The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-27
WIRES NOT NEEDED
NEW SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC LIGHT
ING MAY COME INTO USE SOON.
What Tesla and Edison Have Done
with the X Rays-New Lamp or
Vacuum Tube.

NEW YORK, May 6.-The Electrical Re-
view. in its issue last week, announced by
authority that Nicola Tesla had perfected
his vacuum-tube system of electric lighting
without wires the possibilities OF which he
first brought to public notice five years ago
in lecture before the American Institute
OF Electrical Engineers. This light is
whittier. more brilliant and more intense
than the arc light and Is produced with
much smaller amount of electrical energy.
A laboratory photograph has been made of
this Hight with an exposure of only two sec
onds. The detail in the photograph is re-
markably fine. Tesla further states that his
apparatus has been greatly simplfed and
he will soon have II ready for practical use
Working on different Zines, Thomas A
Edison has. according to the Electrical Re-
view. succeeded in developing a new kind
Of electric lamp or vacuum tube by means
OF which the Roentgen or X rays are turned
into pure. white light. Edson's new lamp is
an ordinary Crookes tube. coated on the
interior surface with crystals of a new
fluorescing substance, which ne has discov-
cred, similar TO tungstate OF calcium. The
X rays. in passing through this coating of
crystals, are changed to light. Very little
heat is generated and nearly the whole of
the electrical energy expended is trans
formed into light. The new lamp is used in
place of the Crookes tube with the ordinary
y rays apparatus Mr.. Edlson believes that
there are great possibilities in his discov-
cry and is now enthusiastically at work per-
fecting his apparatus III commercial form
He expects that before long he viii SO de-
velop II that IL may be used with high econ
omy on an ordinary incandescent circuit.
Mr. Edison speaks of this new discovery in
these words: what / have succeeded in
doing Ii this: Instead OF generating " rays
and throwing them off into space. 1 have
refractability. 1t seems as IL practically all
the electrical energy is transformed into
light. To the eve the light is pure white,
resembling bright sunlight. 1t has none of
shows. however. that there is plenty OF red
In II and IT Is, therefore, normal ligit |
can make these new lamps OF any size and
the efficiency OF the X-ray apparatus used
with them can be made very high. | can
also run number of these new lamps in
multiple arc i am now at work on en-
durance tests OF the bulbs and am working
TO get the simple commercial FORM
Electrical, and scientific people are eagerly
watching The outcome OF the work of these
two great inventors on this subject The
journal above named says editorial.y: I'VE
cannot hesitate 10 express our positive con-
viction that the introduction of a more per-
feet illuminant is near a. hand"
The Electrical Review says that "Mrl
Nicola Tesla has been suffering from a
severe attack o. grip for two weeks past
during which time he was able TO be al mis-
laboratory only a few hours. He is now
hotel Monday and asked, as the originator OF
vacuum-tube lighting. If he had ANYTHING Ia
say about Mr.. Eisson's new vacunm-fuhs
lighting. and replied eharactersticaliy :ha
MIR. Ec.son. and heartily congratulated him
On MS success as announced