Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-02-07
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
Another Visit to MenlO Prrk =
Progress Of the Great Work
The Quality Of the Light Ii
Perfection-The Matter of Cost
An Omen Question,

ThS QuautN Ot the IIknt N
Perfection-The Matter of Cost
an Open Question.
A Correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Englurcr writes from Menlo Park:
1 called to-day on Mr. Edison to make
few inquiries respecting the progress
he was making with his electric lamp,
and to see for myself the aspect oi al
fairs at Menlo Park.
Matters seemed to have Gained down
considerably since my visit month
since; the rush Of visitors must have
ceased Ia a great extent, as ! iound but
three persons who were unCOnneCted
with the establishment or the COmpany's
office in New York. This unexpected
! uuietude was very acceptable Ia me, Tor
! It promised long and steady chat with
/ Edison, which was fully realized.
found him in his library over the office,
| alone, aud calmly reclining IN his chair,
smoking cigar and reading book. lie
at once, with his usual consideration,
closed his book and babe me welcome. |
commenced the conversation by saying
"PardOn my curiosity, Mr.. Edison, but
what are YOU readingl" lie laughed and
said You would never guess. It's a
work ON betting. ] have purchased the
best betting manufactured, but II gives
trouble all the time when this happens,
il OF course affects the light OF my lamps.
So I'm reading up the subject, and shall !
then see II | cannot invent belt that !
will do its work perfectly.
Corrcspondent-Iou, then, appear to |
b. periccting the details OF your system
oi electric light?
Mr.. Edison-Ies, that is exactly |
what | arn doing. You seq | am not |
satisfied to take things as " find them, |
but work all these details myself. That |
is one Of the secrets ul my |
success There was the apparatus 10 eX- /
haust the ait from the lamps; II ! had |
not improved on that, the almost perfect /
vacuum We now have would have been /
impossible.
Correspondent One oi the chief oh |
ects ui my visit ls 10 inquire about the |
difficulty hear Won have met 10y the |
constant cracking ui the glass oi your /
lamps. | ask you Candidly, will It en- |
barrass your prospects ri success
Mr.. Edison Not at all. am cutting |
down the average number oi breakagcs |
every day. never regarded II ~ likely |
To bea apermanent obstacle, hut ! confess |
1t was a serious trouble at first.
Correspondent What was the per- |
crntagr ut breakagesH
Mr. Ellison Well, il has amounted I
tu one ia - lamps every day lmaklng /
calculation on his paper tablet, and /
showing how It worked out on a large /
scale You sce that would never do, I.
although believe It is much under the /,
average of the cracking ut lamp chin .
news to oil lamps.
Correspondent What are you nov /
doing tu remedy the cVll'
Mr Edison The lamp ON the table Is .
the one have cimpruVcd. You perhaps /
know that the trouble Is caused hy the T.
expansion ui the metal wires which pass I.
through the glass. This causes the glass .
which il rigid, to crack You notice the |
small inner globe, through which the /
wires now pass, II now coated with .
a glass of different nature Ia that at 1
which the lamp IL made, aud being |
slightly opaliEed is clearly visible. These
two kinds of glass are affected by heat,
at "A different ratio, and thus the aiiects
which lead to the cracking is concentra-
ted.
ID was nov eight O'Clock In the even
ing aud the great roam ui the lahura-
tory, which WAS thrunged with people .
when | was last there, was nov restored
tu its normal COndlllD III ui quletude.
But one cmpluyc was at work, and one
nf the assistants was performing very
creditahlV On the organ, which, from be
ing wufuily out oi tune, WAS discourslng
most disordant music. Mr.. Edison here
observed one uf the lamps, which Was
cracked, but still burning as brilliantly |
IA ever "It will give out presently"
he SAID |, however, looked ~ vain Tor
the crack which MAS pointed out I" me
Eyery lamp Is numbered, ani when one
-urrendcrs to its fate il is thoroughly
examined hy the microscope IN all lts
parts aud an entry made IN the regis
try of the result quite Anumher nf
these entries are complete aud are stud.
by Mr. Edlson, when all errors are
discovered.
The road iron the laboratory 10 the
railroad station Is now lighted all the
way With EiIsun's electric lamps, aud
noticed them slsD la the residences aud
stores. As to the character of the light.
can only reiterate my opinion express,
ed uu the lst oi January in this journal
Ii is simply perfection. The question OF
eos, seems tn he still an open one, and
eau only regret that those who are
possessed ot the requisite technical
knowledge do not ~ to Mcnlo Park aud
discuss the point With Mr. Edison, and
80 arrive At some reliable data think /
such a course would be preferable to
scnNling at distance, and writing con
demnatory articles IN trade journals II
professional scientists can prove that
Mr.. Edison's pretentlons are myth
the public would like them e. do 81
without DELAY. Edison has publicly in.
yitcd them tn come AMI MAKE an eXami.
nation, and II is difficult to understand
how they can honestly decline b. accept
the invitation.