The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-17

OF the country. cndeavoring to produce a
more economical method of converting
electricity into light like the rays of
the sun.
Each utilized his spare time in explora-
ton and mountain climbing, and while
neither knew of the other il was on
these mountain climbing and exploration
trips, far away from civilization. that the
idea of the new light was born in their
minds
Professor Parker was born in Brooklyn,
graduated at Columbia university and
has since been professor of physics there
He has found time TO explore the Cana
= dian Rocky mountains and make q score
Of first accents on nearly all the principal
peaks OF the Alps. Last year he was
one Of the organizers Of the Cook explo-
ration of Mount Mckinley in Alaska.
Salt Lake Boy.
Mr.. Clark was born in Salt Lake CITY.
and after leaving school devoted his time
to electrical engineering ON the Pacific
coast. He made his headquarters in San
Francisco for "a time and then went to
Seattle. Then he came to New York and
took charge Of the electrical engineering
department OF the Ansonia Brass < Elec-
tric company. He soon brought out a
new form of electric transmission conduc-
tors which made long-span transmission
possible and which was one of the no.
table feats of electrical development in
This invention made electrical spans of
7 900 feet possible where before not more
shaan 300 feet could he covered success
FULLY More than So 100. 600 pounds of this
cable have been nut up in all parts of the
world. the government Of India having
adopted it, The payment of the royalties
on these patents may result in one of the
most notable cases before the United
States courts for many years.
There are still other Inventions which
Mr.. clark has eiVen to the world among
them high potential insuiatOrs. fastening
devices and other details OF construction
for increasing the distance over which
rlectrical power may be successfully
But it is the new helion light into which
Professor Parker and Mr.. Clark have put
most OF their energy
Claims are made for the new light that
il will give three times the illumination
Of the ordinary incandesccnt for the same
electrical energy This claim has been
borne out by the Inventors in their dem
onstrations before eminent scientists.
Element of Accident
Like most EAT discoveries there was
an element of accident in the discovery
of the new light. according to Mr.. Clark
However. the accident was only an in
cifnnt OF their experiments.
The relative merits of lights IS shown
by a comparison of the power required
20 produce single candle power: the Edi-
son necessitating three and one-half
watts the Grntaium two watts. the lungs
ter one and one-haif watts and the Park
er-Clark one watt.
This comparison shows that the new
illumination as the ordinary electric in
candescent. with a consumption Of less
than one-third the electrical power The
tungsten light i admittedly a wonderful
1iiumnant but tungsten is one OF the
very rare and expensive metals and can
never hope 10 rival carbon in general
commercial use as filament for incan--i
descent bulbs. Tantalum also is mar
velous substance when used as fila
Tent for ineandescent lights. but it is
costly and is entirely too sensitive TO /
variations hes i'm
practicable on an alternating current
What the Light Really Is.
The elements that enter into the manu-
facture of the heli0n filament have not |
yet been made public-bOth Professor |
Parker and Mr. Clark keep those import |
ant details to themselves. ard there Is as /
much secrecy in the doing of their labo-
ratory at Columbia ever there was /
when a government was to be ovefthrowa /
BY conspiracy among its people.
But both inventors tell frankly how the 1
filament Is made. although they don't /
tell the names Of the several gases used i
I'm coating il. Silicon obtained from COM Il
mon sand and quartz. is the most import /
ant material used. This is the only fea- /
ture of the heiion filament that differs /
fro n1the common light with the carbon 4
take the place of the carbon.
We We're sure OF success eventually"
proudly said Mr. Clark and we knew
that a better substance than carbon could 4
De used for filaments. Platinum had been
used formerly. but that material. was un-
suitable and was abandoned. The me-
faglic or metalized substances just brought
before the world as filaments looked TO
as 10 he fmpracficable. both on account
Of coast and of other difficulties.
Future Possibilities
I'VE got our light at last. however. and.
after proving that IL was better than
anyfhine ever invented We announced
sur discoveries TO . party OF scientists at