The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-17
EDISON STILL HARD AT WORK IN HIS LABoRA-
ToRY-HIs LATEST DEVELOPMENTS CONCERN


eler is astonished by momentary sight Of q large
brick building brilliantly illuminated at every
window and strikingly in contrast with the shadowy
structures around it. He hastily peers through tho
window to catch better view. wondering why it is
that in lonely country village at the dead Of night
there is such display; but while yet ho wonders
unwelcome hill intervenes and the country Is
shrouded in darkness. If, however, ho re-
tains his place at the window he is soon
rewarded by second Wow Of the strange
building. and his establishment becomes more
marked he notices from ono end Of the
structure soft and beautiful light emitting its
rays far out over the plains and giving tho coun-
try around appearance srikingly picturesque. Ho
has scarcely time. however, to conjecture the cause
when once the strange building and the
stranger light shut off from view no more to be
the traveller asks the conductor what 1t all
means he will be told that the brilliantly illuminated
building is the laboratory Of Edison the great in
ventor and that the soft beautiful and far reaching
light which, in the momentary view afforded OF it,
made the country SO picturesque is electric light
on which the great inventor was experimenting.
at 80 late an hour work is being carried on in the
place he will be met with the explanation that mid
night is not late for Edison and that the light
can be seen, perhaps with greater briancy, four
hours later for the work in the laboratory is all done
at night
The ordinary rules of industry seem to be reversed
at Menlo Park. Edison and his numerous assistants
turn night into day and day into night At six
o'clock in the evening the machnists and electricians
assemble in the laboratory. Edsonis already present.
attired in a suit of blue flannel with hair uncombed
and struggling over his eyes, a silk handkerchief
around his neck, his hands and face somewhat be-
grimed and his whole air that of man with pur-
By quarter past six the quiet laboratory has become
transformed into hive of industry. The hum Of
machinery browns all other sounds and each man is
at his particular post Some drawing out Curl
ously shaped wire delicate that it would seem an
,,1, old Utah 4nAxv,
vigorously filing queer looking pieces of brass;
others adjusting little globular shaped contrv
ances before them. Every man seems to be engaged
at something different from that occupying the atten
ton of his fellow workman Edison himself fits about
instructing there; at one place drawing out new.
fancied designs, at another earnestly watching the
progress of some experiment Sometimes he hastily
leaves the busy throng OF workmen and for an hour
more is seen by one. Where he is the general
body Of assistants do not know or ask but his few
principal aware that in quiet corner up
stairs In the old workshop. with single light to dis
pei the darkness around sits the inventor with
these moments he is rarely disturbed. II any i'm
portant question of construction arises which his
advice is necessary the workmen wait Sometimes
they wait for hours in deness but at tho laboratory
such dleness is considered far more profitable than
any interference with the inventor while he is in tho
had excellent opportunity Of observing the method
in which Edison and bis assistants carry on their
work. Every man was busy. and the reporter was in
consequence, ut liberty to roam through the build
ings undsturbed in his tour of observation. The
seemed great reservoir from which his numerous
assistants drew to their hearts content their supplies
of work. For while it was his correspondence that
occupied his attention. At such time he sat and die
tatcd to his private secretary Mr.. Griffin, with
clearness and rapidity that showed him fully
alive to all the necessary points to be GOV.
cred. That over, drawings tor his chief machinist
occupied his mind. Then came some i'll reports
about the result OF particular experiment Edison
listened silence and moment after the recital Of
the difficulty he had new plan to propose and new
instructions to give One particular assistant seemed
To an m n
The person in question Professor Francis H. Up
ton. mathematician who studied under Helonholz.
of Berlin and whom Mr.. Edison recently engaged for
the mathematical portion of the work on the electric
light
THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.
That Edison is in dead earnest III his work on the
electric light evidenced among other ways, by the
iaboratory The most improved JsblocnKoif candles
OF Paris are there, Wallace machines arc at work.
Gramme machines are in operation. and electric
lighting In all its forms is everywhere visible Guam
titles of platinum and iridium for the incandescent
light can be by the observer Experiments Of
all sorts nightly tried. All the well known mag
neto machines are carefully examined and expert
mented with. and their defects and advantages
Immediately made known to Edison. The new gen.
orator, which begun some weeks ago, is about
three-quarters finished. From it the inventor OK
poets gratifying results. All the experiments and
trials with the dynamo machines at present are di-
rected the end Of obtaining the greatest
Der OF incandescent lights per horse power.
THE DIvIsrBILITY OF THE LIGHT.
The recent controversies of electricians as to the
divsibity Of the light furnished an opportunity for
young inventor question him to the practicable
ity of the division His explanation of the Same
seemed beneficial in the of his experiments
he had accdently got some moisture from acids into
his eyes. and at the time the reporter interrupted
him no evidently in pain from the same. Dig.
cling his eyes vigorously with his handkerchief.
Edison said:-"start with q given of power
c ~n,Sa iamp light equal to one gas
Jet or course, II 1t is attempted to have
the same power light two lamps then loss occurs;
butif fhe IL
the extra lamp is introduced no loss will and
ON to any number OF lamps. The whole question
is how many lamps be obtained by the expendi-
turc of one horse power in steam engine. For in
stance, II horse power rotating adynamoelectrc
light Of fifteen candles then the addition OF another
horse power will Light twelve lamps, three horse
"But will not the introduction Of new lamps into
the electric circuit dinnuton of the powerY
why, of course" answered the inventor; school
boys might know that IL one TO add lamps with
out any increase OF power he would very speedily
reach point whore no light at all would be enitcd
BY this time the inventors eyes had recovered
from their temporary weakness. and giving them
parting vigorous rub with his handkerchief he hur.
ricd away to look at new apparatus just completed
by one or his machinsts.
rIounEs AND COMPARISONS.
In the progress of his tour of observation IN the
laboratory the reporter across some Jnbochkou
candles and In connection with the same some M
tercsting figures aud comparisons which, on appii-
differences between the Jabochk light and Edsons
marked and numerous. III the former, among
other things consumption OF materiai anu attcnion
every ninety minutes thcreabouts are unavoid-
able The incandcscent light OF Edison on the other
hand having for Its elements the understandable
composition OF platina and iridium, of course gives
no consumption of material, and once In circuit IL
requires no looking after.
The fo,lowing figures on the basis Of expert
,ncnts made in the laboratory, comparing the Jab-
lochkoff light with that OF Edison-
Jabiochko6. Cents.
One horse power, ten hours. say 20
Carbon rods. same timo. 40
This expenditure produces light of 700 candle
mower 1t IL, however, diminished one-half when
opal globes put over the light, a thing made
necessary by the intensity of the light uncovered.
This reduces the light then to 800 candle power. In
this calculation attention ia paid to the cost OF
attendance to change candles consumption pro-
crosses.
EDIsoS's IScANDKscENr LIGHT.
Three horse power at twenty cents, sixty ccntss
producing eighteen lights OF fifteen candle power
each, equals 40 candle power which by being dis