The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-09-06

vn,.on,s IlIuminators.
THE FIRST DISTINCT BRILLiAna Win n , sxsrrw
cANDEscENT LANP-Ihh ,so.Ah"
Is IN SUCCESSFUL oPERAlios.
sxew York Herald, oth.l
In stores and business p'aces , t,,ao sy "ou,
the lower quarter OF the city au ii N WJ'
strange glow last night. in no, dii 'T hr
OF gas, often subdued anu uco''i.a'eu ~
grim and uncleanlly glopes' wa SUI d
planted by steady giale, oi'E intor; I
and sbone through windows fixed and
nnyvavcring From the outer darkness
these points OF light looked Ike drops OF
flame SUSPENDED from the Jets ana ready 10
fall NJ every moment. Many scurrying by
in the prc6ccupation OF the moment Iailed
IN see them. hut the attention OF those VINO
Glanced TO glance that way was nj once ar
rested. 1t was the glowing incandesceht
lamns Of Edison, used last evening Tor the
first time in the practical illumination OF
the first OF the districts into when inc Guy
had been divided. The lighting, when
this time was less an experiment than the
regular Inauguration OF the work, was
eminently satisfactory. Albeit there had
been doiibters at home and abroad who
showed disposition to scofi at The work
Of the Wizard OF Menlo Park and insinu-
ate that the practical application OF his in
yention would fall far short OF what was
expected OF it, the test was fairly stood,
and the luminous h0rseshoeS did their
work well. For long time the company
have been ut word preparing Tor the light
ing OF the district But there were obsta-
clcs to them which occasioned worrying
DELAYS. The insertion OF meters had first to
| be attended to. and then came the inspec-
ton by the Board OF Fire Underwriters. AS
there was but one competent expert ell
charged with this work it naturally Jagged,
and it is still being pressed forward in
places where the lighting apparatus is not
vet ready. Then there were difficulties to
be encountered in the laying OF the wires
and the establishment Of connections. So,
many people shook their heads at failure
OF the promised radiance and believed
something was amiss. The company went
on untiringly, however, and last night it
was fairly demonstrated that the Edison
light had very fair degree OF success.
TIE LAMPS AGLOw.
1t was early in the evening that the cur
rent was first transmitted over the wires
and the carbon horSeshOes became aglow.
The machinery worked well from the start,
and the marked difference OF the electric
and gas illuminatOrs was apparent at once.
Some had based their ideas OF the Edison
light upon the pole electric light made
familiar TO them on the thOrOughfarcs.
They were a trlle disappointed at first
when they saw the soft, mellow radiance
Of the incandcscent lamp devoid OF
the anticipated glare and brilliancy.
But when they came to remember that the
LIGHT is to be used indoors for purposes OF
business where the eye would suffer from
the too-trying glOw-ior the store. the
c0unting-houSc, the workshop. and for do
nestle uscS-thcy came to appreciate how
well the mellow, ycllowsh light performed
its functions. When the illumination was
begun Mr.. Edison stood in the workshop
of the central Office OF the First district. at
No. 2j7 Pearl street, in his shirt-SlccycS,
experimenting the work. Through the
machinery tie men fitted about busy rs
bees. Messengers came speeding in
to say all was ready, and then the
complicated apparatus was set going, and
in a tWinkling the area bounded by Spruce,
Wall. Nassau. and Pearl streets, where the
incandcsccnt lamps had been introduced,
was in a glow. There had been scientists
who claimed the lighting OF such a space
by such Il method an imp0>,ibility. But
the result proved the contrary. Edison
was .yindicatcd and his light triumphcd
over the lighted area were biz buildings
like the DrcXcl and little store, tucked
away in dark corners. But the communi-
cation nowhere failed, and the practicabiity
Of the multiple are method was attested. All
the lights in this space were not started last
evening. In some places only few OF the
number in readiness for lighting were
wanted. but about 5000 were aslOW, and if
everything goes well about 5000 i!lumina-
tors will soon be in readiness for use.
Among the larger buildings i'm this section
where the light was used are the DrcXcl
building. Times building. Pohemus's,
Barnes, Greene Sons, Washburne a
Nocre'S, and others.
ACTION OF THE LIGHT.
As the evening progressed the action OF
the light was curiouSly watched by those
who had il close to them. But it rarely
essencd it, strength, and for the first night
the illumination, except IN very odd in
stances, was Singllarly powerful and even.
The group in the cOmpany's Office seemed
perfectly satisfied, and expressed full con-
yictiOn that once it was fairly set in
operation there would be no Interrupt
lions. Mr.. Edison said that he was
convinced such would be the case did
not any unforeseen and unknown phen0m-
cna intervene. Care would be taken to
watch all influences that would Offset the
light, and doubtless new information tend
ing TO make il even more perfect would be
cleaned. Altogether the experiment in
district lighting was pronounced a success. |
The other method OF Introducing The in |
candeScent lamp has also been well re-
cciycd. In some OF the buildings down !
town, where an immense number Of LIGHT, |
are used, the Edison Company for isolated |
lighting have put in their apparatus. !
They are able to put in plant in houses with !
a capacity OF from fifteen lights upward. |
The Hcrad building has the largest so-
lated apparatus for lighting in the city. In |
it are coo lights, Of which 800 were used |
for illumination last night. To supply |
them are used Il Babcocll Il Wilcox boiler |
and an Arlington ~ Sims engine run
ming with two Of the 2j0-light dynamos. |
and with 4 capacity in boiler and engine TO
add three more dynamos. The isolated sys-
TEN Of lighting has also been introduced in
the American Bank-Note-C Company Build
Ing, in Thurber's, T.. s. JaiIray's, Everett's
Hotel, AtkinsOn's, and Ams's. Ii the light
Is made OF thorough avail il is proposed.
too, where great power Is required, TO in
troduce electric motors instead OF steam.