The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-01-16
THE LIGHT OF THE FUTURE,
"NEw LAMPS FOR OLD !"-EDIsoN's WON.
DEREUL TRIUMPH.

The New York Herald declares that
Edison has at last solved the problem OF
utilizing the electric light for street illumi
nations and domestic purposes, and dcvotcs
page of lctter.press and illustrations to
demonstrate particulars of the Invention.
Edison long ago decided in favor of en-.
ploylng lncandescent platinum instead of
carbon points, and the electric arc for light.
giving purposes, and he devised half dozen
platinum lamps, none of which were per-
tcctly satisfactory. The metal was found
to rupture and crack or else melt under the
high tamParatnre prndnnnd- by tha--l--.-:-
currene. The nearest he got to SUCCESS
with platinum was by placing the burner
in vacuum under g lass, and he contem-
plated Introducing such lamp to the pub
lie, although it was intricate, costly, and
required the use Of an air-pump to produce
the vacuum. But one night, sitting in his
laboratory, he happened to roll a piece of
lampblack mixed with tar in his hand, and
it occurred to him to try it as substitute
tor the platinum. He did so, and from
this experiment his thoughts were led to
spool OF cotton thread. The satisfactory
light obtained from the tarred lampblack
had convinced him that filamcnts of carbon
OF texture not previously used in electric
lighting were the hidden agents to make a
thorough success of illumination by incau-
descence, and it was with this view he
sought to test the carbon remains of cot.
ton thread. The thread was fixed between
two iron clamps, and placed in furnace.
At the end of an hour it's delicate carbon
framework was taken out. This slender
flamcnt Prof Edison placed in a globe,
and connected with the wires leading to the
machine for generating the electric current
Then he extracted the air from the globe
aud turned on the electricity, and instantly
beautiful light greeted his eyes, growing
brighter and brighter as the current was
strengthened. He kept up his expert
ments, and determined that the substance
best adapted for carbonization and the Civ
ing out of incandcscent light was paper,
preferably thick, like cardboard, but giving
good results even when very thin. lie
makes the paper carbon now by cutting
from piece Of Bristol card board strip
in the form of horse shoe, about two inches
in length and one-eighth of an inch in
width. A number of these strips are laid
fiatwise in wrought,irou mould, and scpar-
ated from each other by strips Of tissue.
paper. The whole is placed in an oven
heated TO 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and on
opening the mould the charrcd remains of
the cardboard horse. shoe are found. This
is placed in a globe, the air is exhausted,
connection with the generator is made, and
the lamp is ready for use. AS completed,
it is glass globe resting on stand, hav-
ing exterior connections that lead to plati.
mum clamps within the globe, the carbon
lied paper being supported in the clamps.
1t is devoid of regulators, as Edison has
discovered that electricity can be regulated
at the central staten, just as the supply of
gas is now regulated. Only the form of
the lamp needs to be modified to serve for
the table, or in brackets or chandeliers The
light can be produced cheaper than the
cheapest oil, and is altogether under the
control of persons in the house where it is
used. Edison has also new style of gen.
Grating machine, in which the pile of force
.pa~noie ..~.:--L L-.-l -.-t:----~,-1
the armature is made to revolve at their
base He is understood to claim that with
this machine ninety-ive per cent of the
steam power revolving the armature is con.
vertcd into electricity, a vast Improvement
ON any other machine ever constructed
From them the electric current may be con-
Quoted by the ordinary gas pipes from the
central depot to consumers. Edison has
also constructed an electro. metre to measure
tho amount of electricity used by each house.
holder Tie Herald states that he will
light up Menlo Park on New Years Eve
by tho process described, and show all tho
world that he has achieved SUCCESS n pro-
duoing an economical and feasible electric
light.
THE HERALD's COMMENTS.
The story told in our columns to. day will
reassure the public whose faith in the
Wizard of Menlo Park" had grown feeble;
will revive the general confidence in the fu-
ture Of electricity as the common agent or
domestic and public illumination, and may
possibly provoke anew the concern of gas.
makers. BY this story it will be seen that
MIR. Edison has finally elaborated lamp
10: the use Of electricity that is simpler than
any lamp in common use in the houses of
tho people as simple as the gas burner
itself, and more manageable; a lamp that
cannot leak and gil the house with vile odors
or combustible vapors, that cannot explode,
and that does not need to be filled or trim.
med. Once more, therefore, the public
may reasonably anticipate time when they
will be free from nearly all the aunoyances
and grievances OF ordinary lighting appara.
fuses and in the full enjoyment, besides, of
light compared to which every other, save
daylight itself, is mere glmmering and
cleaning; compared to which, indeed, even