The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-05-08

carbon would be taken in hand, how
ever, the difference would be discovered,
for 1t is as light ss wood. Two OF these
carbons are used TO each electric light,
one sitting in an upright p sition Id its
iron csndIestick and the other being in
verted. Theends of the two thus come
go close together that knife blade could
scarcely be pushed between them. One
end is negative and the other positive.
according 10 which csndlestick they are
in. Between these two ends is that
little ball of fire which produces the
dazzling light. These carbons burn up
slowly, always being attractei toward
each other and keeping the same distance
between the until by-and by they
get so short they can no longer BE- used.
Two carbons, each twelve inches long,
will burn tor eight hours. An arrange
ment is now being per ected by the man.
utacturers OF the above machine by which
double carbOns may be used, which will
burn for twenty-five hours.
The intense heat between these two
carbons may be known when it is stated
that no fire save that generated by cleo,
tricity or chemical process will burn
them. A copper cent thrust between
them will burn in two in an instant.
They are made from the carbon taken
from gas retorts, which goes through
rather complicated process be ore it is
ready to be used as the electric light
First it is ground up and made into q
paste. 1t is then put in mOlds aud made
80 -. H. onI
which the hardening process begins.
How hard the sticks are made will be
understood when it is known that they
are put under a hydraulic press and
pressed with a pressure of one hundred
tons to the square inch. Alter this they
are baked for forty eight hours, and then
put through & chemical process and
thoroughly cleansed. Lastly, they are
electroplated with copper, after which
they are ready for use.
AS has been said there is no flame or
smoke, only a fierce, dazzling bslI Of
fame between the points of the carbOns
like molten metal. Wind or storm or
rain can not affect the light one bit. Fed
by the powerful electricity, it burns and
defes the power Of the elements. The
light will bum under water as well as
above the water. Cooper & Bailey are
having strong glass case made for the
purpose of demonstrating this. 1t is
said that single electric light of the
size and power Of this one described, if
suffi ciently elevated, and with reflector
large enough, would make the darkest
night almost as light as day for the space
OF fifty miles.
There are eighteen electric lights to
this machine altogether, ten OF which
were i'll Operation on Saturday night
The eighteen are equal to $4,000 gas
jets. Mr.. Cooper states that their saving
on gas by their new purchase will be not
less than so per hour, which is about
one half Of the gas bill per hour. The
cost Of running the engine is the iuel
used and smoke-burner consumes all
the sparks. Only two men sre required
to run the machine, the engineer and
the man who has charge of the battery
and lights. The machine is on the same
principle as that of John Wanamaker's,
though much larger.
In the eastern states the machines
have been introduced in a number OF the
large manufactures, which have done
away with gas completely. At Will
mantle, Connecticut, q certsin large
thread manu- factory, it is said, saves $l8
an hour on gss by the electric light. In
Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts,,
most all the large factories have dis
peused with gas, ard are using the elec.
trio light. Its great feature in the cot
ton and thread factories, aside from the
saving of gas, is the fact that with it
operatives are enabled to distinguish the
color of cloth OF thread By night.