Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-08
A TOWER OF LIGHT.
Edison to Put Up an Electric Mountain
at Minneapolis.

great feature of the Minneapolis Expo
sition this year will be the Edison electrical
exhibit. and perhaps the most attractive fea-
ture of that exhibit will be the grea. tower in
the center Of the building. Speaking Of the
exposition and the electrical exhibit the New
York Electrical World says
The efforts that have been making to secure
complete exhibition of the electrical indus
tries at the Minneapolis Industrial exposition
during the coming autumn have already been
mentioned In our columns and it gives US
pleasure to be able now to announce that,
through the energy Of the general manager.
William Regain these efforts have been
crowned with success. 1t is now settled be-
yond doubt that the northwest will this year
enjoy an opportunity of examining and study
ing one Of the most complete exhibitions of
electrical deyices that have as yet been gath
cred in any part of America.
The main features of the fair will be, as has
already been announced, the Edison exhibit
from the Paris exposition. This has recently
been seen to great advantage in the Lenox
Lyceum III NV York city, but at Minneapolis
1T will be very considerably enlarged and ex-
tended. In addition to the Edison many of the
other large companies will send exhibits and it
Is reasonably certain that almost every branch
Of the trade will be represented.
The exhibition hall in Minneapolis is 366 feet
square. The exact division of the 1874, 900
square feet Of space thus available has not vet
been definitely decided upon, but some of the
plans are now practically settled and the most
striking OF them we are already able to illus
trate.
In the center of the great hall OF the ex-
position will be erected a huge electric light
tower, seventy-fve feet in height and Of
corresponding diameter. Surrounding this
tower will be II pool of water, with all the usual
effects of landscape-hllls, marsh lake. &c. A
circular track. constructed on the edge Of the
lake, will give opportunity for running a train
OF cars by means of Perret motor. The
tracks will run through tunnels, over trestles
up and down grade. and on the level. Curreut
will be supplied through the rails, and auto
matte block signals will apparently control the
movements of the train.
THE tower itself will be q great mass of
electric lights, arranged in sixteen corruga-
lions. The lights will i'll the main be clear but
colors-red, green and blue-wii be sparingly
introduced to enhance the effect. they will
be controlled from switchboard in the base
ment of the building and 30 arranged that the
different rows can be operated separately or
together. Thus one Of the most beautiful
effects produced at the Lcnox Lyceum, that Of
lighting and extingushing the tower slowly or
rapidly, gradually or simultaneously, can be
repeated at Minneapolis, but on grander
scale.
I'm the circular pool already mentioned will
be placed on the surface. on the bottom, and
at various intervening depths incandescent
bulbs of all colors. 1t 10 intended also to place
in the water q quantity of gold fish and other
beauties, and it is to be hoped that colony Of
that most valuable friend to electricians, the
common frog, viii be established on the banks
of the pool to gaze sedately upon the mlracu-
lous results of the twitching Of their ancestors
legs.
The total circumference of the circle de-
signed to include this exhibition of light and
power, with its accessories of landscape and
water, will be 800 feet Grouped around it will
be the remainder of the Edison exhibit and in
other parts of the great hall will be the exhibits
Of other electrical companies. As a whole the
Minneapolis exposition of 1890 will certainly
deserve to be a great and triumphant success"