Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-08-24
ELECTRIC LIGHTING.
'as Engines and Wind Mills ss y Source OF
oowsr for Creating Il.

ias Engines and Wind Mills ss Source OF
"owsr for Creating 1t.
Up to the present there have been
Jew private houses supplied with cleo
iric lights. The central stations have
been placed in the more crowded bust
ness portions Of the towns, and the
| lights have not been distributed at
great distances from them. There are
other reasons why incandescent lights
have not been more rapidly introduced
tho general public has not had suffi-
GENTLY brought before it the advantage
of electric lighting over gas from an
artistic and hygienic point of view; it
has been considered mainly from the
standpoint Of cost as compared with
gas. In many cities gas is supplied
over extended areas, embracing some
times the suburbs for miles around.
For the more wealthy suburban inhab-
itants it would be easy to light their
houses by electricity, using gas-en-
CINE for power, and employing a stor-
age battery in connection with the
dynamo. Some figures obtained at the
electrical exhibition in New York will
oe Of interest We find, if we consider
a five-foot gas-burner as giving light
of 16-candle power, that 1870 feet of gas
supplied to II gas-engine will give as
many incandescent lamps, these being
fed directly from the dynamo. as would
$50 feet of gas burned directly. II we
use storage-battery, and allow it 20
per cent efficiency, we have 80 incan-
descent lamps using 1856 feet of gas to
$50 feet for the gas-burners. To the
expense of the electric light, moreover,
we must add the interest on the plant,
depreciation. breakage of lamps, etc.
These items will, perhaps. double the
expense of the electric light. The cost
would, however, be reduced if two or
three people living close together
would use the same plant; it could be
still further reduced if cheap fuel-gas
could be supplied for the engine. AS
far as the cost goes. then, the electric
lights supplied in this way would be
more expensive than gas; but for peo-
pie Of means the greater beauty of the
light, and its healthfulness, together
with the many smaller offices the cleo
tricity could be made to perform.
would repay the increase in cost
Where there is no gas. it has been pro-
osed to use windmills Mr. A. r.
Wolff states that a properly-con struct-
d windmill will govern itself for all
velocities of wind exceeding six miles
err hour; further, that on the
average for at least eight hours
nut Of twenty-four the wind
exceeds this velocity. Total calms in
excess of two days duration are prac-
tically unknown in the United States"
If these figures are correct it is evident
ton with storage batteries for supply |
ing light for country houses. 1t should |
he borne in mind however, that |
ISOLATED plants of this kind must have
, capacity very much greater than the
mean power required; and in this case.
where we may have Gains of two or.
perhaps three days duration, the ca
pacity must be sufficient to last over
this time. Counting the interest and
depreciation, and the breakage of |
amps. it will probably be found that
the cost will be greater than that of oil;
but there is no comparison as regards
Convenience and beauty, and it is
robable that the windmill will be
used as source of power for lighting
the houses of rich country people
Science.