The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-18

A FUTURE STAIRCASE EFFECT.
people to-day. It is not too much to
say that when the coming changes are
inaugurated our whole municipal life
Will be transformed. Light will be
not merely n means of seeing at night.
1t will become the great source Of
beauty in streets and homes. Hereto
fore the difficulty of getting both light
and beauty has seemed insuperable.
We now have the means of producing
light that will not merely be beautiful
itself, but that will make all things
beautiful"
And how soon may we look for all
this?"
Mr.. Tesla conceded that existing
electric light features are too unpleas-
antly evident. In the coming condition
Of things they wiz be eliminated so
far as being visible is concerned, IN.
less some special effect were sought.
In a great hall, for instance, the light
would stream from the capitals of its
pillars. Or IL could as easily be
arranged to shed itself from the ceiling
or the dome cornices. The illustra-
tons herewith viii give an idea of the
effects Mr.. Tesla had IN mind. Separate
lights, such as we have now, will be-
come largely things OF the past
''The transformation in street
illumination viii be very Marked he
declared. THE unsightly pole viii no
longer be seen. Light may stream
from a statue or from q fountain in
great waves. Its source viii be hidden.
Its very quality viii be changed. The
glare now so ungrateful to many eyes
will give way to a sympathetic glow"
The young electrician was of opinion
that the popular mind and taste were
not sufficiently educated on the subject
OF electric lighting.
THE most wretched make-shifts are
tolerated" he said, because the public
have not as yet been accustomed to the
best results. There was at one time,
indeed, a prejudice against electricity
itself as means of lighting, owing TO
its depressing effect on some people
To-day the improvements are so
marked that the light is preferred to
gas. In the same way the improve
ments to come viii be so great that the
unsightliness of present methods viii
be deemed uncomfortable. 1t is hardly
too much to say that the identifying Of
cities viii never be adequately under
taken until the electric light has been
improved. orrather, rendered generally
available in its new form. Then we
may look for decided altera tons in the
appearance of the streets OF our great
cities
X striking improvement, moreover,
will be the absence Of sharply defined
shadows that detracT so much from the
advantages of the present lights. We
VIII have not lights, but light, as Mr..
Moore 50 graphically puts it. Phos-
phorescent electric light so closely re-
sembles the light of day that the COM
ing era win practically be one of IN
broken day.
The elimination Of elaborate fixtures
in great edi6ces viii be a very conspic-
uous consequence Of the reform. In
spite OF the artistic nature Of the can
delabra which have been introduced
into the more pretentious structures,
they are a serious drawback TO the
statehness Of some forms of Gothic and
Greek architecture, and as architects
well know, it is frequently necessary
to modify an interior on this account.
But nothing can be conceived more ma
Jestic than the interior effects which
viii become possible by the introduce
ton of the new method. No globes,
no brackets, no candelabra, can break
the sweep of pillar or nave. There viii
be greater cleanliness as well as beauty,
and an immense saving Of time and
trouble, not 10 speak of expense.
In the matter OF cost, the reform will
effect a saving as well. Many electric
isns feel convinced that the CONNER
cial adoption Of the innovation cannot
longer be postponed. The men at work
in improving the method. as far as this
IS concerned are expected TO demon
strate the validity OF their theories
much sooner than they care to ackncwl-
edge from modest depreciation Of tier
own acuteness. And when the change
does come there viii be a great fortune
for somebody 70 enjoy.