Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-04-01
Pros.es. I'm Eieesris Isghting.

Ihe use or the V0ltalc arc 1Or luuHllna
tion has made a steady advance in pop
ulsF.fagor within the last year. Lamp
. Of from few hundred candle-power III
to many thousand candle-power are be
ing set up as permanent fixtures IL
shops, halls, stores, and in streets an(
J squares. The rivalry of the different
manufacturers has led to great improve
ments5in in the power and convenience OF
4 the machines for maintaining the elec
trical currents and in the lamps. The
machines are all constructed on the
same general principles, and the lamps
/ have gained both in steadiness and in
simplicity, and even in elegance of form
lsome Of them being quite ornamental
\ The prices Of the machines and lamps
have been materially reduced, and this
fact with the greater efficiency of the
flamp, has drawn attention to the value
of this method of electrical lighting and
i placed the matter upon firm business
basis. The light Of the voltaic arc may
now be recognized as permanent fea.
! ture of modern civilization.
In lighting streets this form of cleo
trie lamp has not displaced gas. nor II
1 likely 70 do SO at ppessntsfor the simple
treason that people, are content with
J! very little light, 70 light q mile Of any
/ given street would cost more by sthe
veltaie arc than by gas. On the other
hand. the electric lamps would give from
six to eight timss Is much fight. and Iit
appears the public. or at le@st, city cor
porations, sze lot willing to pay one
third more for eight times IS much light.
1t would therefore appear that the ad-
vance in use Of the light springs from
special and private wants. For lighting
streets IN front Of hotelA theaters'
churches and stores. whereAp intense
light is wanted for part Of theeAight at
particular. place, the voltaic light is
both efficient and cheap. In all eases
where steamipower is available, rs in
hotels and stores using elevators, an cleo
trio lamp from one to ten thousand can
dle-power may easily be provided. A
single machine and lamp giving an arc
light of one thousand candle:power can
now be produced for $50. Lights of
from 5000 to 10000 candle-power-and
those are sufficient to flood any ordinary
street with light for. distance Of one
bloek-cost for machine and lamp from.
$3.50 to $4OO. The smaller lamps would
use about seyen-tenths of horsepower
and the larger from three to three and
one-half horsepower. The cost of
maintenance viii be about one cent and.
half per hour for the cafbons, in addi-
tion to the motive power and attend
ance. This last item will be very small
for the machine and lamp. 1t may here
be observed that for places where steam
is already provided, a small, two-horse
power engine for running machine
costs about $3.50. To these costs must
also be added the. copper wire for con-
neetions. These cost, at present prices,
about ten cents meter (three cents per
FOOT.
Some of the manufacturers Of these
lights employ as many as sixteen lamps
of 1000 candle-power each, for one ma
chine, but the general disposition seems
to be to give one light to one machine.
As this light is now made on large
scale and at these very low prices, it
may be observed that owners of steam
engines that are idle at nights are al
ready making arrangements to employ
ther power in running electric lights,
which they let by the hour to those of
their neighbors who wish to light up
their shops or factories, or the streets in
front of their premises. For docks and
all out-of- door night work the electric
light has already become indispensable
wherever motive power of any kind can
be obtained.
Concerning some of the later improve
ments made in this method of electric
lighting. two new features may, be OBJ
served. In the machines the induced
current in the magnets, in opposition to
the current generated by. the movement
of the armatures, is now shunted or
short-eircuited during the time it is In
opposition to the current in the arma-
lures. This is claimed as great gain in
the amount of current utilized, and from
observation, appears to give decided
gain in light for given machine.
In the lamps, one of the latest i'm
provoments is in the manner of regu-
lating the movements of the carbons.
The lower carbon is fixed, the upper
carbon is fastened to the base of rod
having ratchet on one side. This rod is
free to rise and fall, and in its movement
downward, by its own weight, sets in
motion train of wheels. The rod and
wheels are supported on lever having
a slight vertical play, and controlled by
an electromagnetic. The train of wheels
is controlled by detent that is controll-
ed by a second and much smaller electro
magnet. In operation, the current di-
vides between the two magnets, the
smaller releasing the detent and allow
ing the carbon to descend till it touches
the lower carbon and the circuit is made
through them both. This accomplished,
the larger magnet comes into play, lift
ing the carbon by raising the lever
slightly with the train of wheels, and
pulling the carbons apart just the right
distance. As the carbon is burned away
the current weakens, and is directed
through the smaller magnet, and the de-
tent is released and the carbon descends