The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-04-29
the LondOn Experiment with the
Electric Light.
Naw Work

On the evening of tie 3lst of March an
important trial of the electric light as a
means of illumination was begun In London.
1t is intended to make it both the most
extensive and the most thorough vet
undertaken. Not only will the general
adaptability Of the electric light for the
purpose be tested, but three different systems
for producing it will also be tried in compe,
ttion.
Tie systems on trial are the Brush,
the Lontin aud the Siemens; and to
each district of London has been
assigned. The Brush company has
the Bsckfriars Bridge district, the
Lontin the Southwark bridge district, and
the Siemens the London bridge dstric,-the
three districts together presenting line of
streets to DO illuminated of more than two
miles and half in length. The experiment
and competitive trial are to last for year
by far the lowest bid received was that of
the company which uses the Brush system,
he same whicb.is now undergoing trial in lew
ork along mile of Broadway. 1t has
done in London what it did here in bidding
for the lighting Of the streets; that is, it has
regulated its price by that charged for gas,
while tho other companies made up their bid
apparently, with moro reference to
the COS. OF tie work TO DO performed
by them. The Brush company
pu: their price at the actual cost of ilumina.,
ing with gas the di trict assigned to them
The same question, accordingly, Is asked in
London that wa have asked in New York
Are they doing The work at loss in order to
advertise their system, or is it possible for
them to light the streets q, go small charge
and yet make fair profit?
We do not need to be told that brilian,
light can be produced by electricity, and thai
it can be kept up continuously, for we have
SCENT done. But can it be produced so cheap.
ly that it will not be luxury for which We
must pay higher price than that charged fol
gas! at present one Of the most important
practical questions touching this electric
light Is the one OF economy; and we get nc
aid in deciding it when its producer.
arbitrarily fix its price by that of gas, the
cost Of whose manufacture is now reduced to
the lowest limit reached in its history.
The European electric light proprietors,
as rule, do not pretend that they can afford
to sell it at the price charged for gas They
only say that 10 order to produce 4
light of equal power, an amount of gas
would have to be consumed SO great that
tho expense would be as large as that for
electric illumination, and even larger.
And that this Is so, we may grant without
agreeing that the use ofthe new light is nd.
visable for ordinary purposes. The illu-
minstion by electricity is far more brilliant
than that by gas; but csn not we get with
gas sufficient illumination for muicipsl
purposes at a much less cost
The question of economy Of production is
therefore the essential question, SO far as
concerns the practical adoption of the
electric light for public and private uses.
The London Engineering goes as far as to
say that If after years trial tho Brush
company can show that it is able to make a
working profit out of charge for ilsmina.
ton equal to that now paid for ordinary
gas lighting, gas for street illumination
will 60 as the weakness 10 the WALL and
electricity, as the tittest, will survive. As for
ourselves, however, we hesitate to say that
much. The Brush lamps, as We see them
every evening on Broadway, do not give A
grateful ligt 1t is strong, but it is not alto.
gether pleasant. Moreover there comes in
the further question whether it can be relied
on at all tmes. Since the Broadway lamps
have been on trial they have gone out three
times, and unless such accidents are made
next to impossible even their greater brillian.
cy will not compensate for tho liability of
thoroughfares (which gas can keep ilumi.
mated, to be suddenly left in darkness.