The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-18
LET THERE BE LIGHT.
a vALUABLE INyENTsON PLfCFD
eros mn MsHhLJ.



Great and useful inventions and inn
provemonts ia methods arc constantly
being discovered. and the nan who at
tcmpts 90 keep track az the rapid pro-
gross that SIS beng made in all depart
mon;s OF the world OF science is not all
lowed time In which 10 recover from his
surprise al one splendid scientific achieve
ment before he is plunged into renewed
wonderment at the contemplation OF an
other even more splendid
The old hat, Let there be light, las
recently been reiterated ia = way That
will anect IN an important manner
large portion VI tho population or our
large cities.
in all city buildings Il IS folnd necessa-
- to resort 10 ARTIFICIAL light during the
hours OF daylight. in a greater OF less de-
gree.
An invention has recently tccn placed
upon the market IN Chicago which VIII
largely dispense with this necessity.
This invention Is what rs known as
the Luxfor prism. and there Is scarcely
room for doubt tnat 70 viii reNoiuu)nize
the lighting of city buildings by doins
away IN a. large measure with the use
OF gas ana electric Asnt during the cay
time.
The importance OF this result from the
standpoint OF economy alone can IN some
degree be shown by stating the TACT t""1
one Chicago dry goods firm pays the sum
Of $4,000 per year for the ARTIFICIAL hsnl
required 10 light its store during the DAY
time. whereas 30 Is claimed by lhe people
who own this invention that by its use
The firm in question couid save at loas'
$1,000 per annum.
If such "a result can be attained in sin
g!e instance. IL is evident that the total
saving that would result from the gen
,ral use OF this invention would be some
thing enormous.
And il is claimed that in an ordinary
store where the cost of the artificial llsht
used during the daytime amounts to nom
SO 10 so per month. the IuNier pilsins
can be put IN at such slight expense
that the cost will be returned by The saw
ing made during the first year.
The prisms d. not create hsht' put II
placed where reached ~ fair volume
Of light from the sky they will transfer
The light TO the spot where IT Is needed,
even to a distance Of 200 feet.
The principle underlying the Invention
g. most simple, being nothing more nor
loss than the rcfractiOn Of light
when a ray of light passes from one
transparent medium, such as glass OF
water. 10 another, II undergoes change
OF direction at the surfece OF separation.
The knowledge of this property OF hght
has been utilized in the Luxier methh
o. lighting buildings. Tho natural light
az q room comes directly from the sky.
and striking the floor within ten feet o.
twenty feet Of the window is almost en-
firely lost. The quantity Of light utilized
IS very small ia comparison with that
which enters the window
In the new system the light Is received
upon a plate of prisms ana uhuer the
laws of refraction IS diverted ana Dorhe
back INTO the room.
Upon the angles OF the prisms depend
the angles OF the refracuon OF lght ana
hence the lighting Of that portion OF the
interior required.
No light is lost; no light is created;
but through the LuXfer prisms daylight
j. dlfIused uniformly throughout the inte-
riOr space
Iuxfer prisms are a scientific product
of plates Of glass with semi-prisms COM
prising one face. The plates are cleo
trically glazed together into whatever
form and size may be required, and are
then surrounded with q suitable meta
frame. The completed frame Of the
prism plates may DO either hung in the
window frame or inserted IN the sash
I'm place Of the sheet Of plate-glass.
Through the magic power of electricity
edges of the prism plates are so welded
together by a narrow line Of copper that
the finished product Is not only at,rac-
tive I'm appearance, but has also the de-
sired stiffness for use in even very large
frames.
This valuable invention has only re-
Gently been placed upon the market by
the I.uxfer Prism Company, composed
Of Chicago men, who control the pat
ents covering it. The first patent vas
taken out several years ago by the IN
ventor. a Canadion, but the present own
ors have made many Improvements upon
the original idea. The offices Of the
company are located In the Rocker build
ing, but the place where the most graph
Sc idea may be formed of the practical
value OF the prisms is at their exhibit
rooms, at No. 10 Lake street
There partition has been built length
wise through the centre Of a long store
room. and one OF the long narrow rooms
thus formed has the ordinary plate-glass
in ifs front window. while the other mas
the upper half of the front window COW
cred by the prisms.
The contrast Of light is most striking
for while m the room lighted by the OF
binary manner the light, at q distance
of sixtv-nve feet from the window, Is
100 scant FOR the transaction OF orol-
nary business, in the other room the
nrisms I'm the window sash throw the
light back with such power as to make
a ncssible to read a newspaper readily
at that distance from the front. No one
who visits this showroom can help being
Immersed with the great practical value
Of the discovery.
The nphting OF basement by means or
Tho sidewalk prisms Is also well shown
there. III,
rho general use Of this invention VIII
be "a great public beneht in very many
WAYS. il is well known that oaynsht
a. moro healthful than artificial hBht
with its noNious Vapors. Ihen' 100, eyes
viii be relieved of the unnatural s'ralh
imposed by the necessity OF WORKING uu-
der artificial light-a deliverance OF no
small importance as thousands Win
failing eycsight will TESTIFY.
Schools. churches. Offices ana stores
can am be better lighted. and shoppers
will be enabled 10 form correct zoe"
as 10 the colors OF fabrics.
Besides an this much space in builo-
ines that is now useless can be made val
liable. Tor. by the use OF this device, me
Easements can readily be mace as Hsn'
as the first floors are now.
Nv the use OF this means or llshtlhs'
also. the serious problem OF utilizing OUT
of-date buildings may be solved. tor' WIN
their high ceilings. they can. II well lght-
cd. be made as desirable as those OF more
modern construction.
FOR the reasons stated above architects
and owners OF buildings are now devot-
ing special attention TO this simple but
valuable device.
l. = On. d