and burning perfectly.
The price Of one of Focanlts lamps
is $40, while Mr.. Bogers' invention
costs only SIS. The expense of
lighting up the house alone, where
there are l,3OD gao jets, is $22 per
hour, while the electric lamp can
produce a much better light for fifty
cents an hour. Mr.. Clark, the archi-
tect Of the capitol, intends to place
four Of these lamps above the glass
ceiling Of the house, and has whites
washed the real ceiling aLove the
hall, 90 ss both to reflect and retract
the light. The engine which will run
the dynamo-electIic machine is in
process of construction, and the house
Of representatives will soon be lights
ed up with an electric blaze that will
necessitate exceeding caution by eve.
~ member Of congress during the
night sessions.