Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-01-14

Improved Welsbach Street Lighting
The question of street lighting being
uppermost in Charles Town just now. by
reason of the present contract with the
City Electric Light Company expiring
February 1. the new improved Welsbach
system of street lighting comes into
prominence. A pamphlet issued by the
Welsbach Company claims for its i'm
proved system vast deal of merit. as
the appended extracts will show:
The great points in the use of the
Welsbach System of Street Lighting
may be briefly summarized as follows.
namely:
Ist. The equal distribution of the light
over all portions of the area illuminated.
I'd. The beautiful and attractive char
acter OF the light. being pure white
light, unaffected by change of tempera-
ture or winds or other natural disturb
ances.
sd. The absolute immunity from flick
ering or smoke in the lantern.
4th. The high candle power of the
light.
9th. The perfection of the service ien-
dered. Being attended by an efficient
labor. the lanterns and entire equipment
are kept clean and in first-class order at
all times.
Cities and towns and municipal author
tiles that are considering the public
lighting of streets and public parks
should consider the commodity which
they are intending to purchase is a GER
tain quantity of available light. and is
not simply certain number of lamps.
giving in many instances. very un-
certain candle power each.
By available candle power" we mean
the quantity OF light measured by its
comparison with a standard sperm can
die taken as unit of measure. which is
emitted by single source of light. name
ly, IN this instance. an Improved Wells
bach Street Light. and which is utilized
for the illumination OF a certain area
within the range of its rays, measured in
horizontal plane; and experience has
proved that streets evenly and uniform
" lighted by our Improved Welsbach
Street Lights are illuminated through
out their entire length by an amount of
available candle power far in excess of
that which may be obtained by any 9TH
err system of lighting. at price much
below the cost required for available can
die power produced by any other means.
1t may also be stated that by the
words available candle power" is indi-
Gated the quantity of light which is dis
tributed horizontally and below the hor-
izontal plane, in every direction. from
the source of illumination, and does not
apply to the vast amount of light which.
in other systems of street lighting. is
uselessly wasted to illuminate the heav.
ems. but which at times is measured as
candle power and paid for by municipal
tiles without any real return being Oh
tanned therefor.
Europe being the birthplace of the
Welsbach. it is but natural that this is
the field of its present greatest promo
ton aud development in public illumi-
nation.
The city OF Munich-the great art
center of Europe-where all matters ap-
pertaining to beauty and attractiveness
receive most careful consideration. has
replaced the CHASTITY glare of the electric
lamps by ovea 1000 Welsbachs.
Paris, made the show city of the world
by turning night into day. has replaced
the arc lights by incandescents along its
principal thoroughfares The Avenue
de rOpera. the most prominent, the Bois
de Boulogne. the most central. and the
Champs Elysees, the handsomest boule-
ward in the world. all heretofore lighted
by the erratic and uncertain electrical
rays. now rejoice in the soft, warm glow
OF the Welsbach.
Berlin, the centre of progress OF the
German empire. and now acknowledged
to be tae best lighted city in the world.
has discarded arc lights. and replaced
them by $4,000 incandescent gas burners.
The principal cities of the United
States are following their example
through a gradual and rapidly growing
recognition of the incompatible advan-
tages of this new system.