Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-05-27
ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
VIII be Used at the Worlds Fair-How
Steam Produces Them


Steam Produces Them.
Whatever else may be said of the man
ayers Of the approaching worlds fair, it
certainly cannot be said that thew Glove
the darkness on the contrary, they are
taking measures to be more than liberal
in the matter of light. The plans approx.
ed and adopted for Illuminating the
grounds and buildings when the great
time comes, are on the most magnificent
scale. They provide for 6,776 arc lights
OF 1000 candie-power each, and for 131 ASP
lncandescent lamps of Is candle-power
each, IN all an amount of illumination
equal to ). 358, l32 standard candles. The
Paris exposition was a great undertaking
and a great success, but in the matter of
hight Chicago will be far ahead. The
wiring for the lights will be about ten
times as extensive as it was at Paris, and
will cost about 100000. Engines aggre-
eating 22,OOO horsepower will be required
TO run the dynamos for this illumination.
Some PEOPLE find it difficult to understand
how steam engine can produce light. II
is very simple.
The radiant energy light and heat) of
the sun got locked up ages ago. in the
primeval vegetation of the infant earth:
the prlmeval vegetation got old, sickened,
died and fell, pretty much in a few heaps.
and became changed into coal, all the
While hanging on stoutiy to It's heat-and-
light giving energy; man comes along and
sets the coal on fire; the coal then gives
up It's energy TO the water Ia the boiler,
turning 1t to steam; the steam gives up
It's energy Cnow the energy of pressure) to
the engine; the engine gives up its energy
NOW the energy OF motion) to the wires
ana magnets Of the dynamo, and this
energy OF motion becomes electrical ener-
gy; the electrical energy of the dynamo is
given up to the called lamps, and in
them becomes again the energy of neat
and light All this is clear, too clear TO
he disputed; that is, the facts at each stage
OF the transformation are evident, but if
yoa ask how the transformations are &C
compIlshed, you will hardly find a salts
factory answer.
How does the rose draw its crimson from
the dark brown earth, or tie lily its shin =
ing white? Answer me this, son of man,
and | will answer thee the other riddles Of
the universe.
The cycle is complete, but there are i'm
mense losses at each transformation on
the way; losses due to the intersections
OF our methods of transformation, but we
know OF no better ones just now. The
cycle Is complete. and, were it not for
those losses, We might begin over again.
and, had we time to wait, see the energy
OF our electric light stored up in a new
vegetation, that vegetation turned into
coal, the coal burned, the water turned to
steam, the engine run, the dynamo work
ed, the hight burst forth anew. The cycle
is complete, but while we look on with ad-
miration and wonder, we ought not to
stop short at that, but should look back
with something more than admiration and
wonder 70 the One who first put that
energy into the sun and started the GREAT
cycle, and guides it yet, on lis mysterious
awe inspiring course.-American Catholic
Quarterly Review.