The Glenwood post., 1909-02-13
A NEW USE FOR A NEW LIGHT

One of the largest cigar manufact-
uring firms in the world has solved
the hitherto impossible task of pack
ing cigars by night under artificial
light. Previously the work could be
done only in the daytime, and then only
under most favorable conditions. The
men trusted with the shading, sub
shading and packing of cigars worked
only a few hours of the day. Their
benches were located near the large
windows on the north side of the fac
tories, away from the brilliancy of the
actual sunshine, and on cloudy days
or when it began to be the least bit
dusky, the work had to be suspended
altogether. This inconvenience was one
of the most serious drawbacks to the
cigar industry. The factories would
work night and day if necessary, but
the sorting and grading of the finished
product before shipping could only be
done in the perfect light of the pure
day
In one of the large cigar factories OF
Columbia, p, only few weeks ago,
the work of packing the finished cigars
was far behind, owing to the intense
smoke from the forest fires, which prac-
tically hid the sun. The superinteend-
ent of the factory was discussing his
troubles with the superintendent of the
electric light station, which led easily
into n talk of the merits of the new
metal filament electric lights. As re-
suit of this argument an Illuminating
engineer from Harrison, N. j., was call
ed in and asked to make series of
tests in the factory utilizing the new
lamps to see if any of them were suit
able for the difficult task of sorting
and packing cigars.
All the new types of electric lights
which have been developed in the past
few years were given a thorough test,
and it was not until the new Tungsten
electric incandescent lamps were used
that the experiment showed any signs
of success. A number of the new
Tungsten lamps We're suspended directly
over the sorting tables. They gave a
pure white light, which is very closely
allied with actual sunshine, and every
color of the spectrum, with every de-
gree of shade and tine stood out as
clearly as though the sun was shining.
After several hours, wherein not one of
the experts could detect any flaw in the
work, the cigars sorted under the rays
from the Tungsten lamps were laid
aside until the next day. A careful in
spection -of the lot under the natural
rays of Old Sol failed to disclose a sin
gle mistake. The work done the night
before was pronounced perfect, and an
order was immediately given for the
wiring of the sorting room and the in
stollation of Tungsten lamps
When it is known that this has never
been accomplished in the past by any
known artificial light, Columbia, Pa,
consequently places herself in the lead
in adopting progressive ideas.
The cigar industry is one of the last
to awaken to the Importance of utiliz-
ing pure light. Stores, where articles
of clothing or apparel are sold, have
already adopted the Tungsten lights,
that customers may select the daintiest
of shades at night, without disappoint-
ment of finding that the cloth looks
altogether different the next day. AZ
ter all, the matter of color is of pri-
mary Importance for such classes of
commercial work, even if the lights do
burn at considerable economy over
the old incandescents, consuming two
thirds less current for given amount
of light, and cutting two thirds off the
| electric light bills, for even if these
new lights did cost more to use, in
stead of less, they would be of price
less value where color is of signal i'm
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