Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-31

i a matter Of pleasing oatASioSeAOH- -
General adoption Of electricity as means
NJ Illumination is certainly not far dis
taut. and Savannah is in the front OF
southern cities to avail itself Of the ad-
vantages OF the system. The Brush Flee
tric Light and Power Company
Of this city was formed in June,
ISS2. with nominal capi-
tai Of 500 600. the amount invested beng
So. 900. the remaining $4,000 being owned
BY the parent company, in Cleveland
Ohio. The first light was erected eeptem-
Der -. al the Theatre, and lights were
burning in the streets November - Inc
officers OF the company are as follows;
President-Samuel p. Hamilton
Secretary and Treasurer - Daniel Il.
Direcfors-D. G. Purse, J. H. Estill.
George Walter. r. b. Reppard, ii.
Griffith. Simon Gazan.
Superintendent-F. Z. Gilmore.
The stock Is divided into shares OF SlOV
each.
4 temDorarv arrangement Of lights was
placed in operation in the streets until
the system Of towers was adopted. The
first tower was erected in Wright square,
and was lighted the first of February.
The system now comprises twelve towers
Of five lamps each. exclusive of the four
on the City Exchange steeple. making a
total Of sixty-fOur lights.
The towers already completed are To-
Gated as follows: Wright square; Mon
terev square: corner River and Houston
streets: Canal street at the works; Orange
and Il. Gaul streets; Liberty and West
Broad: old Hebrew Cemetery, Stewart
and Wilson. The foundation Is laid and
the tower is in course of erection at the
corner Of Liberty and Habersham streets.
The foundation is also laid at the
corner Of Price and Huntington. The
location Of the remaining three towers Is
not as vet exactly determined. but there
will he one in the Old Fort district and
two near the southern extremity Of the
Park extension. Several single lamps
viii also be erected in portions Of the
city not reached by the towers.
THE POWER.
The lights are 1000 candle power each,
and the total Illuminating power of the
entire number of towers Of 10000 candle
power is 12S.000 candle power. The
electricity is generated by two forty
light and one sixteen light Brush dynamo
generators. The power at present used
10 run the generators is a GUNNER auto
matte cutoff engine Of l2j horse power.
THE SPACE ILLUMINATED.
The space Illuminated by the system Of
lights contracted by the city to be in Op-
Grafton by April is about two square
miles. the towers being conveniently 10
Gated to accomplish this result. The light
is estimated, however. to be sufficient to
illuminate territory for a quarter of
mile beyond the corporate limits. Each
tower is calculated to illuminate space
1900 feet I'm diameter. In the immediate
vicinity of the towers the light. is very
brilliant and the shadows formed are very
sharply defined. For the distance of, say
one block, the light is about equal to a
half moon; two to three blocks, quarter
moon; and four blocks one can see
the sidewalk and street plain
enough to drive without danger. As one
goes from the light towards a shadow it
appears TO be dark beyond. but on arriv-
ing at the shadow it is still quite light.
The darker the night the better
il appears to work. The light is
visible at different points for from fifteen
to twenty miles distant, and Is described
TO have the appearance Of being about
three times the appearance OF the planet
Venus. The reason it looks so large is
probably because the lights Of one tower.
or two and sometimes three lights are
seen together. Ii will be surprising to
learn that the actual light at the point of
combustion of the carbOns is no larger
than a marrow fat pea.
THE TOWERS.
The towers are of Elgin tubular patent.
triangularlv constructed. with gas pipe
tubing and iron braces. They are all one
hundred and fifty feet high, except those
at the works and at the corner of River
and Houston streets, under the bluff, which
are one hundred and eighty-five feet
oh They stand a foundation
embedded eight feet in the earth. The
top is Ornamented with a little bal
cOny and is reached in two ways
first BY little cross bars riYeted to
one Of the corners of the tower.
like the rounds of a ladder, all the
way up. and, second, by means Of an ele-
yatOT, suspended by a rope passed over a
pulley under the lamps. The weight of
the man who takes his seat in the elevator
Is balanced by a similar weight, so that
by the eXertiOn of few pounds he is able
to raise himself to the top Of the tower.
This ascent must be made every day to
change the carbon points, and is done by
one Of the cline men," who proceeds to the
top by means of the iron ladder, the ele-
vatOTs, except on the tower in Wright
square. not having been adjusted as yet.
The task is Of course not a desirable one,
but is easily performed by a careful man,
who chooses good hour in the day time
for work. On the whole the appearance
of the towers is pleasing to the sight, and
are rather ornaments to the city than
otherwise.
THE LAMPS.
To many people it is a mystery how the
towers are lighted. or the electricity is turn
ed on, it being difficult for those who have
not studied the system to disabuse their
minds of the old idea of lighting, as seen
in the gas system. All the lights that are
in the circuit, or on one round of wire and
properly connected, are lighted as soon as
the electricity commences to "hOw," or,
i'm other words, the lamps are lighted by
simply starting the generator. The lamps
on the towers are provided with double
carbOns. and viii burn from fourteen to
sixteen hours without attention. There
are now ninety-eight lamps placed in the
city, and orders are being contracted as
fast as the convenience of the works can
supply them.
The circuit is now started about half
an hour before sunset. for the convenience
of the stores and buildings: but as soon as
the city is separated from the private cir
cult. the towers will be lighted just be-
fore sunset and turned off just before
sunrise in the morning, remaining burn
ing all night. Many experiments have
been tried to test the strength of the light.
such as telling the time on a watch dial
several blocks from tower, or reading a
newspaper, etc. The light can be seen
for many miles in the country, and will
serve as guides to riyermen.
The light within the immediate vicinity
of the tower say within a block in any
directiOn) is exceedingly brilliant. As
one recedes from the tower the intensity
Of the light decreases in a direct ratio to
the square of the distance. 1t casts
distinct shadow half mile,
and so mOdifies the darkness as
In walking through the streets on
tour Of observation it was noticed that
an obstruction to the direct rays from
building or tree to any intervening sub
stance. caused what appeared to be
black shadow; and vet when the dark
spot was penetrated it seemed TO be not
that shadow but the next one that was
black. Always dark spot ahead, but it
could never be reached. Many an alley
and by place was approached where
darkness seemed to reign supreme, but
upon trayersing the place the gloom
would disappear and light, though mOdi-
fed perhaps by surrounding distractions,
would be sufficient to answer every pur-
pose. The shadows were more distinct
and well defined where light only came
from one tower. COunteracting rays from
another direction practically destroyed
the shadows.
CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.
The contract that the city has made
with the Brush Electric Light and Power
Company STIMULATES that the city shall be
lighted for period Of three years for the
sum Of $4,000 per year. BY the terms of
this contract the company argue to fur
nish light Of a far greater Illuminating
power and at comparatively a less cost
than gas.