The New York herald., 1879-12-24
EDISON's LIGHT.

EDISON'S LIGHT.
PROFESSOR DoREArUs ON THE ADVANTAGES OF
ELECTRIC ILLUMINATION.
Those who have given any degree of study to elec-
trcity and the electric light best appreciate the
labors ana recent discoveries of Edison. They can
understand the multiplicity OF detail that had to be
considered in the manip pulation of subtle agent
us electricity to render il manageable for
all purposes of illumination as the common coal
gus. Among scientific men, however, many
doubling Thomases. who. until they the electric
hight within their own dwellings. shedding its eful
gent rays on their dinner and study tables. will
not believe in the possibility Of its being brought
into universal use. Professor Doremus. who has
given considerable thought to the subject of elec
tricity. feels cheered at the prospect of the
general utilization OF this great source Of light and
power. Speaking to HERALD reporter yesterday in
his laboratory at the New York College. where the
electric light can be produced at moments notice.
the Professor said he wished all to those who
were devotng their time aud brains to tho solution
Of the problem.
On being asked to the advantages the electric
light would be apt to confer. he said:-"Could the
electric light be introduced into public buildings
and private residences its sanitary benefit is sppar-
ent for it would not consume the oxygen of the
room 80 essential for respiration would it dis
charge the unwholesome vapors which result from
the burning OF street gas. An ordinary sixfoot
burner consumes Us much oxygen and produces
much carbonic acid gas eight ten people would
do in the same time. Moreover, the heat from the
electric light is much less than the gas burn
ers. so that the production of cheap electric light
undoubtedly the great desideratun of the present
age. and hope to it later fully real
lied. but matter Of fact the application of tho
Light for private residences has not yet been ac-
"You gave the electric light attention years ago.
did you not?"
Il have been for years strenuous advocate of the
electric light. and have always considered an out
that the grandest port this side of Gods globe
should have lard oil lights the entrance of
Dor when science has presented SO many lights that
vastly surpass them in brilliancy. When we con-
slider the vast number of valuable lives and millions
Of property that enter this hsrbor in the Of
year it provoking to think that better method
for illuminating the course of vessels should be in
ut this late day than the old fashioned lard oil
light. have repeatedly stated this in public lec-
lures during the last fifteen or twenty years and
have urged the Chamber Of Commerce of this
city to make efforts for securing some Of
those brilliant lights that science has discov-
ered but especially the electric light. Our
steamships. too. should be provided with electric
lights. which could easily be accomplished by di-
for working the electric machine 1t should also be
adopted for lighting up the public squares Our
Fifth avenue. for great and fashionable thorough
fare Is the poorest lighted street in the world there
being only three feet OF gas to each lamp No doubt
the improvements will come in time. but the great
est OF all will be the lighting Of our homes by cheap
method in electricity.
NOT SCARED
The superintendent Of the Manhattan Gas Works,
at the foot OF East Fourteenth street. said:-"The
gasmen are not bit scared ut Edison's latest dis
covery. When he first started out with his electric
experiments there considerable of futter, but
they are getting used to being agreeaby disappointed
and they don't think he is any the ing he
Is after than he in the beginning. There wag
the phonograph that he was to make such improve
ments on and render highly useful but it remains
only mere toy. Our opinion is that Edison has
failed, and We think Professor Du Motay explains
clearly how he cannot effect with his latest
plan. because the carbon, whatever it may be. vola
tilizss by the prolonged action Of the electric
rent and because the glass globes of the lamps
II they are hermetlcaly sealed, will expand aud con-
tract by the cold of the surrounding atmosphere,
and thus the air will be allowed to filter into the
globe. and the incandescent carbon Will be con-
sumed."
couple Of electricians upon whom the reporter
called declined to discuss the subject Edison's
latest discovery They said substantially that was
not impossible to achieve what Edison had set his
mind on, but they could not see their way to it.
| The inventor of Men1o Park, they considered,
metaphorically cutting his way through dense
jungle with little light to guide him and with no
example precedent to follow. That he should
finally succeed would not altogether astonsh them,
but for the present they appeared to hesitate about
accepting his latest discovery the ua solution Of
the great problem Of universal electric lighting
SAWYER ON EDISON AND THE HERALD.
NEW York. Dec. %, 1879.
To THE EDIT oR THE HERALD:-
Your interesting editorial Of to-day advises me
not to try conclusions with the Wizard of Menlo
Park. I am quito anxious to try them. and
not remarkably easy to alarm. and shall