The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-29


instrument. The photographers say they
get their moneys worth even at this price,
but they also think the exposition would
have protected its Photographic conces-
sionafre quito as well without the 81 fee.
For the management will Las. admit to
the grounds any camera with larger lens
than four by five, and lens of that small
ness viii not produce a picture likely to
have any commercial value or to interfere
with the business of the concessionaire at
all. Besides. the amateurs are frank
enough to admit what is probably true
that not one picture In a thousand taken
by them would be worth selling, no matter
what its size. The % fee is collected just
the same, and few days ago I saw the
Duke Of Veragua and his son stopped at
the gate and turned back because the
young man had under his coat detective
camera. The sharp-eyed gatekeeper had
q detective camera In his eye, and when
he spied the box the descendants OF Co
lumbus wsfe sent back to pay over their
81 or leave the czmerA outside the gates.
No one understands the value of action
better than the electrical exhibitors. The
spectacular,an Of electricity is being
worked up to a great pitch here. The
successful devices are those which have
movement in them. For instance, there
Is the homemade lightning which is nj
ways surrounded by n crowd Of visitors in
the southeast corner Of the Electrical
building. The bolt starts at the base of a
column made Of red, white and blue
lamps, runs to the top Of that and thence
out along the four outstretched arms
made to represent the forks Of stroke OF
natures voltage. People wonder how the
beautiful effect Is produced, but it really
is very simple process as all may see by
looking down skylight likc enclosure
near by.
1t Is somewhat like looking down in
well, only instead of water and the old
oaken bucket that hangs there you per-
ceive series OF cylinders with little levers
touching their surface, a good deal like
the cylinders employed In music box.
The cylinders are kept In motion all the
time, and the innumerable teeth standing
out from their perpheries engage the
levers In regular series, one after an
other. AS each lever II touched an cleo
trical circuit Is opened and the current
turned on eight lamps on the pillar or
along the outstretched forks of the light
ming stroke. In the fraction Of second
this circuit is closed, as the lever is disen-
laged, and another is opened by the tooth
coming in contact with the next lever of
the series. In this way the manifestation
Of the current in the beautiful lights is
made absolutely synchronous throughout
the corresponding parts of the device.
That is to say, the current is turned on mt
the end of one arm, for instance, at the
precise instant which shows it is on at the
end of another. II could not be otherwise,
for the lamps which light the ends of the
four arms are on the same circuit. So it
Is with all corresponding positions through
out the construction. The wheels of the
music box, which in reality is nothing but
continuously moving switchboard, send
the lightning coursing up the pillar and
along the arms with the regularity Of the
ticking OF clock.
This device Is fascinating because 10 has
sction, and for the additional reason that
st seems like a trick Of leserdemain. IL
savors strongly Of magic. Even more
beautiful, though not quite 30 picturesque.
are the elobas VI fire which hang at the
ends OF the Asktnipeforks. As the cur
rent runs ont IL appears 30 enter the balls,
which are constantly revolving, and set
them sfre now with red flames, now with
blue and AnGlly with rapidly changing
eoiors and prisinatic hves. This Is also
very simple construction IL Is another
instance Of tho multiplication Of circuits,
30 be turned on In sequence BY an auto
matio switchboard. The forked lightning
and the revolving globes Of changing
lights are, - they deserve TO be, among
the most popular Of all the many striking
electrical dsvfces In the exposition.
A Thousand persons will look at this
spectaculss, moving disDlay where one