The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-27

waves alone-which may be seen In almost
any ocullst's window.
CROOKESS SERVICE TO SCIENCE.
Crookes also made the first X-ray tube,
though he did not discover the remark
able properties of the rays emanatng
from it, this brilliant achievement remain
ing for Professor Roentgen, who ascer-
tained their nature Of passing through
more or less solid substances and their ac-
ton on Photographic plate. Though
when Crookes finished his labors the cold
light he sought was almost as distant as
hefcre,N yet he rendered great service
in showing that the ideal light must be
sought for in other places than in the
tubes themselves.
The mantle Of cold-light phenomenon
now fell upon Mr.. Nikoln Tesla, who
startled the world ten years ago. Tesla
struck out on new lead, deeming that
Crookes had not only properly exhausted
his tubes. but also his genius in this d.
rection as we'll. The ambitious inventor
evolved working hypothesis by assum-
ing that those before him had not used
the proper kind Of current.
He devised a high potential apparatus
that would give a pressure of a million
volts and frequency of current or alter
nations of million times per second. he
designed special lamps and tried to con-
ergy to work inside n bulb, and so pro-
duce light by electro-static waves or
thrrsls due to the molecular bomDaru-
ment of the gaseous matter within.
The current he employed was termed
oscIllatory. and effects were produced by
Tesla which were different from any
thing before known In physics. For ex-
ample, SO high was the pressure and ire
uuency that no insulation could be maze
to withstand its terrific effects Blue hsht
streamed out from the wires which con-
Quoted the current; the electro-static bonn
bardment was SO great that 1t would
heat a button of refractory metal inside
an exhausted glass bulb to redness, and
volumes of ozone were liberated every
where In the vicinity of the apparatus.
The gigantic difficulty Tesla encountered
was keeping the current confined to the
conducting wires. and where he had cold
light in his lamp he had hot electrical
flames issuing forth everywhere. deadly
menace to life and property. Finally the
inventor did find an insu!ator through
which the static strains could not burst; It
was ice, and 20 Tesla obtained a patent ON
Ice. and commercial cold light as far as
he is concerned was consigned forever to
the freezing temperature Of the refriger-
ator.
At this time another worker, q very
young man, was engaged in his laboratory
In Philadelphia. He, too. was producing
results: but they were not shown from
platforms as spectacular exhibitions OF
what he could do or was going to do. Mr..
d. Mcfarland Moore was doing the work
of his life. Having gone over the entire
state OF the art OF cold light, he laid
plan for action different from his predeces-
sors, He not only knew the commercial
oF rnI oil
they could be fulfilled without resorting
10 extraordinary measures such as Crookes
had utilized with his highly exhausted
tubes and Tesla with his oscillatory cur
rent.
At the New York Electrical Show in
1893 Mr. Moore showed Il miniature chapel
lighted by his tubes conforming TO the
architectural conditions, Since the above
exhibit great improvements have been
made and the light is at least twenty-five
times brighter per square inch of surface
than formerly. When In operation the
tube is filled with light so rapidly rotating
that the eye cannot perceive its motion;
In fact, it appears as though 1t were a
long cylinder of densely white smoke.
The color and quality of the light are SO
close to those of daylight that the most
delicate shades and tints can be matched
by it, making it invaluable not only for
stores. but wherever decorative effects,
costly rugs and ornamental hangings are
to be made to show to advantage.
Another salient feature Is that in room
thus lighted there are no shadows and no
glaring reflections such as are now always
present at certain portions Of artifcially
lighted paintings. The photographer is
already a consumer, and the portraits
shown in the illustrations were made by
Marceau. who employees these lights. BY
simply changing the character of the
rarefled gas the room may be flooded with
light In many successive tints heretofore
unattainable, and made to harmonize
perfectly with draperies of every conceiv-
able style. So impressed was Mr.. Charles
NJ Schwab. the steel magpate. with the
artificial daylight method that he ordered
complete apparatus Of the Moore system
to be installed in his mansion at River
side Drive.
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