Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-28

w.. s,,,eri,tendent Keclx is Doing to
Increase the Illuminating Power of the
Electric Light-Changes in the Masts.
Mr.. TIP. Keck. the new Superir 'endent
of the Electric Light Works, has num-
Der of hands employed in removing the
lamps from the masts and towers TO the
new building which has been erected
for the works. He is also cutting
some Of the masts so mat the
lirht. when il shall be operated again next
month. may have full play oenealu t the
trees instead of above them. a rev OF tue
nasts will not be changed in any way IN
asmlch as they are placed so tnat tne
ravs of light were not INSTRUCTED d. the
foliage. Whether additional masts VIII
be erected is a question which Mr. meek
will not undertake 10 answer untiL the
engines and dynamOs shall again De IN
operation and the effect OF the hSh.s Oe
thoroughly tested. He remarked 10
MORNING NEWS reporter Yesterday that
he did not understand the object OF sus-
pending the lamps over mass OF timex ioi-
iage when the light was required beneatn
the branches. and that consequently ne hau
decided TO shorten a number OF the masts
from - to % feet. whereupOn several per
sons intimated that they knew the mast
system would be abandoned. The masts
in a lOcation that may prove 10 De DelteI
adapted for showing the lights at the best
The reporter asked Mr.. Keck why
the Iaulps were being stored in the
new building. and was informed that
they would there be Thoroughly
oyerbauied and cleaned, and after the
the works shall again be IN operation theA
will be ranged or connected on clcuit
al electricity. and if the carbons gave
out a good light the lamps would De re-
Turned 10 the towers and masts, Wnlle
those that showed defective light would
D. kept at the workshop where the deIects
could be remedied.
The reporter inquired furtnef why II Is
that on stormy nights when there Is Wliu
as well as rain. many lights worked Daul!
OF were wholly eXtingulshec, Wheh the
Superintendent replied that the lamps
were placed on top of the masts instead
If bainr SUSPENDED. Where the lamps
sat on top of the masts theY
were likely to tremble or jar sumcientiy
~ causa the carbOns to be WITHIN
The distance required to produce good
ligbt at one instant. while during the sue
ceeding second Of time, perhaps, they
would he out of position and the electric
current would fail TO produce the proper
light. Ii is the intention to overcome THIS
obstacle bv suspending the lamp so that
II NAV vibrate 20 a certain extent ana
thus prevent the Earring or trembling re-
ferred to-
The reason why some of the lights in
circuit were lighted while others on the
same line were extinguished on stormy
nights is easily explained. The wire
in some portions OF the city was
hung too near the branches OF
trees which on windy nights rubbed
OF the insulation, and if the night were
rainy the circuit of electricity was broken
ana the adjacent lamps extingulshed. The
wires will be moved so that they may not
be injured in this way hereafter. Two
engines with sufficient power to operate
100 lights are on the way to savannah,
and il is expected the city will be rehght-
"a better than il was before during the
latter part Of next month. Some OF the
towers will have two and others as many
as five lights. The lamps III the tow
ers will. however, be suspended IN
such way that they may always be
level. Heretofore on some of the towers
the lamps had list 10 one side, ana the
effect of the light was impaired, the rays
being cast unequally about the point
where they were created. Mr.. heck
observed that about So per cent. OF the
light in the towers should fall IN the dlrec-
ton of the earth, and that it was mis-
taken idea 10 suppose that over 10 per
cent. Of the rays were reflected heaven
E-ard