The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1886-09-09
snl,a mHAl.


beone (ioEal 81 obe.
Whilea few OF our readers may be
acquainted With the Edison Electric
tight system as operated in Boone.
yet we believe the majority do not
understand Il g. well as they perhaps
would Ike 20. We visited the head
quarters last week with the special
object o. giving the Globe readers an
intelligent idea Of the system and
how it q carried on. For the infoF-
nation and other eOurtesies We are
under obligations 10 Mr.. Burgess, the
efficient manager Of the oil mill.
The electricity IL generated By two
No Edison dynamos Of the most i'm
proved design, the power which
drives them d furnished by amagnih-
cent sixty horsepower Reynolds-eOr-
tfa8 engine located In the basement.
The dynamOs are 10 reality nothing
bot large horseshoe magnets. A
shkft feVOlges very rapidly between
the two poles Of the magnets and by q
pair Of brass combs that press against
ID, produces q powerful current which
e. carried Olfon heavy copper wires,
and from there to all parts of the city.
The room 4 filed with q number OF
instruments for regulating the eur
rent; which varies according % the
condition Of the atmosphere. At
times the cir is 70 full OF electFity
that Il e necessary 20 connect ma
chimes that will cause q resistance,
and thus make the flow regular. In
case Of storms or tightening instru-
ments are provided for throwing the
electricity into the ground, should IL
strike one Of the wires.
The light producing power IL In
vested In little globes, rated at 10, IL
or 50 candle power. They are nearly
q vacuum and Theoretically sealed.
A carbon wire. the shape Of 8 hair
pin IL fastened into the giabe and the
electricity passing through this wire
heats Is toa white heat producing the
brilliant, steady light with which we
ere all acquaiuted.
The most ingenious and compiled
ted device, however, IL the meter, an
instrument for measuring the amount
.Os electricity moved. It consists Of q
sheet iron case about l2x8x4, the
back Of which is lifted with q board.
Upon this board two glass tumbiers
are fixed each fiiled with q solution Of
acid. Two pieces Of zinc, carefully
insulated are placed In each glass jar.
The current must pass through the
liquid, and IN 80 doing the zinc from
one piece is eaten of and deposited
on the other. When the pieces of the
zinc are put in each is weighed and
at the end Of the month they are
weighed again. The amount that one
zinc has lOst will show the quantity
Of electricity used. The weighing
must be reduced TO q nicely and the
metric OF French system IL used. The
consumer pays 90 much per kilogram
for the electricity used, which is
about one cent per hour for an ordi-
nary burner.
The beauties Of the system are, that
It is always resdy-yOu turn It on
when you need Il and the full power
IL ct once supplied. There IL no put
tering with lamps, wicks, chimneys
OF of, and there is no possibility Of
an explosion The globes can be
placed anywhere and the expense Il
about the same as 90 ordinary lamp.
The capatity Of the dynamOs is 1000
light at present there are about 900
IN operation. Boone ought TO be
proud Of Its magnigeent electric light
system.