The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-05-08
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
A Brilliant Scene Under Canvas-NrHA
Facts About the Wonderful Machine.

Saturday night, when the people entered
the first menagerie tent, it was IS light
as midday, ard mars shadow reflected
on the ground was as clesn and clear~cut
as if it were done in silhouette. Held
ing up the hands, pantomime fashion,
every curve and motion OF the fingers
could be seen with the distinctness and
clearness Of an illuminated picture.
Above the head burned what seemed TO
be two balls of fire, without any fame
or smoke, and OF such dazzling brilliancy
that the naked eye could hardly stand
the glare for an instant. A million
little needles of variegated light seemed
to be perpetually shooting out rom the
body of the fire, giving each the appear
snce of a small chestnut burr. Locking
at the light through smoked glass they
took on an entirely different appearance.
The little needles were not there, and
the eyes saw simply a round ball of
white fire, about the size OF q small
marble, seeming, in its whiteness and
the intensity OF its heat, like drop OF
molten metal. Two of these small lights
burned there, rugged on the poles, about
thirty feet apart, in the large menagerie
tent, lighting up the place in such a wsy
that colors in cloth or anything else
could be distinguished as completely as
by the light of day. Passing on to the
next menagerie tent, the same sight was
presented. Here two electric lights pro.
duced the same effect as in the first tent.
The brightness was wonderful. No
moonlight ever sent out a teLth part OF
such brilliancy. 30 completely were
the tents illuminated that from the OUT
side could be plainly seen on the white
canvas the shadow of the animals and
wagons, and even of the men walking
about inside.
But the great scene was in the circus
tent. It is large enough almost to con-
tain both the meuagerie tents. Here
were six electric lights. There were also
some gas lights. The gas must have
been there for the sake of the contrast.
The difference was remarkable. The
electric lights were of the purest and
softest white; the gas-light, though
burning at full head, seemed faded and
yellow. Although the electric lights in
this tent had globes on. as the naked
glare of them all must have almost
blinded the audience, every nook and
corner of the immense tent was as brig bit
as day. An idea of the power Of s single
light of this kind-which is said to be
the largest electric light msde-msy be
gained when it is known that when al
lowed to burn without q globe it will
make shadow out OF gss>light.
There was great curiosity and no little
| Ta-r
electric light men to see the thing work.
The intention was to have it, if possible,
in operation on the opening night, Mon
day last, but when the time came it was
found it could not be done. Three OF
tour experienced men were sent on by
the Telegraph Supply company, Of CIeve.
land, the manufacturers of the machine
to get it in order. On Friday night
everything was in readiness, and the
machine was put into operation. This
is the first time the electric light has
been used under canvas, and its success
has been a great card to the manu- &C
turers as well as to the circus manager
The latter have bought the exclusive
| right to use it under canvas. Toe cost
OF the machine alone was SIS coo. 1t is
| the largest machine of the kind made.
Il is known as the Brush dynam0>elec4
tric light, Charles Brush being the in
ventor.
Anyone who understands anything
about telegraphy will be able to form an
idea OF the way in which the machine is
run. There is a regular bsttery, worked
by thirty horse power engine, with a
forty.hOrse power boiler This engine
has been built expressly for this electric
light by the Fitchburg Engine company,
of Fitchburg, Mass, and is constructed
on wagon, occupying one end, while
the battery occupies another. The bat
terry seems simple in its construction,
but sll powerful in its effects.
Have any of you gentlemen watches
in your pockets ?" asked one of the
electric light men on Saturday night,
as a party gathered round the wagon,
where the engine was putting away, to
| examine the battery.
One voice answered in the aft rnative.
| "Stand back, then, said the electric
light man; "don't come within two
feet of this battery, if you dent want
your watch spoiled"
| - w nat
alt will magne tie all tie steel in
your watch, draw the springs toward
any steel screw it may have. It's the
attraction Of the magnetism. I've had
two watches spoiled in that way"
All this time a revolving shaft be,
| tween four blocks OF steel was Whirling
with lightning rapidity. The four
blocks of steel and tne revolving shaft
were the all>powerful elements 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 a tie.
mendous current OF electricity that, in
the words of one of the electric light
men, IF you were to stand ten miles
off and touch that revolving shaft-or
commutator-with q piece of electric
wire, the wire would burn I'D like
fash"
Touch that copper plate" said the
electric man, pointing to harmless
piece of copper on the edge of the wagon
near the whifling shaft One of the
party did 80, and jumped back, Jerking
his arm away as if he had been shot.
The four blocks OF steel are the mag
nets. They are oval in shape and COW
cred with copper wire, coiled tightly
around them. The commutatOr revolY,
ing between them is what generates the
electricity. 1t is run by belt connec =
ing its one end with the beltwheei of the
engine. 1t makes 750 revolutions
minute, and with every revolution the
current of electricity travels ence around
the cireUit, or, in other words, around
the wire which connects the electric
lights in the tents with each ether. and