Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-15
THO BRUSH RLEcTRlS LIaEr,
A visit to the Principal Factory at
Cleveland.
Charles f. Brush and His SUI
perb Laboratory.

"Moniton."l
A little after breakfast 1 waded
through the rain to the Office OF the
Brush Electric Light Company, OF
Euclid avenue. Every man was at his
post, despite the storm, and soon l
was in the depths of a confab with
Mr.. Stockley, the Vice. President and
active manager of the entire establish
mept. The offices were elegant, but
nv heart was bent on seeing the lac
tory. and thither Mr., Stockley had us
driven in his dainty carriage, Out
over lovely Euclid avenue we drove,
| feasting our eyes on the palaces, with
their spacious green lawns, that lined
both eides, until our vehicle turned
into Mason street. when we heheld the
tall stacks of the Brush Electric Fac
tory. Alighting on the handsome
pavement by the railing that protects
a patch of green sward, lying between
it and the red brick walls, we hurried
through one of the shops and passed
over to the beautiful laboratory Just
completed for Mr.. Brush. 1t is a
beauty outside, but it is a jewel inside.
Mr.. Stockley gave some secret signal,
in a moment the heavy door quietly
opened, aud in the sjar space stood the
handsomest man in Ohio, his coat re-
moved, and a smile of welcome upon
his classic lips. Six feet high, clean
limbed and maseulinely built, a mus
tache aud goatee black as night, a
forehead neither high nor low, but
which would be a fortune to a pretty
woman, aud a little turned of thirty, is
Charles f. Brush, the gentleman who
invited US to enter. | was presented
to this handsome Jove, who FORCES
lightning so deity, and his response
was, us the entire crop Of Southern
ers like this?" a compliment to my
ayoirdupois, you know.
After looking through the tasteful
rooms, wonderfully furnished with
tables and tanks and shelves of the
most costly material, we were suffered
the merest peep int his workshop,
where he thinks, ~invents, designs and
experiments. And then, alter a few
words of p~leassntry, returned to the
workshops, to do them carefully. We
began with the machinery for winding
the miles of copper wire around the
bobbins, then passed machine after
machine. where the details Of the gem
orators and lamps are finished and
fitted, into the brass foundry and the
press room where the carbons are
squeezed and pressed into shape by
hydraulic pressure, to the ovens where
these carbons are baked (or burnt), to
the plating room where they are coated
with copper; then we stood by the 6t-
ters who put these wonderful ma
chimes and lamps together, and
watched them till they we're put in
boxes and nailed up for shipment.
AS we descended from the superin
tendent's Office a forty-light dynamo
Whizzsd in front, beyond were long
lines Of lamps, each in full blaze, being
carefully tested before delivering TO
the packer. We crept By the machine,
keeping at sufficient distance to pre-
vent the magnetizing Of our watch
spring, and gazed through the smoked
glass, used by the tester at the bril-
liant light of the arc. Strange enough
the fame was invisible; all l could see
we're the red joints of the carbons, be-
tween which blazsd the voltaic arc, so
brillian. to the naked eye, but abso-
lutely invisible when viewed through
smoked glass. While | gszed in won
der the electrician connected the lac
tory circuit to the machine aud in an
instant forty lights blazed in all direc-
tons, making the immense establish
ment lighter than MONDAY.
Passing through the crowded lathe
room We entered the power room.
Here two superb Wright engines are
coupled to one driving shalt, like a
locomotive. and between these was a
driving wheel sixteen feet 10 diameter,
with a forty-two-inch face, over which
swept a double leather belt that cost
an even thousand dollars. The en-
gines aggregate four hundred horse
power.
Atthis time something over 800 men
are employed, and when the new shops
and other additions are completed, the
number viii probably be increased to
1000 men and boys, who will turn out
appliances, annually, a~ggregating in
value from two to five millions. The
direc. superintendence Of the mechan
ical department is entrusted to Dir. NJ.
l.. POssons, but the general manage
ment, mechanical and financial, is in
the hands Of Mr. Stockley, who IS as
familiar with every detail Of the appa-
ratus as he is with every dollar Of In.
come and outlay. And added to these
remarkable qualities is a cordiality
and simplicity Of manner that make
association with him exceedingly
pleasant.
AT night time we strolled into thu
park, and gazed up into the artificial
sun that turned darkness into light.
from the summit Of an iron mast that
rose go feet above us. This mast is
supplied with eight lamps Of 1000
candle power each. and the food Of
light they pour upon the immense
square is truly astounding. One who
has not seen the light can scarcely be.
lieye it possible. The light, | am told,
can be seen for miles, and whenever we
placed ourselves in the most remote
corner Of the plaza, the smallest print
OF the daily papers was read with the
7 greatest ease. That's the sort Of light
we need in all our cities.
1t would have been dreary indeed al
eventide had it not been for the kind.
ness of a friend, Mr. G. w. Cady
5 whose cordial hospitality made us for.
z get our loneliness. At noontime w
lunched with him at the club. anC
after supper sat with him In tbI
. theater to squeeze enjoyment out O
Baron Rudolph" as played by Mr.
n and Mra Goor0a - Kus-L