Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-09-25
Electric Meadlights.
levelsnd Herald

The question of improved locomotiv
headlights has long been q study wit
inventors. While the oil lamp with
powerful reflector has well served til
purpose In the past, the need of some
thing more powerful has been fol,
With the advent of electricity il wa
believed that the subtitle fluid woul,
sooner or later be utilized for the pul
pose, as the bright improvements O
this Inventive age are supplanting nj
antfquated methods. The great diff
Guilty to be overcome in the successful on
rloyment of the electric light on loco
motives was to make the light con
tinuous, the iDcessant heavy jar of tn
engine tending either to throw th
CARTONS together or 80 far apart tina
the light would be entirely eclipsed, or
80 intermittent as to be useless. TIL,
mechanicism in the various electri,
light lamps that are adapted to every
day use In the street and house light
ing are en- tirely useless when subjected
to heavy jar and continued motion.
| After many experiments Mr.. George
| q. Pyle, young inventor of Dayton,
Ohio, has perfected q headlight tba
has thus far proved highly successful
The invention has been purchased and
will be manufactured by a company
that has been formed in Akron, under
the name of the American Elec rio
Headlight Company, with Lewis Miller
for its President. W. B. RAYMOND
Treasurer and Secretary. An es . lrsior
was run from Akron TO Cleveland and
return last night under their auspices
and conducted by Mr.. G. r. Stewar,
and accompanied by several mem bert
of the company. The excursion train
of three we'll filled coaches left Akron
at GAO, drawn by engine No. II of the
Cleveland, Akron and COlum bus Road,
managed by w. A. Clinxham, engi.
neer, and William Tu, ker, fireman.
Among the gentlemen who are particu.
larly interested in a successful head
light we're General Manager Townsend
and Master Mechanic Thornby, of the
Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling Road
Charles Latimer, chief engineer, and
Mr.. Fuller, master mechanic Of the
New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Road
Sam Briggs, general manager, and Mr..
Bean, master mechanic of the Connotton
Valley Road N. Monsarrat, general
superih tendent. and the MISTER me-
cbanic of the Cleveland, Akron & Co
lun. bus Road the superintendent and
master mechanic of the g. c., G. Il /.
Road Superintendent J. Bunner, OF
the @. & P; K. r. Smith, general
manager G. & p. Superintendent of the
Motion Power Stevens, of the Lake
Shore l.. Williams, general manager
Of the Nickel Plate, and other railroad
men, besides large cotingent of the
old business men Of Akron.
The run to H udson was made with q
short stop at Cuyahoga Falls. The en-
gineer of q G. & p, which stood on the
track at Hudson, said he saw the relic.
ton of the light twenty minutes before
the train stopped at that station. The
persons most interested in the light were
given an opportunity to witness its
effect from the cab of the engine,
changes being made when the engine
stopped to accommodate "a many as pos
sible. The lightstreamed full and clear
far ahead of the engine, illuminating
the track to fully half a mile in advance.
30 powerful was 1t that small birds
were' disturbed from their rcosting
places, and after fiuttering in front Of
the light for moment were lost to sight
In the darkness as the swiftly moving
train shot by. 1t seemed that the boast
Of the Yankee to an English engineer
that the headlights we're 80 strong on
American engines that the chickens
were lured from their roost, believing
day had dawned was about to be fulfill
ed. just before the train drew into
Bedford, one of the carbons broke owing
to defect In Its composition, the frsl
instance that has occurred during q
test of six months, in which the light
has been carried over more than So, OO(
M ~ n ri q tvv,v ,n<1t ota1xu
substituted, and in less than minute
after the train stopped the light again
shone brilliantly as before.
As the train entered the suburbs Of
Cleveland every crossing was crowd
ed with wondering people TO witness
the novel light, which was loudly
cheered rs 1t rushed swiftly by. The
Union Depot was reached about 8 So.
Few people were present to see the
train arrive. After q stop of half an
hour the excursionists again took their
seats and departed for Akron.
The dynamo that furnishes the light
Is small affair fastened to the foot
board of the engine On the left side,
and directly In front of the cab. 1t Is
run by three horse power rotary en-
CINE fastened between it and the cab,
the steam power being derived from
the boiler of the engine. The light is
equivalent to that which would be de-
| rived from 1000 candles. The POWER
necessary to run the dynamo will not
exceed one and one. half horse power.
The mechanism of the lamp is kept
a secret by the company, which has
already possession OF twelve patents
covering its various parts, and expects
to secure still others. 1t is so construct
ed that 1t will burn in any position, as
long as o current passes through ii and
the carbons hold out. The same lamp
was tested during the months of Febru-
airy and March over the Panhandle
road, then over the Richmond & Dan
willie road, and later over the New York,
Pennsylvania & Ohio between Gallon
and Dayton.
The test given the light last night was
" ell received by the excursionists, who
were more than satisfied Of its effective
ness and adaptability 70 the purpose fol
which it is designed. Railroad men
cannot fail to welcome this addition to
the improvements that makes travel
safer, and the travelling public will also
have cause for rejoicing when powerful
electric lights are employed on all en-
gines. With Oil lamps and redectors
engineers consider they have apowerful
light when 1t thiows o reflection past
four telegraph poles. The electric light
more than d0ubly discounts the oil
lamps in this respect.
Gain ana Pain.