Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-02
ELECTRIC LIGHT IN NEW YORK.
New York Herald

4. A. Hayes, the Secretary of the Elec-
trio Light Company that is Illuminating
Broadway, babe the reporter welcome
"Pshaw no, sir, he exclaimed, " it isn't
because that part of Broadway is the heart
OF the continent and likely TO be the best
place in the Western Hemisphere outside
the Herdids columns for an advertisement
that we light it gratis. We don't need adj
vertising, for our works are behind our or.
ders. We can't supply the demand. 1t
was desired of US that we should demon
strate the power of our Illuminating agent,
and we desired to do it. We chose Broad
way from Fourteenth street to Thirty
| fourth, because it embraces two large
squares over which we can throw the rays
from our carbops, as they do in the city of
Wabash, Ind, which is illuminated by
four electric lights suspended by a pole
over the dome OF the Court house. The
Courthouse is on hill, and the lights are
displayed about 200 feet above the city. In
a city full of lofty editices like those of
New York our light cannot be shown to
advantage except at the public squares.
But jump into my cab and ride with me
down to our works. Station No ! is a
dazzler, sir; come along." On the way
across to the company's Station No. l,
which is at No. 1873 West Twenty fifth
street, Mr.. Hayes impaired some intelli-
gence IS to the possible future lightning
Of the streets, saying that the company
is awaiting the decision Of the Corporation
Counsel as 10 the right to grant the privi-
leee of laying the wires under the streets.
1t is not known whether the power to
grant this franchise lies in the Controller
or in the Aldermen, and the question has
been submitted to Mr.. Whitney. The re-
porter entered the company's Station No.
at few minutes before o'clock. An
enormous steam boiler was sizzling in the
Plutonian region beneath the electric light
generating machinery, and the machinists
were preparing to set the wheels in notion
Six o'clock, and whirl was followed by
flash of light then another flash, another,
and within ten seconds the room was ablaze
with the fires of ten thousand cophagra-
tions intensified. Ten seconds more and
every carbon to the remotest end of the
companys wires far down town and far
up town, were pouring q flood OF light into
the street around it. Don't 20 near the
magnets, the Superintendent warned the
reporter, sit will spoil your watch, sir.
We are sending light from this building
through the eight wires that you see above
the door, and are covering eight circuits.
We illuminated ten miles on one wire on
Sunday evening before last with brilliant
effect, feat never riyaled. They lighted
a circuit of three miles in Paris lately and
boosted Of that If our wires were up we
could light the whole city instautaueously,
and il necessary VIC could cut eff the light
from every burner, or from any given num-
Der OF burners, or from any particular bur
ner, right IRON where | stand. Ii we had
the contract for lightning all the streets
We should require for replacing the carbons
every day about double the number of men
that are now employed as lamplighters. !
We are given our attention mainly to |
street Lighting we haven't had time yet |
to furnish plans for machines to furnish |
light for domestic use" As TO the cost the |
officers Of the company advanced the testi-
mony of the agent of the Riverside Worst |
ed Mills of Providence, L. l. These mills
are run night and day. They were i'm
perfectly lighted by SIS gas-burners at a
cost OF S20,S year. Since they haze
been supplied with seventy. one electric
lights every part OF the machinery has been
perfectly illuminated at cost of Sc, 600 a
year. After midnight the heat from gas
lights became intolerable, but this annoy.
ance has been obviated by the electric
light, which emits no appreciate heat.