Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-24

Is the Electric Light a SUGGEST
To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAB.
Is the electric light complete success? It's
warmest admirers may well hesitate to give an
unqualified answer In the Affirmative. Although
its achievements are sufficient to elicit express
sions OF surprise, not to say admiration and
establishment, yet the difficulties which lie in It's
path are SO manifold that they may almost be
regarded as insurmountable. That this brilliant
light is OF questionable reliability Is evidenced
py the TACT that nowhere is it exclusively de-
pended upon, and 1t is more than probable that
no house has yet been erected where all other
sources Of illumination have been discarded.
Light derived from electricity, generated by in
tricate and complicated machinery, driven at an
enormous velocity, must, of necessity, prove
unreliable.
In attempting to note some Of the difficulties
which environ electric Illumination. 1t may be
well to examine the two methods by which the
light is produced--both widely different in ap-
plicatiOn-and to consider those complications
which are peculiar to each. In what is called
the arc light, illumination Is produced by the
combustion of sticks Of very hard carbon, manu-
featured for the purpose. One Of these sticks
or carbon points, about fifteen inches in length
is attached to each end of the wire. which con-
ducts the electricity to and from each in
dividuai burner. The light is produced by the
passing of the electric current from one point Of
carbon to the other, becoming luminous as 1t
leaps the small intervening space. Some Of the
objections to this method Of illumination are
common to both systems, others are peculiar to
1t. The latter will be mentioned first. From
the impossibility of producing carbon points of
uniform hardness or c0mbustihility the light Is
always unsteady. and frequently burns with q
cracking and suffering sound, extremely dis
agreeable: Again, the slightest change in the
velocity of the machinery causes the light to rise
or fall in manner most trying to weak or aged
eyes. The daily renewal Of the carbon points,
which cost about twenty cents each, is another
peculiarly not thought to commend the arc
system.
The fact that this light cannot be produced on
a small scale, but is an altogether ungovern-
able, spluttering, dangerous thing, is sufficient
to limit its sphere of usefulness to the hotel cor
ridor, the Prov Of the ocean steamer and the
gallery Of the lighthouse. That its rays are not
sufficiently diffusive to bring i. into successful
competition with gas, its less costly rival, has
been demonstrated wherever the two have been
tried together.
The other system of electric lighting is known
as the incandescent method. This, as its name
implies, is the production of light by heating to
whiteness some metal Or other sub
stance by the agency Of electricity. Intense
heat, and consequently light, are pro-
meets in its course a body which Is not good
conductor of this subtitle fluid But it was soon
discovered that owing to the presence Of oxy-
gen in the air. all substances which could be
used for incandescenco were soon consumed
it has, therefore, been found needfui that this
process should be carried CD within small trans
parent alright globes This system Of light
ing. although vastly superior to the arc method
for ordinary purposes, has its own peculiar
drawbacks. The machinery generating the cleo
Ticity must be driven at such a high velocity
that great precautions are needful to prevent
Its taking fire.
If the vacuum Is imperfect the incandescent
substance will soon be consumed, the circuit
broken and the light put out. The glass globes
enclosing the light are very liable to fracture
from unequal expansion and from cold cur
rents OF air causing sudden contraction. AL
though these lights are as readily extingnished
as gas-burners, it is impossible to regulate
them. The light must be allowed to shine at
its full capacity or be totally extinguished.
But to briefly indicate few of the objections
common to all electric light: 1t is much more
costly than gas or OIL A single arc light costs
81 per night; two, $50, and for any number,
not less than Is cents each. At the price
Of gas in Washington city the dollar which
feet gas burners, lighted from Z o'clock until
10 at night. And in the same proportion the
cost OF two OF the former would pay for u gas
burners which would give better and more
satisfactory light for nearly all purposes.
The inSuperable difficulty Of cost is applicable
with more force to the incandescent light,
which is admitted to be much more expensive
than the arc system, and which q recent Eng
lish authority estimates to be 81 times as costly
as gas.
The pulse of the capitalist ia frequently fair
index by which the relative value OF rival in
terests may be determined. In the fall of 1879,
when the newspapers were filled with Mr..
Edison's triumphs and we were promised that
In a few months the electric light would rele-
gate gas to the shades Of oblivion. the stock of
WAC in md at
per share; to-day it is neglected at less than
5000, and where we were promised a universal
acceptance OF electricity as the light Of to-day
and OF the future, We have but a few score of
houses thus Illuminated. On the contrary, it is
low estimate to say that the consumption of
gas within the same period Of time has in
creased in the United States fully twenty-five
per cent. and capitalists everywhere are seeking
to invest money in the long established and
But not the least of the serious objections
calculated to retard the Introduction Of
the electric light is the obvious occasion to
fear that it's adoption might greatly increase the
FISK to which property in towns and cities is ex
posed, for already serious loss of valuable manu-
factories, as not long since in Philadelphia, has
been incurred by this subtitle producing
agent. Nor are risks to human life less to be
apprehended: cases Ofinstant death have already
too frequently resulted from a disregard OF
needed precaution in attempting to handle or
required for the purpose, heavily charged as they
must be with this death-dealing fluid. When
the novelty of this beautiful but most costly
unreliable and dangerous light is worn away, it
will hold sway in the limited sphere already &C.
corded it, but that it will ever take rank as an
economical, reliable and safe illumination few of
its most ardent admirers will contend. x.
Georgetown Academy OF Visitation.
The Academy Of Visitation at Georgetown Wed
nesday Was thrOnged with visitors to witness the
closing exercises Of the school, The two graduates
were Miss Helen Sloan, of Maryland, and Miss
Mamie Green, OF North Carolina.
gold medal, were conferred for uniform excellence
OF conduct on Helen Sloan, Mamie Green, Alice
Bromwell, Rosa Mactas, Josephine Duffy, Alice
Hayes, Florence Mott, Belle ONiel, Katherine
Burnes and iizinka Turner: The second honors,
consisting OF silver medal, were conferred on
Edith Martin, Mary Smith, Virginia Burnes, Mamie
Clark N: and Mamie Clements, Lille Clements,
Mary keliter and Mary Dent. The honors in the
senior class were graduating medals to Helen
Sloan and Mamie Green
Premiums were awarded in the first class to Liz
tnka Turner, Alice Hayes. Belle ONeill, Katharine
Barnes, Josie Duffy, Kate Gardner, Helen Sloan
In the second class to Edith Martin, Myra Semmes