The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-02

STEADY AND BRILLIANT LIGHTS PRO-
DUCED.
cincinnati Comm sreIal.l

fCincinnati Commercially
Last evening Messrs. Post i Co. gave ar
exhibition at their warehouse, southwest
corner OF Elm add Pearl streets. OF Maxim''
new electric light, OF the arc and mean.
descent patents, OF which they are agents
here. A number OF businessmen were
present, among whom were Vincent
Sbnke and other prominent steam
boalmen. Two OF the arc lights
were on exhibition, one beirg a large
headlight OF about eight.thousand-esndie
power, and the other smaller light OF
about rifly.candle power, adapted for street
or bal-lighing. All were supplied by q
small generator Of the ordinary pattern In
The basement OF the building, operated by
an attachment from the engine, giving about
three.horse power. Owing to the lack oil
power for the three lamps n small battery
was also used when the headlight was burn
ing.
THE HEADLIGHT on EXHIBITION
was one made for the steamer Golden
Crown. the E.incipal novelty of which was
It's projecting apparatus, by which the light
could be thrown in any direction and con-
centfaied or diffused, as might be necessary.
by very simple eoDtrlvance. When The
light was thrown forward IN the reflector
the volume was dlffused in the proportion
OF about 80 feet In diameter 10 every 125
feet of distance from the lamp. Thus
diffused. the lamp lit up fully square
in width at the distance OF, say,
half way between Fourth and Fifth
streets. The light was concentrated
BY being drawn back an inch or two
into a narrow recess OF the reflector. When
so directed the radius was about two thirds
less in diameter, the rays being di1used IN
proportionately stronger volume OF but one
third the area. The exhibition commenced
about > O'Clock and was kept up until O..
through the various shades Of the declining
daylight until dark. Although the air, as
Illuminated by the powerful light, was
seen TO be filled with flying masses OF
tine particles OF snow, which would have
the effect OF relarding the light TO the
same degree as an ordinary heavy mist,
Elm street from Fourth TO Fifth
was quite brilliantly Illuminated. Under
the dlifused light a person could read a
newspaper without any trouble at the cor
ner OF Fourth. Under the concentrated
there would have been no trouble in read
ing 1t two squares farther. At the lower
corner OF Pearl street the color OF all the
street cars and buildings on Fourth street
on The sides reflected the LIGHT more posi-
lively than the sunlight could be reflected
Both the arc lights burned carbon tips, made
Of puIverized and nodded coke.
The most
INTERESTING LAMP,
because the one adapted for popular and
common use, and In which. It is claimed, u
perfect distribution Of light Is obtained,
was the small incandescent light, intended
for service in dwelllng-houses and offices.
This was set 10 the front Office OF the house
on an ordinary gas-tiXture. Ii was covered
by q small frosted gloOs, and except for the
extra whiteness OF the light peculiar to all
electric lamps would have passed for gas.
hight The light was turned on and of by
the simple twist OF key like that on a
gas-tiXture. An eX animation showed that
the entire apparatus consisted OF MOTH
| ing but Il small alright glass bule,
containing a small thread OF fiat platinum
wire, bent in the shape OF letter NJ, which
connects with two wires separated and bent
in the shape OF y 10 meet the ends OF the
NJ. The stem fits into metallic tube, about
three inches in length and about an inch in
diameter, which tits upon any ordinary
| gas-tiXture in the place OF the burner, ana
| through this tube the wires in the stem OF
the bulb are connected with thin covered
wire barely the thickness OF common white
cord, which is carried along or through the
gas-hXture 10 the generator. One wire
from the generator is sufficient to carry all
the electricity necessary TO fifty lamps. by
means of a simple switch or attachment from
the main wire 10 each lamp.
While the
1NCANDEsCENT LIGHT
was burning in the front office, and two
large gas-jets in the rear office, an expert
ment was made Of the comparative illumi-
mating power OF each by testing the light
on printed paDer. AT the same distance the
print was read equally well by the light OF
the one small electric light as by the two
gas jets, although probably 40 per cent. OF
| the electric light was absorbed bya heavily
frosted globe. This small light threw no
very dark shadows, circumstance ac.
counted for by the agents upon the theory
that the vapor in the bulb caused perfect
diffusion Of the light.
Mr.. Force Balm, the electrician in charge
OF the lamps, explained the peculiar fea-
lures OF the bulb by saying:
Edison tried a platinum wire in bulb,
but, finding it necessary TO remove the
oxygen in order to prevent oxidation Of
the platinum, undertook TO cause a perfect
VACUUM in the bulb. He has been expert
mentng in that direction for some months,
and has not yet succeeded.
Mr.. HIRAM s. MAXIM,
OF New York, accomplished the object
sought bv extracting about 80 per cent. OF the
air, charging the bulb with gasoline vapOr
and then Theoretically sealing it with patent
cement you see in the lower part OF the
STEM"
- But is not the vapOr c0nsumed!'
"No, it cannot; another object OF so
cbai ging it is that less et c'rcity Is required
TO heat the platinum"
doesn't the platinum become consume d
in course OF ine?"
" 1t probably does. but there are many in
use in he East that have been burning six
or seven hours every day for three months,
AMI they are not burned out yet. Even II
they should burn out, it costs only about
twenty cents 10 get Il new bulb complete
that can be attached TO the tube as easily as
you can fix chimney on lamp. Before
long, too. they will be as commonly sold as
lamp-cbimneys. so that there will be no diff
cultv on that score. The tube, TOO. can be
attached to gas-tiXture more easily than
you can attach or remove burner"