The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-22
4 MILE ABOVE THE SEA.
Tho 1oO, O~Oo-Caadl0 Power Search light
nm Mnuat w~sAhinston. N. n.

N lou, F0WGr AeMFuM Ats1he
nm MoNnt W~aAhlaatsn. n. u.
MouSr W~Asu1saroN, N. II, AUG. M.--Tho
great cyclops Of the White Mountains has
al laat turned his single flaming eye upon
tho tiny mortals grovellinR at hia feet, and
has bliadsd ths.n ~ the bsillianoy Of bic
orb. Science has revived the interest In the
old neurological giant by planting hin
counterpart in the heart OF New HAMPSHIRE,
where all New England can $50 q "a.
mirs. The llobe-DaMocsat has mentioned
the fact that theebie electric search LIGHT
had been planted on the top Ut Mount
1 Washington, and electricians have been
waiting impatisntly for the test which
would show whether il had ANY pTactical
value. or whether IL was to DO = mete TOY
with which to ainuse The summer visitor.
Last night the test was applied under
strong adverse circumstances, n ito suc-
cess WA pronounced. A thick veil Of fna
in tina valleys prevented the strength Of the
light from reaching the lower levels, yet
its renetrating power was 50 Rreas
that even though handicapped by q fog
ing coafae print At the Fabyan house,
d distance OF . little over seven miles as
The crow flies. Daring . nomentary rift
in the clouds che light was flashed upon the
Glen house. six miles distant via air linz.
and the hotel was plainly seen from ths
summit. Then the clouds shut In for the
! night. But nothing more was needed to
convincethe young electrician whose enter
prise has given this later addition TO the
scientific researches of ths year that the
venture was a success. The test demon
strated a number of things which will bs
leaned with interest by scientific men.
The thing Of most Importance to the gen-
eral public was the fact that In time Ut war
search lights placed uron mountain peaks
100 miles to 100 miles or perhaps even far
ther apart, can be utilized either in giving
warming of the approach Of an invading
force or Of providing a means OF
cation which can not we'll be cut Oh. Last
nights experiment, brief - il was. demon
strated what every scientist knew in theory,
that = ray Of light travels much further in
ratefed atmosphere than in the heavier
atmosphere Of the lower levels. un.
been presented to show iuss what could
DO done in ths higher levels, for no seasch
light had ever before been placed higher
than the Eiffel tower, Here, on Mount
Washington. il the most powerful electric
light ever made, and its distance from the
sea level 10 Just 4, 348 feet, nearly q mile and
a quarter up in the Air. The light, which
is destined to revolutionize the system Of
signaling in times OF war, is of 100, COO can
die power. Heretofore the most powerful
light furnished q war ship has had only 60
coo candle power. So the superiority OF
bu6 D0W Ilkub CaA 10 AuAHklllcNs gS2."g .-~5aa
The electrician who is running the Mount
Washington light has, with a 10000 candle
power light. brought into view q schooner
which was known to be eight miles distant.
and this was done at the lowest atmospheric
level. From whatever point the top Of
he established a signal station. The great
Mount Washington search light has been
established with a double object-science
and the amusement OF tourists. The young
electrician whose energy and love of
electrical science overcame the obstacles
that threatened to kill the project
is Mr.. Lewis II. Rogers. of Boston. The
hotel-keepers saw it could be made quite
a drawing card for summer visitors. First.
the highest peak of Mount Washington was
established. Then q tower was built to a
height of tfty-fve feet, SO that the light 10
fully tw twenty-five feet higher than the ridge
pole of the hotel. The tower is bransd at
precaution against the gales which some
times blow at a rate of 1856 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 a glass-inclossd room below.
He is protected from the weather. and
such visitors as may desire to view the
country by search light can do 80 with ease
and comfort.
The power of the light at the lamp itself
il 20, 900 candles. but when projected into
space from a French Maugjn len thirty
inches in diameter it is increased to l10.0O o.
candles. Something new in the electrical
line will be tried. Six ~thirty-inch lens are
to be used to 70 II the prismatio c%olors.
which. when projected upon the clouds,
produces a very beautiful effect. A diverg-
ing lens is used to produce a fan-tail beam
of light. This light when projected
straight into the air and reviewed produces
m artificial northern light" which is a
very worthy substitute for the natural pro-
duct. 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 create a good deal Of aston
ishmens among thoss who do not know
what causes it. On Saturday night every.
thing was in readiness and the current
turned on, as has been already stated. Mrs.
Ives had the honor of sending the first ray
Of light from the highest electric plant in
the world.