Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-01-07
EDISON AND CHEAP GAS.

GA zL7l1 -77aAAh
Mr.. Edison has made his mark as
an inventor, and has already placed
thesxorld under many obligations to
his genius, but no discovery of his
has been looked to with such wide>s
spread interest, perhaps, as the dis.
doyery of the electric light. The
price of gas, has for years been a
question that has claimed the atten-,
ton of city people. Every one
wants more or less light, and for
the least possible money. Hereto
fore and now, gas has furnished the
most desirable light for general use.
But the price at which
it is furnished, has placed it beyond
the reach Of many of the poorer
classes. It has been claimed that
by means Of Edison's electric light,
a means of illumination would be
furnished that would be within the
reach of all. But there are skep-
tics who doubt this, and their doubts
~PPev~ e no we'll founded. 1t is
true that the belief in the success
of the invention has been so strong
as to materially affect the value of
gas stocks in the cities. In view
of the interest felt in this matter,
we transfer to our columns the
following from the New York
LINES: s-e sy~g- .-.
Every body not Interested, in the
perpetuity Of gas illumination will
! hope for MIR. Edison's success, for the
! fulfillment OF his glowing promises
I would be a boon in every household
as well rs j u the streets, where now
we take our nightly walks abroad by
| the dim flicker of the yellow gas
lamp. But hope should not blind u'
to possible draw backs, aud it is wei
| that we have the croaking skeptics tC
point them out for us. To be success
| fui, the Edison lamp must give Us q
better light than that OF gas, and al
an expense no greater. II it can be
both better and cheaper, it has a bril-
liant career awaiting II, but in that
| word "bettern is involved more than
mere brilliancy. Ii must not blind Us
or fniure our eyes. IT must show
itself a thing to be depended upon
whenever wanted, and managed with
as little trouble or annoyance as the
| familiar gas jet. If its glowing filaN
ment ia liable to disappear IN darkness
without warning, or if X is given to
getting out of order and provoking
irritation in its. use, the public in its
private capacity win have none of it.
n" Now W hat are the chan ces? In his
laboratory st Menlo Park, the in
ventoF can give q beautiful exhibition
and bring forth ejacuIations Of wonder,
but he has bis 50. horse power engine,
and all his apparatus set for experts
men tai purposes, and success there IL
not identical with success IN a section
of the City of New York. He gays
that with his engine he can work
twenty generators and supply 800
lamps Of 10.eendle power EACH The
skeptic declares that this ID not enough,
and that it shows an enormous loss of
pow or in the process of converting the
energy of steam into the effulgence of
the lamp through the Intervening cur
rent OF electricity. II the equivalent
Of so horse power in the engine for
every 500 lights is necessary, with du
plicRte apparatus for use in case OF &C.
cident or dersnge ment, The except c
sets down the expense of generating
the electricity as altogether too
great, and gives figures which SEE no
to prove II. Mr.. Edison's lamp Is
little pear shaped globule OF glass.
from which the air is exhausted, and
In which the current Is interrupted by
a slender loop of carbon, made by cal
cination Of filsment of card board.
This tiny and fragile horseshoe glows
with lncandescence whenever the cur
rent Is turned on. He SAYS the vacu.
UNI Is as nearly perfect as need be, and
will remain 20 indefinitely. The faith.
less scientist shakes his head and
doubts. The little filament he declars
w w pun bhu Nldl VIII NOT WAHiE
away or break In pieces, at least not at
Intervals short enough TO destroy Its
perfect utility. Here the skeplic
makes bold to dispute him outright,
and declares that there is kaolin in 1t,
and it must disiptegraie, and that
speedily. 1t IL said that the test Of
one lamp has been going on at Manic
Park well.ulgh month, and 1t still
holds out to burn. Nevertheless, this
IS one OF the unsettled questions. Let
us wait with minds open TO convic-
"Ihere is one result Of premature
conclusions, that 1t is probably useless
to protest against, but which. never.
theless, Is not reassurng. There IL
an Edison Electric Light Company,
and 1t has shares of stock in which |
there is wild speculation on a small |
scale. In fact, fortunes are said to be |