Omaha daily bee., 1885-07-14
A QUEER HOME.
Marvellous Electric Fittings in an
Electricians House,
Lighting the Hall Lamp by Unlocking
the Front Door-Fire Alarms
An Electric Plant in
the Cellar,
New York Sun,

Take this key, step outslde, anc
when 1 have ~extinguished the hall lamp
open the door," Edwin II. johnson, the
electrician and warm friend Of Edison,
said to q REP orter In the ball of 139 East
Thirty. sixth street one evening. The
reporter stepped into the vestibule,
shutting the front door He had barely
time to observe that the terra Gotta OF
the vestibule and the decorations of the
st~ained-glsss door were brought out
most effectively by the light from two
electric lamps when he noticed that the
hall lamp had been extlnguished. With
the key he unlocked the front door, and
as he pushed It open the gas jet In COM
binstion with the electric lamp In the
hall was lighted.
"That's an arrangement l have for the
convenience OF any one kept out late at
night" Mr.. johnson said. "When the
servant ex%tlpguishes the light she sets q
switch near the door. When the door
is opened the lamp Is lighted automat-
ically. 1t is also controlled by a push.
button In the second story, 30 that the
late conner, after ascending the stairs by
Its light, San %extingulsh 1t from above"
The parlor was dark. Sundenly 1t was
brightly lighted. Mr.. johnson had
touched a push bottom on entering, and
thrown on the electric lights and gas Jets
in the combination chandelier, which Is
80 constructed that gas or electric lights
can be used separately or together. The
design of the chandelier Is admirably
adapted to electric lighting. Its arms
represent stems Of pendent flowers. The
out. glass pendant globes, delicately
tinted with ruby, the color being applied
to the edges of the cut oorustatlons only,
are the petals, and the bright electric
lamps the pistils. The chandelier In the
dining room, back of the parlor, Is of the
same design. 1t front of the gate was a
Japsnele screen.
ssLook at the Serene" Mr.. johnson
said, as he stepped to the door from the
dining room into the hall, "and I'll
show you a pretty effect"
PRETTY EFTECT
In an instant the room was dark. In
another the screen was q brilliant trans
parency. When the chandelier lamps
were again lighted the reporter found
that there were two electric lamp, In the
bottom of the CRATE, and that the light
from these, falling upon the screen, pro-
duced the effect. In the winter they
illuminate white pine shavlngs stepped In
parafine oil, giving the effect OF a wood
fire. In the smoking, room 81 adjoining the
electric lamps were completely enclosed
In pink globes ornamcnted with white
stars. Electric clgar-llghters were han
dy. The rooms In the fist story are now
lighted by chandeliers of electric lamps
and combination electric and gas wall.
brackets, but MI. johnson intends short.
ly to introduce a substitute for the chan
delier and a novel method of interior dec
grafton. Chandeliers are regarded by
decorators as interferences, because they
disturb the harmony of frsaco designs.
Yet 1t has been found difficult to dis
pense with them because 80 much of the
light from side brackets is absorbed by
the dark tints in dark tlnts In decoration
that from 55 to 70 per cent more gas Is
burned than If the room were
lighted by a chandelier. Mr..
johnson proposes to run a frieze of bev-
eled plate-glass mirrors around the room,
and suspend, by silk cords, electric lamps
over the faces of the mirrors, which will
reflect the light to Its full value. Where
the chandelier now Is, an ornamental
brass bowl, studded with glass jewels,
will be affixed to the ceiling. Within
this howl will be electric lamps with re.
Electors, which will render the rays In
visible yet cause the glass jewels to glow
and ditfuse a soft voluptuous light through
the room. In the billiard room, in the
basement, is an arrangement for lighting
| which meets the approval of all who play
| over the table. Instead of the ordinary
fixtures, which interfere with the players
line of vision, and cause shadows, or,
what are as dissgreeable to players, con-
centrated rays of light, electric lamps are
placed directly under inverted dishes APP
piled close to the ceiling over each cor
ner Of the table. In addition, two cleo
trio lamps are pendent from ornamental
horns on the wall.
But besides the ~elertrlo lightning there
are 30 many applications of electricity to
various appsratuses, designed to con.
tribute to the comfort or diversion of the
inmates of the house, that the lightning
Is only q 1.-THE of the interesting features
of the dwelling. Among the applications
Is an automatic temperature regulator,
which keeps the atmosphere at a pleas
ant temperature. Up stairs is q thermos-
tai, consisting of a strip of two materials
having different degrees of expansion,
laid one upon the other. With a rise of
temperature, for instance, the resistance
of the material of less expansion to that
of greater expansion Causes the strip to
curve and on curving makes electric
connection. The wires run down to a
combination electro. magnet and clock
work apparatus In the cellar, which, by
operating on q valve allows hot or cool
air to ascend to the rooms above.
1 R ALARMS.
A fire. alarm Is In each room. 1t con-
STATS of a mercurial thernosat, the mer-
curry rising when the temperature reaches
113', high enough to make electric con-
n~ectlon and start a loup alarm bell. The
burglar alarm Is connected by special
circuit with every electric lamp and gas
jet In the house. The instant q house.
breaker forces a window or door he will
be confronted by q blsz, of light. Until
recently the family was awakened in the
morning by a drum beaten by electricity
aud controlled by q push-button In MI.
Johnson's room. The contrivance has
been taken down for repairs. In various
parts of the house are contrlvances
which resemble miniature wlndmills, the
arms being ahout thrae inches In IapuEb