West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-06-28
The Electric Light i'm Paris.

several of the wider streets and
squares and about forty workshops in
and about Paris are now regularly
lighted by electricity. The avenue
leading from the Grand opera house. Is
lighted throughout its entire length,
and presents good example oil street.
lighting. The lamps are placed on
posts, precisely like the gas lamps, ex-
cept that the posts are taller and wider
apart. The lamps are inclosed in large
oval glass globes, and beyond this do
not differ externally from the gas lamps.
AS the daylight fades away. there
comes, without warning. sudden
nash, and every light I'm the street is
burning with an intense white glare.
tho effect is like daylight, except i'm in
tensity. Every part of the street, the
immense traffic In the roadway and the
people on the walks, every architect
ural detail of the buildings to the top
of the roofs, every object however mi
mute In the windows, the flowers on the
balconies, are plainly visible and In
their natural colors, both real and arti-
fetal, take their true shades. Every
sign on wall OF omnibus, the minutest
patterns in fabrics and the finest print
can plainly be seen. People seated be-
fore the cafes read their papers by the
aid of lights on the opposite side of the
way, and yet the most delicate COM
plexions and softest tints In fabrics do
not suffer in the white glare of the
lamps. Every stone In the road is
plainly visible, and the horses move
swiftly along as If confident OF their
footing. Such illumination is the per-
lection of street lighting. Neighbor-
ing streets, though more brilliantly
lighted with gas than any American
street, appear dark and gloomy by con-
trast. Besides the Avenue pOpera
there are number of theatres, nails
and public buildings and shops, lighted
within or without, ana in each case the
electric light has superseded gas or IL is
used where gas would be too expensive.
The appearance of the lamps used In
Paris is peculiar. The entire globe APP
pears to be filed with light-no flame
or point being visible. The color is in
tense white, occasionally changing to
blue or deep yellow for an instant. I'm
some few cases the light is naked, or is
placed in clear glass lamps. In what
ever manner il is used it Is impossible
to look at the light for more than few
seconds. This intensity, and the oc-
casional pickering of the light, are
raised as objections TO the electric light.
On the othor hand, why should any
one look at the lamps any more than at
the sun, and when not looking directly
at the light the flickering is hardly no
ticeable. In halls or shops the lamps
may be placed next the ceilings, or be-
mind screens, so that only the reflected
light can be seen, and Out-of-doors the
lamps may be placed overhead out of
the range of the eyes. The fiickering
comes from variety of causes, and il
is doubtful If it can ever be wholly
overcome. The points to secure are
steady motive power Ga turbine being
best), and good carbons in the lamps.
Another objection has been found in
the deep shadows cast by Opaque OBJ
jects when lighted by electricity.
Careful observations both here and in
Paris, in halls, shops and streets, failed
to show thai this is serious objection
where two or more lamps are used.