Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-06-05

Tme ELECTRIC L1Smt IN M1mlmSs
Ishpeming Department Of Marquette Journal.
The Cleveland iron mining company
is entitled to the credit of first perma-
nently introducing the electric light in
to the mines of this country. They per-
fected all their arrangeme ITS and start
ed the electric machine going last Mon
day, since when the underground work
ings of the mine have been, and are, il
Illuminated with brilliancy that fairly
rivals sunlight. In order to see for our
self the effect of the Brush light in the
underground workings of the Cleveland,
we made a tour through the incline of
SellwOOd's pits few hours after the ma
chine was first set in motion. In the in
cline pits two lights were burning, and
were fully sufficient to properly illumi-
nate the entire working face, and make
the roof and pillars visable from every
direction. The lights are suspended on
pullies from high places in the roof, and
the wires are left slack to enable the
raising and lowering of the light without
breaking the connection. The rope at
tached to each pully is fastened at a
convenient place in the floor, and the
light can be raised to the roof or lower
ed to the floor without loss of time or
trouble. They are so arranged as to be
out of the reach of blasts when raised.
There is no part of the pit where the
roof, the pillars and the stOOps cannot be
distinctly seen at one and the same time
thus greatly facilitating the work. In
SelwOOd's pit is likewise Illuminated by
the new lights, six of which are burn
ing. This pit, being the larger of the
two, and extending irregularly over
large area, every nook and corner is not
SO thoroughly illuminated as in the for
mer, but enough so to enable one to
walk all over the pit without the aid OF
lamp. Here also the roof, floor and
stOOps are plainly visible from every di-
rectiOn, and the ordinary gloom OF an
underground mine has been almost en-
tirely dispelled. By the introduction of
electric light in the mines, mining is
shOrn Of;many of its most dangerous and
difficult features, and the life of miner
made much safer and pleasanter, while
the labor, drilling, blasting and sledging
is greatly expediated. There is no doubt
of the expedieucy of the new light, or of
its permanent adoption wherever intro
duced. When a mirer can look over
head and at glance take in every Gre
vice and projection in the walls and
roof. as the electric light enables him to
do, he has too much advantage over the
old order of things to be willing to give
it up. The introduction of the Brush
light into the Cleveland is adecided sue
cess.
Those persons who went out to the
Cleveland mine this week, to see the
electric machine work, discovered to
their CONSERVATION after leaving the en-
CINE house that their watches either
wouldn't go at all, or else hObbled along
like man on crutches. The air for
some distance around the machine is so
thoroughly charged with electricity as
to magnetic the works of watch and
prevent it running. Several valuable
time-pieces have been already ire
trievably ruined in this way, and there
are any number of sick watches in town
suffering from the same complaint.
There are some parties who went near
the machine who are still wondering
what ails their usually reliable tickers.