Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-08

the brilliancy, steadiness or durability of the
lamp occurred. The method of regulating
the supply of electricity at the central station
was explained in detail, as was also the eec-
trio motor the latter was made to pump water
and run sewing machine with only as much
electricity as was necessary to give out all
illumination of the brilliancy of an ordinary
gas jet.
INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS.
To illustrate, Mr.. Edison simply attached
the wires of the motor to an electric lamp,
disconnecting the latter. The rapid changes
from light to power and from power back
again to light, attracted much attention and
ELECTED not little admiration. The method
of producing the current, the mode of meas
urement of the electricity consumed, and the
manner of connecting the wires and the other
incidental details we're practically illustrated.
The simple method of preparing the horse
shoe 6lament attracted much attention. At
one of the tables in the laboratory an assist
ant sat with small punch in his hand punch
ing from little pieces of cardboard the little
horseshoes. Another assistant then placed
several at time in an iron mould five inches
square apd placed the Latter in the furnace.
At the expiration of little more than an
hour, the mould was taken out and the car
bonized papers shown. At this stage they
are quite fragile, and it is only after being
subjected to the action of the electric current
that they become reasonably strong. The
vacuum pumps were kept working, and hun.
dreds witnessed the method of obtaining the
vacuum in the bulbs of the lamp. The wires
leading from the generators to the various
lamps were followed in all their connections.
They were ordinary copper wires OF about
one-eighth of an inch in diameter.
REGULATING THE CURRENT.
The regulation of the current was carried
on in the lower part of the laboratory,
young man by the aid of small wheel turn.
ing of the current to any degree desired.
Attached to all the chandeliers, which are of
pattern frequently used, were screws, by the
turning of which the light could be turned on
or off as readily as gas The centre Of at.
traction during the exhibition was Edison
himself, who was attired in rough suit Of
working clothes. For hours he was surround
ed, FIRST by one throng then by another, and
he found it almost impossible to get away.
Many had come in the expectation of seeing
a digni6ed, elegantly dressed person, and
were much surprised to find him simple
young man attired III the homeiest manner,
using for his explanations not high sounding,
technical terms, but the plainest and simplest
language. The skeptics were severe in their
cross-questioning, but to all their interroga.
tories as to expense, amount of horse power
consumed, proposed method of working and
all other details, he's gave prompt, simple and
direct answers, which we're readily understood
and always convincing. When argued with
that the gas companies could reduce the price
of gas much lower than it was at present
and make profit. thus successfully compe-
ting with the electric light, he referred to the
electric motor to be used in connection with
his system, pointing out that even if gas and
electricity cost exactly the same to produce,
the electric motor could make vast difference
in favor of electricity, insomuch as the plan of
the later would begkept in use nearly all day
and night-in the daytime furnishing power,
in the night time furnishing illumination
while the gas was serviceable for only four or
FIVE hours every night, being idle throughout
the day; but he insisted that without the elec-
trio motor, gas could not be produced nearly
as cheap as electricity under any circumstan-
ces.
Among the visitors present were several
gas company officials and electricians, who
subjected the system to close examination,
Edison ordering every facility to be given
them for making all the tests they required.
All the visitors seemed satisfied that Edison
had actually solved the problem of practical
household illumination by electricity.