Morning journal and courier., 1880-01-06
Price Four Cents .
CORRESPONDENCE. .

CORRESPONDENTS
 A Visit to NIenlO Park Something
 About the Electric Light and ssthe
 WIzarG'' Himself.
 RAHwAY, Jan. 1. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 To-day, being only few miles from Menlo Park, and having an excellent opportunity to visit that place, and, what was still better, being offered the company of an acknowI- edged expert upon the subject of the matter which interests so many to-day; I accepted the invitation and went. will not go into de- tailed description of the place. or the general building of the house, machine shops and laboratory of the great inventor, for your readers have been made familiar with these, long before this, but am going to give you my own idea of what saw. Let me begin by saying that Menlo Park is on the direct line of the Pennsylvania railroad between New York and Philadelphia, about twenty-two miles from New York, and Mir. Edison's house stands only a few rods from the station and but few feet from the railroad track. Direct ly back of his house are his laboratory build ings and office, in an enclosure of say an acre or two of ground.
 Arriving there was at once introduced by my friend to his principal men Che employs over fifty about the buildings), and shown every attention and given every explanation desired. Visitors by the score were coming and going all the while, and had free access to all parts of the buildings, for it is given out that every one who comes may investigate as much as he chooses, and all the attendants fol- low ont this instruction to the letter. Two lamps were burning either side of the en- trance, and in the sunlight looked exactly hot I~,k kI,,s,. -Jo giving outa bright light. Inside of the principal laboratory were perhaps 8 dozen lamps sfighted" or placed tin connection" and examined them with the greatest care, with the aid of my expert friend and those con- nected with MT. Edison's affairs The whole success of this light is in the fact that Edison has succeeded in extracting Gin a manner I will explain hereafter) the air from a glass globe about the size and shape of an ordinary garden gourd, and inserted therein another smaller, similar shaped globe, and then the wires at the bottom, these wires being the size of No. 40 spool cotton or No. 32 Birming- ham standard of copper wire. Then on the top of the smaller globe, inside of the larger globe, is little box, exactly the shape of an ordinary horseshoe, made of carbonized pa per. Then the larger globe is dramatically sealed, ineiosing the above named articles This, placed in a socket and connected, sheds beautiful soft light, which Edison claims to be the power of an ordinary five feet gas burner, which is by gas men chased as equal to sixteen candles.
 While we were busily examining the details of the way the electricity was generated, I saw 8 man with ordinary, soiled dark clothing, dusty slouched hat and hands black with handling machinery, talking to several visi- tors in familiar way, and heard some one say that that was Mir. Edison. never was more surprised. He had on no shirt collar, had soiled white pocket handkerchief loosely iaA oh hoJ nd cbo which was dropsically white. My friend, who was standing near talking with the person who was showing us about the shop, began talking with him. I think without knowing at first who he was. Out of curiosity drew near to hear, and before was aware of it I was talking with him myself, and in the same manner in which you meet an old friend upon the street. His manner was such that it was all unconsciously done, for had the introduction been formal I do not think should have dared to speak to him, much less ask him ss I did dozen questions. All these were replied to cheerfully, and had not known that was in the presence of Q great man I would never have suspected it from his looks manners or anything else. He gave me the following items He said it took about one horse power to furnish cleo tricity enough for eight lamps such as were then burning, and pound of coal would generate steam enough in an engine to cause a lamp to burn for three hours. We figured, according to the calculation made by my tex pert'' friend, who is 8 scientific gas manufac- turer, having been engaged in the business over twenty years, that at that rate it was about half the cost of ordinary gas; while the cost of laying the wire and many other details would be still less in proportion. In reply to my question how long the carbon paper would last in the globe, MT. Edison said he had burned one two hundred and eight hours, and 1t was as perfect then as when first light ed, and he had not experimented long enough yet to tell how long it would last, but if no ac- cident broke the globe it would last dozen years or more i; and if the globe by some ac cident was broken, the cost of new one would now be twenty-five cents, and they would be much cheaper as soon as they could be made by the quantity. These globss can be changed in an instant, so if one breaks 8 new one can be substituted as easily as a can de can be placed in candlestick.
 Now, let me briefly explain how this paper carbon is made. A piece of Bristol board is cut in the exact shape of horseshoe, about two inches long and one wide, and placed in an iron receptacle, and this is heated to 8 white heat and when it is taken out and opened the Bristol board is almost pure carbon. Then it is placed in position with the greatest care and sealed up as before described, the air having been exhausted by a simple but scien- tifc process, with the aid of Q Springel air pump. Then after the globe is sealed it is ready for use.
 MT. Edison kindly gave me several items concerning his life, which I have not time to write you about now, but will only say he is only thirty two years old and was born in Milan, Ohio. His father is now visiting him. MT. ThomasA. Edison, jr., @ fine boy of four, was playing with his older sister among the machinery. Perhaps I may on 8 future occa- sicn write you moro about this remarkable :. man. M. 0. s.