Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-12-12
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT PROBLEM.
Hsv Edisss wrestied with II. Dificuitie&
A Knstty Point.

Hsv Edisss wrestled with Its DificuitieA
A Knstty Point.
! remember going TO see Edison soon
after il was snnouroed that he had
boasted Of having solved the electric light
problem. AL electriciansknow that tins
same problem Is one of the Oldest in the
field Of electricity. Fifty years ago sci
entists In England and Professor Joseph
Henry in this country had made incan-
descent lamps. which were to all appear
ance very similar TO what we have today.
There was little glass globe from which
the air had been exhausted; inside was q
strip Of carbon or platinum, which, when
heated by a strong Current Of electricity,
glowed with a white heat.
In Professor Hensy's day the electric
current was an expensive affair, how
ever, 'be dynamos being unknown, and
The zinc battery alone being in use.
When the dynamo offered an unlimited
current at q moderate price inventors be-
gan TO work at the glow lamp again.
It's defects had never been sufficiently
overcome to make il more than labors-
tory toy; 1t would give light for few mo-
ments and would then go out, the oxygen
remaining in the bulb burning up the
carbon loop. In order to make the lamp
of practical use II was necessary TO do
wise means for making the bulb really
empty of air and for making the carton
loop last a reasonable time. Edison went
at this work with his customary ardor.
For months he tested air pumps, until he
found better form than any yet known;
then he worked at carbons until his
friends feared he would break down
under the strain. The preparation OF o
new form Of carbon loop might require
weeks Of steady labor, the results d
which would be decided in perhaps five
minutes.
In his search for better material than
platinum for the loop which gives out the
light IN a glow lamp, Edison tried 3, 200
different materials, arriving finally at Q
kind Of South American bamboo Of re-
markably close fiber. This wood. when
carbonized. gives a loop Of great tenaciry
and durability. For two years the in
ventor worked at the glow lamp before
be dared 10 say that il was commercial
success. In the winter Of 1s79-S0 he an
nounced that his lamp would last long
enough 10 make competition with gas pos
tible. 1t may be remembered that the
announcement caused storm Of ridicule.
One so called expert, connected with q
well known college, declared that Edi-
sons lamp could never enter into COM
petition with gas, but would remain q
curiosity and possibly luxury for rich
men. This was at a time when Edison
was inviting people from all over the
country TO see the lamp work at his
Menlo Park laboratory, and so angered
him that he declared he would some day
erect a statue TO his critic, light IL up
with Edison lamps and make the inscrip-
ton read: This is the man who said the
Edison lamp was n failure"
There were many dark days that win
ter. After making one batch Of lamps
that burned splendidly and lasted for
weeks, burning night and day, Edison
found 70 his dismay that the second
batch, made in exactly the same way, so
far as ho could and out, and Of the same
materials failed completely. Instead Of
burning lor weeks, the lamps went out
In less than an hour For three days
Edison worked night and day trying II.
vain TO lind the trouble. Then he took
10 his he'd seriously i'll, while his ex-
hanstyd assistant took rest.
Edison has lad the good fortune 10 at
tract and retain Number Of devoted
men, vino for the last ten years have
shared IN his trials and successes. When
the inventor believes that lac is ON tbs
track of something important he com.
pletely forgets his meals and his sleep.
He has been known 10 work for forty-eigh.
hours at stretch, without leaving Ia.
laboratory, and with no food exoep,
crackers and cheese which be ate as hs
pondered over knotty point. lie can
not understand that other men need rest,
and Is indignant that any one should
think Of meals or sleep while the resnls
Of some interesting experiment b is
doubt The Edison lamp was not p~-
fectsd without many snnh incidn1A--