The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-18

cret. But there came q time when II
was necessary 70 have assistance. He
sent for his brother. u. r.. Nicknm, OF
Topeka, Kan. 1t was decided to. give q
few persons an exhibition OF the new IL
luminant. j. s. Larry, leading attor-
ney OF the town, was the first outsider
10 see 1t.
IAN opportunity was first given me to
witness the invention about two weeks
ago" said Mr.. LARRY. Nothing had
been planned In advance, and when
entered the laboratory no globes were.
burning. Mr. Nickum said he would
give nc a thorough dcmonsTation OF
the method he was working upon. Az
Ter giving u scientific explanation of
how his light was produced he,tools some
chemicals and placed them In q glass
globe about two inches In diameter.
The globe WIS attached TO an all. pump
and the room darkenod. ~
LAS the nit was taken from the globe
a faint glow was perceptible. II grad
ually Increased until it was possible for
me, to see distinctly the faces OF those
about me. As long as the pump was In
operation the light remained. but d.
rectly the pumping was stopped and the
air rushed back into the globe the light
disappeared The experiment was re-
peated severa! times. The light was
soft. and white and steady. The globe
was not connected with wires nor was
there an electrical apparatus at work in
the ROOM"
Since that time there have been sew
eral exhibitions, but the inventor has
exercised great caution In displaying
the new light. j. W. Barne, editor Of
the PhaTos, OF .LoSarsport, was scep-
teal when. lie was invited to view the
illuminant. hut he was quickly convInc.
ed that Nickum has made a tremen-
dous discovery.
B For three subsequent displays the
globes Containing the chemicals were
sealed after the air had been exhaust
ed. The globes were Of various sizes.
The lights shone steadily and brilliant-
Iy. The globes were suspended from
the ceiling with silk thread, or they
we're carried about in the hand. and In
either case they glowed steadily. One
globe was photographed by its own
Hight. The Elobes shone for many hours
and then gradually the lIs:lt disappear
I ed
Sickum explains that the difficulty in
keeping the lights has been due to the
sealing OF the bulbs, hut he says he has
found a way OF overcoming It. 1t sls
merely a matter OF clever glass-blow-
ing, he declares. and ultimately. with
better facilities, 1t will be. easy enough
I AZ The problem of securing the greatest
degree OF exhaustion In the tubes !:
more embarrassing. ,NicGum. says thai
Z very earlysinahis investigation he be
I came convinced that the accepted pes
sure OF the atmosphere At the sea-lev'
ell Is wholly wrong. 1t has been place.
4 at fifteen pounds to the square inch ant
4 accepted for years without question
Nlckum says that the pressure Is real
" about ninety rounds 10 the sauarI
Il inch. He believes that 1t Is merely tn
3 limited ability OF eIperlmenters whicl
! has caused the accepted figures to b
believed. 1t VIII be seen that Sickum
not especially modest. .i'l5.
At first the inventor used an al
pump OF the best scientific make to pro
duce a vacuum, but he was forced I
!. discard this because, as he insists.
:. was little better than5a sieve. Tn
mercury and water pumps left the vac
|. uum full OF ,yapor. He was compelled t
/. devise IN apparatus OF his own b
which he was able, TO obtain pressur
OF more than fifteen pounds to IN
: square inch. A second machine produc
ed q pressure OF thirty-si8 pounds. :
fourth machine was made and this, tn
! inventor says, has produced q bette
3 but partial vacuum with a pressure
, ,flfty pounds TO the square inch. Eve
this does not satisfy him. He has sal
, that he has just begun to produce q vac
: uum. isga
!, II Is the pertectlng Of this piece {
! machinery that has taken all OF the IT
!, yentor's time OF late. He feels eertai
: that he'll on the right track and that
: will be only a few weeks until he Is
n n posItion to manufacture the new
i l.luninant. Already application has bee
H i made for patents, and when these al
/ granted Nickum will be ready to sho
@ his light TO all who wish 10 look upc
d II. tat
z The chemicals which Nlckum uses a
n known only to himself. and the seer
s Will be closely guarded. As to the pc
: manency OF the light he says there
: no, the slightest doubt in his min
L his only concern is with regard to q
:. lasting power OF the glass globes. j
Is thinks they may. deter!orate from t!
e tremendous pressure and the oombar
ment OF the molecules upon; them. b
he Is sure that the lights will have
long lie, certainly as long; as an Inca
a descent globe OF the new design, Will
N burns 1000 hours.
,e The first cost OF the new illumlnant
n abou. twenty cents for a globe OF aoo
l. sixteen dle-power. This is the on
to cost. There are no gas bills no elect
ID power bills no oil bills. The first CO
Is is tho only. cost. II that which is clai,
10 cd for the light Is true the milliona'
lie and the lowiiest laborer can have I
to same illumination in their homes.
10 Already the inventor and his. broth
t are considering plans for placing I
Is new Hight upon the market. It is pos
IS BILE that a stock company will be fori
q, cd to manufacture and sell It, or
ed may be leased to n glass ,compaI
o. Nickum and his brother say, that will
G year the new lamps will be. on So
= Then man can carry his light abo
| tts,H I tn