Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1882-09-30
EDls0N's ELECTRIC LIGHT.

Its success as an Illuminating Agent APP
parently Assured-The Gas Men Worried
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
The doubt which has hung over the
Edison electric light enterprise is sub
stantially dispelled. The MEMO Park
inventor has been a long time in giving
a satisfactory practical demonstration of
what he promised to accomplish, but he
seems to have attained his end. Time
after time have the owners Of gas stock
been thrown INTO furry at the threaten
ed developments, but delay followed up
on delay until they ceased to be fright.
ened any longer and became assured
that the supremacy of gas could not be
assailed. The divlsibility OF the electric
current, it was claimed, could not be
effected. but after arduous and persist
ent experiment 1t has been. The impos-
sibility of constructing durable lamp
onstrated that no such imposslbiIity ex-
listed. The current was divided and the
lamp was constructed. If there is any
further contest it is to the relative
cheapness of the two lights.
fSHsthe Edison downtown istrict in
New York City there are now 1900 lamps
in operation, and they are being put in
! new buildings Us rapidly as the com.
pany has present facilities for attending
to the calls upon them. Hitherto the
fixtures have been introduced at the ex.
pense of the company, but now the
consumers are footing the bills, fact
that indicates the genuineness of the
demand. Six $50 horse power engines
are at work at central station, and soou
the arrangements will be in complete
running order, some minor mechanical
troubles yet remaining to be overcome
Charges will not be made for light unit
everything works smoothly, SO that the
experiment as to actual expense as dem
onstrated by the books of the compan,
is not concluded, though there do no
appear to be any apprehensions felt il
that particular. The busiest up.tow,
district of New York has been selected
for the next plant of the company. 1t il
the region lying about the Fifth Ave
nue. hotel, extending eleven blocks nortl
and south, and little less than thai
distance east and west. 1t includes
most of the theaters, numerous hotels
and is the greatest light.consuming dis
trict in the city. 1t is estimated that so,
900 lamps will be required here, and th
station will be furnished with fifty dyna
mos, representing 12,500 horse-eo
The fact that the Philadelphia ga
companies have just reduced the pric
of gas to consumers to $3.50 per thous
and feet and offered to light the cit,
: lamps for nothing is attributed to tn
success that the Edison light is meeting
with. 1t would seem that the prayers O
the municipal communities throughou
the United States should go up to th
effect that there shall be no collusio
between the Edison and the gas compau
les TO prevent the competition fror
being carried out to its legitimate result
A fair test as to what gas can be produc
ed for is q popular want, and the fac
can be brought apparently only th.ougI
contest for patronage. 1t may be tina
gas can be made low enough to hol,
post of it's ground. though the Ediso
light will be preferred by many ire
spective OF its cost, which will at leas
, be considerably below that of gas now
Its advantages are that it is steadiel
gives out less heat. is winter and can b
: turned on like water from a faucet, with
out the aid Of matches. If it can be ful
nished lower than gas the latter will b
+ in bad way indeed.
1t is thought that New York compar
les will put gas down to the loves
point at which il can be made at prof
in the belief that electricity can be ful
! nished as low. just at present Is ver
! good time for cities not 10 mako lou
r contracts with the gas companies.