The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-15
ELECTRIC WONDERS.
THE LARGEST sBARCH-LI0Hr IN
TEE WORLD AND wHATIr DOES.
AThirty-Ton Locomotive which 10 Destins cd
to He the Precurson Of the Ideal Rapid
Transit of tho Future.


structing the largest and most powerful
electric search light In the world. now be-
ing set up at the Worlds Fair. Some idea
OF its size may be gained by the COMPARE
binary height standing by II. It stands
about ten feet six inches high to the up
per side OF the ventilator on the top Of the
drum. and the total weight is about 5000
pounds. but so perfectly is IT mounted and
balanced that a child can move II In any
direction II was built by the General Ell
ectric Company. The rejecting lens mir
ror used in this protector Is $50 centime-
tiers, or sixty inches. in diameter.
1t is a concave spherical mirror Of the
Mangin type, free from spherical abarra-
ton, rejecting sensibly parallel beam
OF light. II was manufactured especially
for this protector in Paris, France. and
IS a most perfect specimen OF optical
work. three and one-fourth inches thick
at the edges and one-slxteenth OF an inch
thick at the centre, and weighs about 500
pounds.
The metal ring in which It Is mounted
weighs about 80 pounds, and the total
lens, ring and cover weigh about Loo
pounds. This great mirror is mounted at
one end of the big drum. the outer end
of which is furnished With door ccne1st
ing of a metal rim In which are fixed a
number Of plate glass strips hve-six-
teenths Of an inch thick by six inches
wide Inside this drum and sliding upon
ways arranged on the bottom, is placed
the electric lamp. the source OF the light
which is reflected by the mirror 1t Is
entirely automatic in its action. Is SIX
feet high and weighs about 400 pounds.
The carbons used are also made especi-
ally for IT, The upper or positive carbon
is one and one-half inches In diameter and
twenty-five and one-half inches long.
with fve-sixteenths of en- inch core of
soft carbon running from end to end
through it's centre. The lower or mega
tive carbon is one and one-fourth inches
in diameter, Is fifteen inches long and
also has a core OF soft GORDON running
through its centre. In addition its outer
surface is heavily coated with copper.
The positive carbon is set little in
front Of the negative and thus almost all
the intense light of the incandescent era
ter is cast upon the reflector. The maxi
mum current at which this lamp opera
ties is 200 amperes. and at this current the
90 900 to 100 900 candles, the reflected beam
total luminous intensity OF about 375.-
000. 900 candles, an intensity which the eye
cannot appreciate. In looking at the side
Of the beam the spectator only distin-
cuisines a stream Of light Of comparatively
low intensity, but Unlocking at the beam
directly its brilllancy is fully seen and the
effect is absolutely binding.
Ventilators at the top and sides allow
a constant current OF air to pass through
the drum and dissipate the heat genera
ted by the arc lamp; and they are so ar
ranged that no light can escape through
them. Ali the connections for adjust
ing the positions OF the carbons and
the lamp are brought through the drum
to the outside, and are arranged in close
proximity 10 one another at one side so
that all may be manipulated by the opera
tor without moving from his position.
Through openings in the drum covered
by densely colored glass the operation
OF the lamp may be watched, and its
adjustments verified.
The drum is supported by trunions In
bearings at the top Of a Y-shaped fork
set in base plate, and the whole is
supported on a system OF friction wheels,
forming a turntable resting upon the
top Of a massive pedestal supporting
the whole structure. The drum, fork,
and base plate may be rotated horizon
tally on the turntable either by hand or
by gearing provided for this purpose.
pressed in a vertical plane by similar
gearing.
Before the protector was sent 10 the
Worlds Fair, a public test was made
At Middletown Conn. From the roof
Of the works the great white beam OF
light shot forth into the obscurity Of
the night, and slowly swept the country
side for miles around, bringing every
object upon which 1t was directed into
brilliant and distinct relief. 1t illumina-
ted the roofs of distant villages and
cared their Inhabitants. and lighted up
the sign boards miles away, so that
they could easily be read by means OF
a glass The protector was turned up
ward toward the sky. and the DEAN
Ike supernatural divine finger, wrote
words upon the clouds-messages OF
light TO the starry populations. 1t was
a majestic manifestation Of mans inva-
sion Of the realm of Phoebus.
II was observed that the space within
the beam was violently agitated and
closer observation revealed the fact that
millions Of moths and minute insects
were lowering in it. attracted by the
bushels Of dead moths, beetles. other
insects. and some small birds. were
swept up from the roof on which the
protector stood They had been killed
by the intensity Of the light.
How far the powerful beam OF light
OF this Instrument can be seen is diff
ficult II state. The search light set up
by the General Electric Company on
Mt. Washington In the White Mountains,
has a diameter Of only thirty inches,
and a reflected light from the mirror
OF about 10000 candle power, yet the
newspaper can be read In It's beam ten
miles away, and the light can ne seen
from points 100 miles away. How much
farther then could this 600 candle
power light be seen in a clear atinos-
phere free from moisture, II the pro-
jector could be mounted upon an emil
nence sufficiently high to clear all sur
rounding obstacles?
An Electric Locomotive.
The electric locomotive for use on
steam roads has at last become an ac-
complished fact. Among the pretenuous
exhibits OF huge steam locomotives MADE
by our railroad companies at the Worlds
Fair is a 30-ton high-speed electric loco
motive. the first practical and commercial
one OF its kind ever built, and upon this
unassuming piece OF electrical machinery
the steam locomotive may look down. as
the forerunner Of more powerful compel
itors which will ultimately drive IL from
the steam railroad field OF relagate II 10
a secondary position as traction agent.
II is only twelve years ago since stepn-
on d. Field filed papers in the Patent Or
Ace on the application of the motor TO the