The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-31
VOL. XXVIII.-NO. 9.

OIs
light had ever before been placed higher
than the Eifel Tower. Here, on Mount
Washington, is the most powerful electric
light ever made, and its height above the
sea level is just 6348 feet, nearly mile
and quarter up in the air. The light
which is destined to revolutionize the sys-
TEN of signaling in times of war is of 100,-
600 candle power. Heretofore the most
powerful light furnished war ship has
had only $4,000 candle power. So the
superiority of the new light can be imag-
ined The electrician who is running the
Mount Washington light has, with 20
GOO candle power light, brought into view
schooner which was known to be eight
miles distant, aud this was done at the
lowest atmospheric level In the 'purer
air of Mount Washington last night print
could be read at distance of little more
than seven miles, with cloud between the
light and the paper That is enough to
prove that the limit of range in the higher.
levels has not yet been reached. The cleo
tricians had hoped that tonight would fur
nish more suitable conditions, but the
mountain is enveloped in clouds, and it is
raining heavily, so nothing can be DONE
While it will be interesting to know just
how far the rays of this mighty light will
reach with refectiug power, the electricians
say that it cannot be turned to so much
practical benefit as with the use of the light
for long-distance signaling, for even if it
should bring into view objects at distance
of ten or twelve or fifteen miles, it would
not necessarily follow that the same light
would do the same thing on the lower
levels. They do assert with confidence,
however, that from whatever point the top
of Mount Washington can be seen there
can be established Il signal station OF
course, clouds might interfere with the
success of the signaling, but these are OBJ
stacles equally fatal to other systems now
in vogue.
THE CONSTRUCTION.
The great Mount Washington search
light has been established with a double
object. The young electrician, whose en-
ergy and love of electrical science overcame
the obstacles that threatened to kill the
project, is Mr.. Lewis H. Rogers, of Bos-
ton, who is connected with the Thomson
Houston Electric Company. He has made
special study of search lights, and he
wanted to know what they could do in the
higher atmospheric levels. He figured out
that it would cost $1,000 to establish such
a light on Mount Washington. 1t was
more than he could invest, even in the iu-
terests of science, so he suggested to the
various railroad officials and hotel proprie-
tors, whose interests are centred in the
building up of the White Mountain region
as a summer resort, that such 2 light, with
certain additional attractions, could be
made quite drawing card for summer
visitors. They fell in with the scheme at
once, and in a very short time $1,000 was
subscribed, and the work was begun. First
the highest peak of Mount Washington
was established. Then tower was built
to height of 30 feet, so that the light is
fully % feet higher than the ridge pole of
the hotel. The light was made by the
Thomson Houston Company. The tower
is braced at every corner with a steel cable, a
very necessary precaution against the gates,
which some times blow at a rate of So miles
an hour.
The protector stands out on the topmost
part of the tower, but the operator controls
the movement of the light by means of
electric motors from glass enclosed room
below He is protected from the weather,
and such visitors who may desire to view
the country by search light can do so with
ease and comfort. In the glass enclosed
room there is also six-foot telescope with
five-inch lens. The current for the light
is generated in the basement of the tower
by hundred ampere dynamo, driven by
15 horse power engine The power of the
light at the lamp itself il 10000 candles,
but when projected into space from
French Mangin lens, 30 inches in diane
ter, it is increased to 100000 candles.
Something entirely new in the electric line
will be tried. Six 36 inch lenses are to
be used to form the prismatic colors, which,
projected upon the clouds, produce very
beautiful effect. A diverging lens is used
to produce fan-tail beam of light This
light, when projected straight into the air
and revolved, produces an artificial north
ern light" These little extras are more
for the pleasure of the summer visitors
than for the enlightenment of science, but
the weird effect of the colored lights in the
heavens will no doubt astonish those who
do not know what causes it.
A Happy New Year.