The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-31
ELECTRICITY IN THE HOME.
Cheap Appliances Make It Availabl.
for People of Moderate Means.

From the New York Evening Post. II
1t is now possible for the owner of a
house or a boat to introduce into it a
great many of the latest applications
OF electrical machinery, without going
bankrupt in the process, even If he is
not a rich man TO start with. The
feature of practical electrical work in
the past few years has been not so
much the increase in the number q.
uses to which electricity has been put
as the extraordinary cheapening that
has brought the newly developed ap-
pliances with the reach of a much
larger portion of the public.
For example. miniature electric lamps,
which were hardly more than curiosi-
ties five years ago, can now be obtained
already wired for decorative uses at
prices not beyond the reach of scarcely
any one who undertakes dining room
or ball room decoration. Intertwined
with smilax or with flowers, these tiny
star-like points of light, in appropriate
colors, can be employed effectively so
close to the spectator that the use of
the large incandescent globes would be
out of the question. The price of
year or two ago. which is still asked
by some electrical contractors not
anxious to go into this particular line
of work, was 81 per lamp for an even
ing for the cmallest sizes. On the other
hand. a downtown contractor will now
furnish thirty lamps connected in series
to three of the largest size storage cells.
which will keep them burning a whole
evening, for so, including the work of
putting them in.
Another use for the miniature lamps,
which are now made by half a dozen
firms, is in the so-called torch lamps"
or travellers lamps" variations of the
old-fashioned dark lantern. which light
at the touch of a button or spring. A
patent has just been granted for an
improvement in the shape Of a lamp
and batter made Nat, to At the pocket,
like folding camera. This will burn
for ten hours with single charge,
which costs 25 cents. and IN the lamp
itself will he ornamental in finish and
available for gift purposes. 1t is not
yet on the market.
Ornamental candles with miniature
lights at their tips and dry batteries
in the candlesticks below are coming
into some popularity. Another novelty
is the clock with the tiny lamp before
its face, to be lighted by a pressure
OF the finger of any one who wants 10
know the time of night. Electric flash
lamps for Photographic use are also
new. There are several new patterns
of electric fans run by batteries, for
use in rooms not supplied with electric
current. and many of them are sold.
They work satisfactorily, but dealers
say that the cost of their maintenance
makes them fully expensive luxuries.
If the power of any kind, as from a
waterfall or windmill is available, the
owner of a house beyond the reach of
electric light wires can now install a
plant of his own very cheaply. When
water power is not to be had, gaso-
line engine is considered about the most
practicable way of running a dynamo
for use in an ordinary country house.
With current in the house, there is
scarcely any limit to the use to which
electricity can be put. Flatirons, curl
ing irons, pumping engines, coffee
mills, ice cream freezers and sewing
machines are a few of the commonest
applications. A motor for sewing
machine now cost only SIS to $50, and
is not very expensive TO maintain. Many
are being put In private houses. Ele-
ctric cooking appliances, including
chatting dishes and tea kettles, are
most convenient and cleanly, but use
up a great deal of current and are cor
respondingly expensive TO keep in use
Telephones are replacing speaking
tubes in most of the uptown houses
now being built. A two-station tele-
phone can he bought and installed for
less than SO The cheaper in struments
guaranteed only for distances less than
a mile Between houses and ables or
outbuildings in the country they are
also coming TO be very common. 1T
is interesting TO notice" said a special
list in this branch Of electrical work