Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-08-28
AN ELECTRIC HOUSEHOLD.
HOW A PITTS sU sG SECHANIC EAE
MESSED TIE L1GHTNINo.
Fitting Up His Dwelling with Won
dcrfuI appliances aS IA
Good Domestic Servant,

Good Domestic servant,
The residence of MIR. Winsow jack
son, of Pittsburg, Penn, might truly be
styled a model mechanics home. 1t is
a three story brick, plainly but neatly
furnished, and fitted throughout with
the latest electric appliances. The cleo
trio apparatus, which is as complete as
any in the city, was manufactured en-
tirely by Mr.. jackson in his leisure hours.
The windows and doors, cupboards,
closets, ice boxes and drawers all
through the house are fitted with cleo
trio burglar alarms, so that the slightest
movement of any one of them throws on
a current and starts little electric bell
in Mr.. Jackson's bedroom to ringing.
Every gas jet in the house has a wire at
tached to it, and the mere pressing of
spring lights or puts out the gas in
stantly. On entering the house stranger
is almost led to believe he is in fairy
land or in one of the marvellous caves
told about in the "Arabian Nights"
where the owner has only to
lift his finger and slave
awaits his bidding. Mr.. Jackson has
made electricity bis slave. He presses a
spring with his finger and his gas is lit,
another spring and his servant is called
from the kitchen or any portion of the
house. When he goes to bed his faith
full slave warns him of the slightest at
tempt of any person to enter the house.
In the morning the little electric bell at
tached to his clock wakens him in time
for his work. Mr.. jackson is roller by
trade. He is employed at the Republic
Iron works.
His salary is only that of any other
roller, but by perseverance and industry
he has made himself name that any man
might be proud of. A reporter who
called at Mr.. Jackson's residence was
kindly welcomed. On entering the hall
all was dark within the house, but an
instant later the large gas jet suspended
from the ceiling was blaze of light
apparently of its own accord. The re.
porter in his astonishment leaned against
the door post to recover his breath, and
instantly the house was dark again.
"There, you have put it out" eX-
claimed Mr.. Jackson.
81? Why, didn't touch itp'
"No, you didn't touch the burner, but
you leaned up against the spring that
regulates the electric current Now, |
will light it again." and suiting the
action to the word, Mr.. Jackson touched
another spring in the wall near the door,
ana the hall was again a blaze of light.
The gas in the hall can be lighted from
almost any portion of the house. If any
member of the family has occasion to
come down stairs during the night, the
mere touching of button at the
head of the stairs lights the way for him.
The other jets in the house are operated
in the same way. The spring for turning
on and off the currents, the automatic
lighters, the burglar alarms and every
thing connected with electric apparatus
were made by Mr.. Jackson in his little
shop in the basement. The house con
tains over five hundred feet of fine insul-
ated wires, all of which are concealed in
the wood work.
The electricity is furnished by two
batteries of five cells each, one for the
burglar alarm and call bell and the other
ror the gas. The batteries are placed in
corner cf the attic. so they take up
very little room. Almost a month ago
Mr.. Jackson was awakened in the early
morning by the violent ringing of the
little alarm bell at the head of his bed.
Quickly dressing and going down stairs
he found one of the front windows
raised almost an inch A short ladder
was standing against the side of house
l,<t O,,t,;Ja l.,
urer for lodge at that time and had
brohght home with him quite sum of
money that night. A plan to rob him
of the money had evidently been formed,
and the plot would probably have sue
Ceeded had it not been for the little
alarm bell. Mr.. Jackson is a great
reader and converses intelligently on al
most any subject. While sitting in his
parlor explaining the theory on which
his electric appliance worked, a young
man appeared at the door and inquired
for Miss, a young lady who is stop
ping with the family.
"She will be mere IN a moment" Mr..
Jackson replied, as he leaned back in his
chair and touched a spring.
In less than half a minute the Young
lady came tripping down stairs from her
room in the third story.
In the course of the conversation Mr..
Jackson said: "Wheu / built my house
over Il year ago it was my purpose to
make it just as cosy and convenient as
possible and still keep within the limit
of my income. While visiting the East
saw house that was fitted with cleo
tricity, and | at once determined to fit
my own house in the same way. didn't
have the money to employ an expert to
put the wires in and make the apparatus
so l determined to make it myself. |
never took regular course in electrical
science, and all I know about it l
got by reading and observation. Well,
l came home and got to work. / spent
nearly all my leisure hours at it, and af-
ter numerous experiments and failures, l
hace at last succeeded even beyond my
expectation. l made the burglar alarm
first, and l liked its operation so well
that kept right ON and made the gas
lighter and call-bell. never had an
electrician in my house from the time |
commenced the work until it was fin
ished. The apparatus, including what
money | spent on experiments, did not
cost more than $45. The cost of keep
ing it up amounts to only 50 year, not
much more than one would spend for
matches in that time"
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