Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-09
ELEoTRIoAL LIGHTING FACTS.

ELECTRICAL LIGHTING FACTS.
The subject of electric lighting has now
assumed an importance which is gaining fol
it the attention of practical men, and which
is likely 10 press itself before long upon all
of US. The cotton manufacturers of New
England, at the late meeting of their asso
ton, had an important discussion upon the
subject, especially in relation 10 the lighting
of cotton mills. A paper was read by AT
expert in electricity, who has been employed
to inspect the lights on behalf of an insur
ance company. He spoke of the arc light
such as we see in the stores, and of the in
candescent light, which is fitted for offices and
dwellings. The arc light, with a giver
amount of electricity, is nine times al
candescent lamp sixteen candle
power Edison lamp can have its power
doubled by increasing the electric power
one-fourtb, but the endurance OF the lamp
would be reduced. The incandescent lamp
gives a nearly uniform light in all directions
by the white glass shade. AS the electric
light consumes no air, it does not injure the
atmosphere in a mill, while gas-burner,
consuming four cubid feet an hour, produces
more csrbonic acid gas in given time than
is evolved from the respiration of eight
human beings. When the air becomes i'm
pure the men cannot do a full amount of
work. Gas-lights also make the mill very
hot; in room lighted by 457 gas-burners
Al. 1uoraasaI fno1trr Guo H.
grees in an hour; thirty-fve electric lights
are now used with no appreciable increase of
heat. In gas-burner one per cent. of the
calorifc energy of combustion produces
light; in the incandescent light three and
seven-tenihs per cent. Where shades of
color are used in work they can be distin-
guished by the electric light, and by no
other artificial apparatus. Where those
lights are used there is a less proportion of
goods. The annual cost of oil gas
per burner is sixty-nine cents to 81, one cor
poration 81 70 per burner, one buys coal gas
at 81 65 a burner. In a weaving-roon 292
six-foot burners were replaced by twenty
four arc lights, which cost six and one-half
cents per hour, which is equal to gas at
eighty-nine cents a thousand. In another
mill the annual cost of gas was $21SS; cleo
tricity cost SIPS, which is at the rate of gas
at ninety cents thousand, an annual saving
Of S1603. The Edison and Maxim incan-
descent lamps are guaranteed TO run 600
hours, but ia the New York postofice
Maxim lamps have averaged 1850 hours up
10 September let, and fifteen lamps had al
,eady burned 1856 hours. At the Merrick
Thread Company's mill the monthly cost of
lighting by city gas was 1925, by Edison
lights since that time S33 81; the water
power here was cheap and the light equal
@ gas at sixty-nine cents a thousand.
Electric lighting, like other forms OF
Energy, can set buildings on fire.
"a the Mill Mutual Insurance Company,
ixty -one establishments lighted by electric
ty have been insured, the lights were put in
hiring the fall of 1881 and the next spring.
n those there have been twenty-five fires
Iue to electric lighting, some from causes
which improvements have now neutralized
Water leaking on washed floors, water con-
lensing on building having uninsulated |
Eires caused four fires; three fires were
aused by cross arcs from one wire to an
ther when uninsulated wires were fastened |
o the conductors; dust settling upon unin- |
ulated wires and becoming damp made a
and started a fire; damp, |
ecayed beam. damp hriolwork in a tunnel, |
improper switches, water reaching the wires |
+ a grounded circuit have caused fires. Mr.. |
ID Atkinson stated that the whole subject of |
lectric lighting is shingled and plastered
yer with claims, and every user of every
ind of light should secure sufficient bond
indemnity against litigation.