National Republican., 1883-07-13
LET THERE BE LIGHT.
Emancipation Of the Slaves Of Gas by the
United States Electric Company.
illumination OF the Republican building q
by the Maxim Incandcscent Lamp.

Interior illumination by electricity has long
since passed the experimental stage. Great
improvements have recently been made ip
electrical apparatus, by which increased SIM
plicity of construction and higher efficiency
and reliability in operation have been OBJ
tanned than were possible under the OLD
methods, IL any methods Of applying tie
subtle fluid to purposes of illumination caa
be called old. Rapid advances are max
ing in incandescent systems, which are es-
pecially adapted to interior lighting. The
incandescent light is more convenient
for division and distribution of currents,
but It is as yet inferior to the arc in some
respects for the illumination of large spaces,
where power and great and far-reaching brill
liancy is prime requisite, though for the Light
ing of business houses and dwellings tho in
candescent light is infinitely superior to any
other yet known. 1t is cheaper than gas aud
incomparably better The quality and char
acter of the light produced by the incandescent
system is the most perfect means of artificial
illumination yet devised. 1t is produced by
the adolescence of slender carbon con-
ductor inclosed in vacuum in small glass
globe and is absolutely steady and uniform.
The nerve racking flicker that was so obiec-
tonable in vast majority of systems in use
has been entirely removed by the application
of new devices, and the objection rightly
urged against the light in its earlier develop
ment no longer holds.
An electric light plant of 100 Maxim
incandescent lamps has been completed and
is now in full operation, lighting THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN building from dusk
in the evening until daybreak. The COM
postors', editorial, and counting rooms are
illuminated by soft, steady, and brilliant
light, which can safely be claimed as almost
perfect.
I T.. - -. Al
the arc light in safety and convenience, and
is superior in steadiness and color, and more
soft and agreeable to the eye. This system is
especially adapted for interior illumination
where comparatively small lights are re-
quired.
THE REPUBLICAN glories in its absolute
emancipation from the slavery endured whRe
an inforced patron of the gas company.
Language is inadequate to properly convey
the sense Of relief felt. 1t is like walk
ing from darkness into daylight. The
smoky yellow glare of the villainous fluid
which the gas company kindly permits to
ooZe through its kerosene tar clogged pipes
only exist in memory as the recollection of a
nightmare. The eye destroying light, pro-
duced by the so called gas the patrons ofthe gas
company are compelled to use no longer vexes
the editorial or topographic eyes of The Re-
PUBLICAN force of workers. They labor through
the long watches of the night in the full bril-
nancy OF arullclal sunlight, lree from Jne
oppressive heat of hundred gas jets, and
exempt from the sewer odors that arise from
every burner. paradise reigns, compared
to the old regime.
The Maxim incandescent lamp consists of
IN nj shaped carbon conductor, inclosed in a
vacuum by glass globe about two and one
half inches in diameter. The carbon is made
by peculiar process devised by Mr.. Maxim,
which gives livery great durability, strength,
and capacity for withstanding the disinte
grating effect of powerful currents. One of
the Maxim lamps, constructed to give a light
of twenty-five candles, was run for short
time at the Paris exposition at an illuminating
power of eleven hundred candles. The life
time of the Maxim lamp, when run at its
normal power. is very long. In plants which
have been erected during the past year
the average lifetime of the lamps has been
considerably over a thousand hours, and
many lamps which have been burning from
two to three thousand hours are still intact.
The incandescent electric light demon
strates its ability to compete successfully with
gas, and is evidently destined in the near fu-
ture to supplant gas for general interior il
Elimination. The plant illuminating The
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN building was put in,
and is now maintained by the United States
Electric Lighting company of Washington
This company was organized Nov. 8, 1882,
with capital Of 100000, Mr.. James L. Bar
bour, president; William Dickson, secretary,
and A. Nj. Renshaw,g general manager. The cleo
tric apparatus adopted by this company is that
of the United States Electric Lighting COM
pany, of New York, which embraces
the Weston dynamo electric machines
and the Maxim incandescent lamps,
The arc and incandescent systems of the
United States Electric Lighting company are
in general use both in this country and Eu-
rope and is probably the most perfect in ex-
istence.
The Maxim incandescent light is now in
use at the Philadelphia postoffice, United
States mint, Union League club, Equitable
building, and many other public buildings
throughout the country. The United States
arc light has been adopted for street lighting
in Now York, Philadelphia Boston, Chicago,
and most OF the other important cities, except
Washington, whicn alone adheres TO the
Rip Van Wrinkle system of poor street lamps
Incandescent lamps of different sizes fol
giving light of eight candles and upward
are manufactured. Each lamp is provided
with socket or holder, which is so arranged
that the lamp when in position is held firmly
but may be readily removed for renewal; and
merely placing the lamp in the holder makes
the necessary electrical connections. These
holders are made with or without switches, OF
keys for turning the light on and off, and o.
various styles, plain and ornamental. Fol
use with chandeliers aud in similar places Il
is frequently desirable to have the swtcf
separate from the holder, and in more ao
cessible and convenient place; and single
switch will frequently suffice for all the light.
Oh a chandelier.
To prevent all danger of overheating thu
conducting wires by an abnormal flow O
current an automatic cutoff is placed in eacl
; branch, which interrupts the circuit if from
any cause the current passing becomes
stronger than the wire can safely carry.
From their station on ID street the com
pany now run their electric circuits through
all the principal business avenues of the city
Up to the present time some seventy ar,
lights have been put in use, and the demand
is steadily increasing. The city postofiice i
now entirely illuminated by arc lights, anC
some of the government departments ar,
contemplating their introduction.
The arc light is rated at 1000 candle power
and is specially adapted to lighting larg
open spaces; for street lighting it is fast su
percoding gas in all the principal cities.
Washington with its beautiful avenues
parks, and public buildings, would be mos
attractive city Illuminated by electric lights
---o-----
Women's National League.
The regular meeting of the Women's Ma
tiona Industrial league was held last night
with fair attendance. Several speeches wer
made, and the league adopted two resolutions
one OF which ndorsed n hotel proprietor a
Lake George n W for supplying suitable