The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-27
NEW VACUUM LIGHTS
Edison and Nikela Tesla Have
Each Perfected One.
Both or THEM NEARLY RfApy.


New York. May 8.-The Electrical Re-
view In IT'S issue last week announced BY
authority that N.koza Tesla had perfected
his vacuum tube system OF electrical
lighting without wires. the possibilities Of
which he nrst brought to public notice ave
years ago in lecture before the American
Institute OF Electrical Engsneerss This
Hight 10 whittier, more brilliant and more
intense than the arc light. and ID pro-
duced with a much smaller amount Of
electrical energy. A laboratory photo
graph has been made by means OF this
Light with an exposure Of only two sec
onds The detail IN the photograph - re-
markedly fne. Tesla further states that
his apparatus has been greatly simplined
and he win soon have it ready for prac-
teal use.
Working on different lines. Thomas h
Edison has. according to the Electrical
Review to be published tomorrow. sue
ceeded In developing . new kind OF cleo
trio lamp OF vacuum tube by means OF
which the Roentgen rays are turned into
pure white Light. Edison's new lamp -
an ordinary Crookes tube. coated on the
interior surface with crystals Of . new
nuorescent substance which be has dis
covered, similar to tungs;ate Of calcium.
The rays in passing through their coating
of crystal are changed to light. Very lit
tie heat Is generated, and nearly the
whole Of the electrical energy expended -
transformed into light The new lamp 10
used in place Of the Crookes tube with the
ordinary X rays appaatus. Mr.. Edison
believes that there are great possibilities
in his discovery. and Is now enthusiast
caily at work perfecting his apparatus In
commercial form. He expects that before
long be viii 80 develop 1t that 1t may be
used with high economy on an ordinary
tncandescent circuit.
Mr. Edison speaks OF this new discovery
In these words: What have succeeded
in doing Is. instead OF generating the x
rays and throwing them OF into space
/ have turned them into q pure white
light OF high refrangsbility. 1t seems as IL
practically all the electrical energy Is
transformed into light. To the eye the
light Is pure white. resembling bright sun
shine. 1t has none Of the moonlight eff
feet The spectroscope shows, however.
that there is plenty of red In II. and 1t Ii,
therefore. q normal light. ! can make
these new lamps of any size and the
efficiency Of the x-ray apparatus with
them can be made very high. Il can also
run q number Of these new lamps n
multiple arc. am now at work on en-
durance tests Of the bulbs. and am working
to get the system into simple commercial
FORM
Electrical and scientific people are eager
iy watching the outcome OF the work of
these two great inventors on this impor-
tant subject. The journal above named
says editor.ally: I'VE cannot hesitate to
express our positive conviction that the
Introduction OF a more perfect illuminant
Ia near at hand
The Electrical Review states that Nikoia
Tesla has been suffering from a severe at
tack OF the grip for two weeks past. dur
ing which time he was able to be at his
laboratory only a few hours. He IL now
improving In health. He was seen at his
hotel on Monday. and asked. as the
originator of vacuum tube lighting. II he
had anything to say about Mr.. Edison's
new vacuum tube lighting. and replied
Enthusiastically that he had the utmost
faith IN the genius OF Mr.. Edison and
heartily congratulated him on his success
as announced"