The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-27
LIGHTING SYSTEM
FOR THE HOME

Mo- so very many years ago honest
folk were wont to retire very shortly
after dark, getting up at daylight to
take advantage Of all the light there
was during the t~wenty-four hours.
since the gradual improvement of var
nous lighting systems for the home,
oHIee' street and public places of all
Kinds 1t is safe to say that the majority
or today goes to bed about II
O'CLOCK at night and gets at z a. m.
There is really no excuse for going to
ped with the chickens-and getting up
with them also, now that the various
lighting systems are almost reaching
perfection.
Lighting systems were first consid-
cred a luxury, and his wasn't so very
long ago either. They say that we are
living too fast, but the truth is, we
are not going. so rapidly but we &C.
complish so very much more as we go
mat 1t makes us appear faster when
compared with the ancients,
The question as to which system of
lighting Is the most satisfactory, all
things considered, is hardly d%ebatable.
Electr1clty is cleaner, safer, healthier,
more convenient and in most cities
more economical than any other sys-
tenn of lighting. There has been a.
great deal of Improvement since the
days of the old horseshoe carbon light.
In fact, the increased brilliancy has
been a little ~overdone, so that the
brightest electric light now o~btainable,
also the brightest gas light obtainable,
globes or in other a arranged to
diffuse it.
1t was thought that when a light of
extreme b~rilliancy had been invented
that all lighting problems had been
solved, that every part of a room could
be made as light as day; and this is
really possible, but not practical.
Observe the daylight in your room.
| IL your room is on the north side nf
the house no direct rays of the sun
enter it. Still during the middle OF
the day you have ample light of a soft
diffused nature. On the south side Of
the house where the direct rays are
admitted you will invariably draw your
curtain so that the sun will not shine
rect rays which strike the wall, floor
and furniture, are sometimes so bril-
liant as to create discomfort.
Place a book in the direct rays Of
will find the light binding and if CON
tiuued indefinitely would soon ruin the
sight. h easily proves that the
most practical light is a diffused or
place a miniature sun in the middle Of
the room receiving direct rays from
it in all directions you experience an
effect that is very firing to the eyes.
~ upon your book or writing paper 1t
Is injurious. Since it would not be
practical to place the chandeliers out
side Of the window. and attempt to
nave them shine in, in the same man
ner, and with approximately the same
brilliancy as the sum-, it is necessary to
Keep this miniature sun within each
room.
To diffuse the light various kinds of
opalescent, ground glass and other
shades have been made, but all have
proved more or less unsatisfactory.
Most of them will shade the light from
| d greater norton of the rom md No
pecially the ceiling, casting a very
strong glare Immediately below the
chandelier, SO that when you are in the
shadow you have not light enough and
when you are in the glare the light is
too strong.
Que day some bright genius solved
an fhe problems as quickly and as
easily as Columbus defeated the laws
or graduation by standing an egg on
end, when the sages and philosophers
thought it impossible. This genius
light downward against carpets. tables
other miscellaneous things that
absorb instead of reflect light, he
requiring that the ceiling be of light
color, and let's the light fall in a diffus-
ca manner, giving a soft glow to all
pagfs Of the room. which creates nc
and not much Of that. Simple, ism,
It? But like all simple things, it must
be lone right. -
The most practical color for the cell
ing is a light cream, although other
light colors, such as a very light sky
blue, have been used and given salts
faction, when enough Indirect lighting
%liers. witch t look ike ehsnds
hanging flower baskets SUSPENDED Sv
chains, are of varying width and de.
Sign to sns suit the requirements Of each
To get. the proper amount of light Is
a matter OF; scientific figuring by a
lighting engineer, who carefully COM
properly light q certain sized room OF
certain decorations and from his scien
tlt1c figures determines the width and
number of the chandeliers (when the
should be suspended from the ceiling.
Indirect wall lights are also used. bnt
tnese are not as practical as the drop
iignts Or chandeliers from the ceiling,
ABOUT the room, which is sometimes
done when the ceiling is low. The new
Mazda tungsten lights are a great eco.
nomy over the old style carbon light
not only in the actual amount OF Cur
rent consumed, but by reason OF the
fact that fewer Of them are required
for sufficient lighting purposes.
The arrangement of lights for the
interior is one too complicated to dis
cuss at length in a general way, each
room providing it's own problems. But
tt,SoO IVY potHLS SuOuIu De DOrn6 III
mind. Always provide switches for ali
electric chandeliers at c%onveninet
places. Never place a light fixture
Always provide a small light for each
bureau, piano and washstand, and
preferably two, one on each side. All
chandeliers should be on three-way
switches, SO that only one light can be
turned on when desired, such as one In
the dining room by which to set the
table, but still so that all the lights
can be turned on at will. Wrifine
desks, typewriters, and the like should