Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-09-12
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

son, Md.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
Some Information Concerning the Miles
City Company and its Plant.
Ever since Miles City commenced to
take on metropolitan airs, the idea Of
introducing the electric light has been
canvassed and steps have more than
once been taken Ia secure the desired
luxury. No one has been more ac-
tive in the matter than Mr.. Berthold
Ullman and when happy circum-
stance brought him in business con-
nection with Lieut.. +. X. Gilman, of
Fort Keogh, the consummation of our
wishes followed as a natural result
Lieut.. Gilman shortly after his arrival
here, less than year ago, invested
largely in city property and at once
became actively interested in the well
fare of the town. In conjunction
with Messrs. Joseph Leighton. VIM.
Courtenay, B. Ullman, H. f. Batch
elor. W. +. Schnalsle and Edmond
Butler, the Miles City Electric Light
Il Water Works company was Or
ganized, and early in the sum-
mer Lieutenant Gilman went
east to examine the merits of the
various electric light systems. He
visited all the large cities and eventu-
ally selected the Thompson-H Houston
system as being the best one before the
public. On his return the matter was
discussed by the company, and de-
cision made to order Thomson
Houston plant which arrived some
days ago and will this week be placed
In position in the basement Of Lieut..
Gilman's building on Main street.
Mr.. Ogden, the western manager of
the system, Is now in the city superin-
tending the putting in of the plant,
and from him we learn that the
Thomson Houston system was per-
fected IN Boston about three years ago
but has been constantly improved
since then by newly patented ap-
pliances, the latest patent having been
granted as late as May, 1886. From
the fact that 1t has supplanted all
other systems wherever 1t came In
competition with them-notably in
the capitol building at Washington
1t Ia believed to he the most perfect
system In use, and 30 certain are Its
manufacturers Of giving satisfaction,
that they put 1t in anywhere on trial
for thirty days at their cost and risk.
1t Is in use In nearly all the large
cities In the New England states. at
Akron, o., Sacramento, Cal. and
other places.
The Miles City plant consists of
S5.horse power Westinghouse engine
and a dynamo having a capacity of
20 arc lights and SO incandescent
lights. The arc lights are I. .5OO-candle
power. suitable for lighting halls,
stores, and streets; the incandescent
lights are l6-candle power each, which
for the benefit Of the uninformed we
will say are rated as equal to two No.
2 Sunburner oil lamps. or one six-foot
gas burner. The engine used to run
the dynamo is in itself marvel of
mechanical art. 1t is q very recent
invention and Is entirely enclosed by
castings, all its working parts being
concealed from view and running sub
merged In oil. 1t Is automatic Ia is
action, and Is calculated to run an In.
definite time without stopping.
From its peculiar construction 1t
has no center or bearing and conse-
quently q minimum of wear and
friction, ensuring q steady, even and
powerful movement very essential In
the driving Of q dynamo. the result is
that the arc lights, which are usually
Objectionable by reason of their sput-
tering and Pickering. are by this sys-
TEN rendered as steady. noiseless
and pleasant as the eincandescent light.
The light given by the arc lamps is
pure white, intense light by which
colors are as plainly distinguishable
as by daylight. The incandescent
light is a soft, yellow light resembling
that given by wax tapers.
A force of men are now engaged In
putting up the poles ana strIngiDg the
wires. About one hundred poles
have been set up and two miles aud
half Of wire will he strung to accom-
modate those who ARE, lucky enough
TO get their contract made before the
capacity of the plant Is exhausted. Up
to last night. the company mad orders
for four more arc lights than they
could furnish while but fifteen or
twenty incandescent lamps remain
untsken. The wire used is what Is
known rs ''underwriters' line wire"
and conforms strictly to the re-
quirements Of insurance : COM
panies, thereby causing no extra
risks from the use OF the light.
While all systems Of electric lighting
are dangerous to life when csrelessly
handled or interferred with by un-