The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-08-09
Electrical Talk.

Ihe electrical lgh Is now used on all the
steamboats, on New York bay-generally, the
Brush light, think. Edisons discoveries
have not yet been produced in the city of
New York, though his friends are work ing
very deliberately to light downtown dis
trict. 1 heard the following interesting COLI
versation yesterday from one of Edison's ad-
mirers:
"A gentleman told me yesterday" said the
narrator, ''that he had been selling his gas
stock in Baltimore from a knowledge that
the CARROTS we're to introduce this electrical
light there and that gas could not compete
with it. Every electrical light but Edison's
is an arched light made by carbon points
pressed together by the action of clock work,
and it is the jerking action of this clock-work
which makes the apparent splash. Edison's
light Is the incandescent light, and it is about
the thickness of fish-hook, bent in the shape
of letter U. Each prong of the light is an
inch aud half long. It burns in little
lamp chimney or bulb, out of which all the
air has been pumped. The lamp itself,
though an original invention, is nothing
more than link IN an invented system,
where Edison has gone on step by step, like
man stepping from chip to chip Oh the
waters. His first invention is the regulator.
which feeds the electricity out from the
source. The next is the dynamo, which
makes the electricity by resisting the motive
power of the steam-engine. The third is the
junction machine, which sends the elee-
tricity around corners and lets it off from
point to point. Next is the meter, then the
switches, then the bracket which swings like
gas bracket to and fro and carrie. the lamp.
On the lamp itself are sixty patents. Then
there is the motor which turns electricity
into power. Anytheng requiring less than
twenty horse power can be run by Edison's
electric spark. He can boil water, too, by an
! invented coil which carries the electricity
into the midst of a bath tub or boiling put,
and heats from the centre of the water out
ward. It takes only eight-hors power to
run all the lights. belts, &c, in Edison's
factory. Speaking of mo.ive power, l may
tell a curious anecaote. Edison is going to
light by the aid of one machine, that part Of
.he city east of Nassau street and south of
Spruce, and set of questions were sent to
every tenant in that dense region asking how
many gas burners he had, how much steam
power he used, whether he wanted the
electric light, sc. Every person
in the whole district replied
that they wanted the electriclght but one, and
| lie was found to be stockholder in a gas
company. When they came to look into tho
motive pow er they founG in the same belt no
less than sixteen places where the whole pow
! er was furnished by horse stationed iii the
top of house to that elevation by some kind
of crude elevator, and there he had TO 60
round in q circle working q machine to which
betting was attached. The horse was fed at
his airy height and never allowed to come
down till he died, when they lowered his
body on the same elevator by which he went
up some years ago and see him OFT to Ba r
rem island, and then bought another horse
and hoisted him up and kept him there for
life. The most peculiar old lrishmen and
.,ermans were found to be the owners OF this
motive power. In some cases one of them
! would rent a little cellar and have a small
engine put in, which he attended himself, ant
then would run shafting across alleyways anC
even across a street to furnish it at so much a
wear to turner's, cutters, tallors, BARRIERS, etc
Edison's mains have also patent OH insulat
ing the streets. They are to run through
pipes down by the cutters. Not long ago al
the electrical examiners in the patent Office
were brought up to Menlo Park and showr
Edison's light. He gave them dinner. The.
had not the least conception OF the thing
; Some time ago Edison SAID that there wer'
two things which could work him any inj |
:. nv, The first would be the gas companies. il
despair, putting down their rates to fifty cent
, thousand or less, so as to underbid eveI
his electricity, and Try to force him OIL by tn
dull weight of capital. He said he conlt
stand that as long as they could. The mex
was the possibility that some other lnvento
might make gas out of water or some othe
rbeaner material. s'In that case said Edisol
u have only to 60 back to my laboratory.
' am a professional inventor; anu the onl
t nrob|em presented to NE is to go and max
anythidg cheaper than il is now made, and
;. ! do it."
While he has this great confidence, he is on
5 of the most modest men in the world. A
the government electricians dinner, his law
ver. Mr.. Eaton, said "Gentlemen, am &C
= ing to show you what can do with Mr.. Ed
, son, prodigy as he is. am going to make hl
n blush" At this all eyes were directed t
}. Edison and there lie was seen with his nan
h on his ear, and his face covered with biushes
- GATH.