The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-04-28
Correspondence Of the News.
LETTER FROM AKRON, 0.
WONDERS OF THE TELEPHONE
AKRON LIGHTED BY ELEOTRICITY.
BUCHTEL COLLEGE, ITS PROS
PECTS, ETC.
BUOHTEL COLLEGE,

BUUHTEL COLLEGE, I
AKRON, O., April Is, 1881. 7
ED1TOR NEws;-I win now try to com
ply with your request to write a letter for
tbs News. can hardly realize that thig
is my "hOme, as my family have not yet
arrived, and I am boarding and TOOming
in the College. I confess, also, to some
feelings of regret, when ! boarded the
train and departed from the pleasant pla-
tons which have known so long in and
ees and faces, sndgoOd friends, and assOCia-
near the town of Greenfield, where haYs
spent the greater part Of my life, which, I
trust, has not been wholly "cast as rub
bish to the void" In the haste which the
circumstances surrounding our departure
forced upon US, We were unable to extend
Courtesies to many Of our friends, which We
otherwise should have been pleassdtO do,
and, I hereby assure them of the probity
of'Our intentions.
Tonight I am writing in the room oecu-
pied by the Secretary of Buchtel College;
and a small company Of ladies and gentle
men are present, utilizing that most useful
invention, the Telephone, to enable them
to listen to the bewitching strains Of music
rendered by an Opera Troupe, at Music
Hall, half mile distant! It is simply
marvellous to think of the revolution pro-
duced by the Telephone, and in so short a
time! One can sit here and talk to people
in the various business portions Of the
city, and with friends at distance of from
five to twenty miles, for the trihing pit
tance Of five cents, and with only the effort
used in ordinary conversation. It really
begins to look as if the Telegraph ''must
go, save for sending messages over long
distances. The eheapEess of the TeIe-
phone makes it popular, and soon there
will be one universal network of Tele-
phone wires connecting all points Of inter
est throughout the country, so that busi-
ness will be facilitated, and cities and towns
will he united by "ties" that we're unseen
by our fOrefathers, aud not even 'dream-
ed of in their philosophy"
The city Of Akron, 50 miles south Of
Cleveland, and containing population Of
1900 people, largely engaged in manufac-
turing interests, is now lighted by the
Brush Electric Light. There are two
masts, a mile apart. One of these is on
Main st. and is 200 feet high, and the other
on Buchtel College, and is about the same
height, if you take into account the height
of the ground on which the College is To-
Gated. On each of these masts are four
lamps, each of 1000 candle power, or 49,
900 candle power on each mast, making
80, 900 candle power now In use, which
lights an area of four square miles, equal
to full moonlight. confess that I was
somewhat skeptioal until my eyes beheld
the truth. walked to the depot, a dis
tance Of half mile away, and took out my
watch, and could see plainly the time Of
night at that distance, while anywhere in
the near vicinity of the College the light is
far superior to the best light of the full
moon, so that one can see to read ordi-
nary newspaper print without much dif-
fculty. The light is much less glarinR
than I had supposed, and makes a most
beautiful appearance, as it beams down So
benignly from its height so far above the
College, which is itself 100 feet high.
The College campus is q kind of hollow
square, on three sides of which are resi-
dences, and the dwellers in this vicinity
are certainly quite fortunate, as not only
the front Of their dwellings is lighted, but
the rear and the whole premises, SO that
they can get about anywhere without a
lantern. I understand that four other
masts are to be erected here, as Akron Is
not cOmpsetly built, but spreads over q
large area, and hence requires a great deal
of light to enable It's citizens to get about
with comfort and safety. Some Of the
streets are much better lighted than others,
owing to the fact that the light is not in
tercepted by intervening buildings. Il is
said, however, that even where no direct
light falls, and where the shadows are the
darkest, there is enough diffused light to
enable persons to get about without any
other light.
Our little home, which we intend occu-
pying about the 25th inst, OF as soon as
my family arrives, is located about twen-
ty rods from the College, and is in the full
blaze Of the light, and "be it ever 50 hum
BILE" viii have a good Eight to guide our
feet" in the ways of peace and pleasant
ness. And we trust that the intellectual
lights within the College walls will also
beam upon US and bless US, and that the
light thus radiated and diffused shall go on
in its good work Of blessing the youths
who assemble here from year to year, for
generations to come.
So far this year, the College has enrolled
1876 students, with a few more to enter be-
fore the close of the year, and next year is
still more promising. The work is going
bravely on, with nothing to mar or detract
in the least.
Mrs. N. H. Hunt, of Massachusetts,, is
here, lecruring in the various churches to
crowded houses on the sabieot of Temper
ance. She lectured in the Universalist
church on Wednesday night, and to-day
in the Baptist, at IL a. m. and in the NJ.
E. church tonight. Her lectures are high
ly spoken of, and it is hoped that she will
do much good in disseminating right views
concerning this great subject. May sue
cess attend her and all others efforts in this
behalf! More anon. VIC.