Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-03
Electric ARsnps.

CCafes 6arnSrc, N 81 NlchCiaS Tor May.
III we examine one Of the electric lamps in the
streets We shall Bd that it consists of two rods.
enc pointing upward from the bottom of the
lamp, the other hanging downward. The rods
seem to touch, and the brilliant fame is exactly
where they seem to meet. Once day a man
comes round with :, bag Of the rods He takes
out the old rods that were burned the night
before, and places lew set in each lamp After
he has gone about, IS If he were putSng new
wicks into the lamps and each Is ready for it's
nights work, all the lamps are lighted in broad
day, 10 see that every one Is in proper trim
They are allowed to burn until the men have
walked. about in the streets and looked at eae,,
| lamp. Ii all are burning well they are put out
tiil 1t begins to grow dark. II one fails to
burn properly man goes to that lamp to zee
what is the matter The rods are made of a
curious black substance, like charcoal! that is
called carbon. When the lamp is out the TIVE
rods tonch each other. In order to light the
lamp they arc pulled apart, and II you look at
! the dame through q smoked glass you will see
that the rods do not quite touch. There is q
small space between Their points, and this space
is filled with fire. Look at the other parts of
the rOs, OF the copper wires that extend along
the streets. They have no light. no heat, no
sound The wires are cold, dark and silent
If we were to push the two rods in the lamp
close together the Hight and heat would tiisap-
pear, and the curious kissing sound would stop
Why is this3 Let as go to the woods near some
brook. and it may be that we can understand
this matter.
Here is the brook, flowing quietly along
smooth, deep, and without ripple. We walk
beside the stream, and come to q place where
there are high rocks, and steep. stony banks
Here the channel is very narrow. and the water
Is NO longer smooth and silent. It boils and
foains between the rocks. There are eddies and
whiripools, and at last we come to the narrow.
est part of all. Here, the once dark and silent
water roars and fOams In white. stormy rapids
There are sounds and furious leaping and rush.
ing Water and clouds Of spray. What is the mat
ter! Why Is the smooth, dark water SO white
with rage, 30 inpetRous, SO full Of sounds and
turmoil! The rocks are the cause. Tie way is
narrow and steep. The waters are hemmed in,
and there Is q grand display Of flashing white
foam and roaring waterfalls ~ the waters
struggle together TO get past the narrow place.
1t Is the same with the electricity flowing
, through the large copper wires. 1t passes down
one wire into the other, through the lamp. in
silence and darkness, SO long Is the rods touch
| and the path il clear. When the rods In the
lamp are pulled apart. there Is q space to be got
ever, an obstruction. IKE rocks In the bed of the
brook. The electricity. Nike the water struy-
giles to get over the hindrance in its path and
| grows white-hot with anger. and flames and
Kisses as 1t leaps across the narrow space be-
tween the rods.
There Ii another kind OF electric kmp u.ed
| IN houses It hos q smaller and softer light,
steady, white. and very beautiful
In these lamps. also, We have something IKE
! the narrow place In the brook. They are made
with slender loops Of carbon. inelosed In glass
globes. The electricity. flowing silently through
dark wire. enters the lamp and finds only q
marrow thread on which u can travel TO reach
the hotne-soing wire, and. In It's struggle 10 get
past, It heats the Tiny thread Of carbon to white
! Ness Like live coal this slender thread gives
Us mild, eoft light. as long a. the current aows
II seems calm and still but It 10 enduring the
same fury III the electricity that b shown In the
hrger Tampa
This Is the main idea ON which these hanna are
Asadc: stream Of electricity h set flowing
from dynamO-esectric machine through q wire
until IL meets . narrow place Or . break in the
wire. Then 10 seeks to get past the obstruetiou.
| and there 10 grand putting forth Of energy,
and in this way the electric force, although
| Itself invisible, Is made known to our eyes BY .
beautiful Hight.