The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1885-12-03


EIsortric light.
A month ago when the question Of
lighting our city with electricity, or
gas was considered, we were rigidly
in favor Of the former. and, with our
mental vision, we saw our streets,
beautiful homes and business houses
aglow with the ineandescenee Of cleo
trio lamps. We pictured to Ourself,
our own home with steady, softly
tempered electric lights, free from
smoke, lamp cleaning, wick trimming,
chimney breaking, oil smelling and
oil soiling inconvenience, TO say
nothing Of the danger that arise
from explosions aud accidental break
age Of lamps. 1t now seems that we
are doomed 10 disappointment. rs our
citizens have Ia q great measure, COM
pared the incandescent electric lamp
with coal oil lamp and after finding
out that a clean, steady. nOn-ficker-
ing and never smoking 10 candle
power electric lamp costs 3 few cents
more per month than a greasy, can
die power coal oil lamp, have decided
ia favor Of the latter, and, on we go,
with the same old Inconvenience,
dark streets and gloomy houses, as Of
yOre. We are informed that this en-
terprise is destined to fail for want of
customers for 30 electric lamps. If
Il does fail, the failure is due to
miserable lack Of enterprise ON the
part Of our citizens. Let us examine,
for \ moment, this light question rs
lamp, burning on an average, two
hours per night. will consume about
80 cents worth Of oil per month, or,
perhaps, a little less. The 50 cents
per month, may possibly cover the
expense Of wicks aud chimneys also.
This lamp, II kept well cleaned aud
trimmed. with a good burner, will
give a light equal to five candles.
Where a family has n large sitting
room or two rooms connected by
double doors, two or three lamps are
necessary to afford the amount OF
light desired. Now one electric lamp
OF rs candle power is equal TO little
mOIe than three good coal oil lamps
and will beautifully illuminate two
large paFlOrs connected by double
doors. The expense Of such a lamp
Is one cent per hour, and, when
N.Han hnrnN.s
night, would cost 80 cents per month.
To sum this matter up, we find that
where one coal oil lamp ailOr ls all the
light that family needs, the expense
may be little less per month than
the electric lamp, but where several
lamps are necessary. the electric lamp
is cheaper than oil, 10 say nothing of
the labor Of cleaning and trimming
oil Ia mps. In view Of all the cOnven-
iences Of this new light, we think |
every family in town eau afford one |
and will become customers IL they |
properly understand the matter |
According tO our registration list, we |
have in Salina iU40 voters. While /
there are, Of course, quite u number Of /
voters that are not house keepers,
there are a great many hOuse-keepers /
that are not voters, 50 that there are
probably eight or pine hundred /
hOuse-keepers in the city. When we
consider the drug stores, hotels and
other business houses that need and
nust have plenty of light, IL does
seem that customers for 500 lamps
could easily be found. It should no
longer be a question between coal oil
and electric light, as the time has
come for us TO light our streets and
this we cannot do with oil. The
question now Is between gas and the
incandesoent electric lamp. From
information ELECTED by an extensive
and carefully conducted correspond
ence, we find that electric light costs
only little over half as much as gas
and at the same time affords more
and better light. For example,: An
electric lamp is equal 10 Is candles
while a gaslight Is equal TO only l..
There Is another important thing to
consider In favor Of electric light as
compared with gas. There is no room
for any improvement IN this kind of
light. IL has been In use so long that
everything connected with its manu-
facture or consumption Is as good as
it ever will be. The electric light on
the other hand is a much more recent
invention, is the coming light and
the machinery for its manufacture
will doubtless be improved so as to
greatly cheaper the light, and, ulti-
mately, cause it TO be the only light |
used in cities as gas has formerly been.
Abilene and Clay Center will soon
have electric light. Salina II a larger
and better town than either, aud
shall we with our new colleges and
railroads take step backwards and
take up gas just when the rest of the
world is laying Il down ? When at
Kansas City n few days ago, we found
hat they had investigated the cleo
.ric lamps aud were adopting them.
fhe Times Block al the junction Of
Main and Delaware streets, one Of the
finest buildings i'm the city, was COW
sred on all sides with the inscription:
This entire block will be supplied
With the Edison incandescent electric
amps" We felt proud that we were
catching ON" 40 rapidly and were
sOing Ia have the improved light as
OOn as the great town Of Kansas City, Z
,ut nov Il looks as Il the enterprise
we're about tO fail and we are liable 20 /
rave nothing, or what Is worse, gas.
hat must necessarily prevent Us, for
ears, from getting that which we !
hOuld have and must forever be
heaper and better-Electrie Light.