Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-18

power, a system of which the original
principles are still followed.
The lamp had to be devised to meet
the conditions which Mr.. Edison per-
ceived must be met In q power system.
He had decided that system to be
generally useful could not have lamps
In series one after another on the cir
cult. but must have them independent
Of each other, so that each could be
turned on separately, just as gas burn
ers were. But, unlike gas, electricity
has to have a return circuit, and to
provide reasonable amounts Of power to
number of lamps without using wires
of unreasonable size the electricity must
be supplied at relatively high pressure
or voltage. So Edison chose ITO volts,
devised a dynamo or generator to fur
niSh a constant voltage and q system
of wiring to carry it. At the same time
he set out to devise a lamp which could
be made of moderate size and used In
multiple on this voltage.
Task Was Enormous.
AS Mr.. Edison himself says: "over
and above all these things, many other
devices had to be invented and perfect
ed, such as devices to prevent excessive
currents, proper switching gear, lamp
holders, chandeliers and all manner. of
details that were necessary to make
complete system of electric lighting that
could compete successfully with the gas
system. Such was the work to be done
in the early part Of 1878. The task was
enormous, but we put our shoulders to
the wheel, and in a year and half we
had q system Of electric lighting that
was q success. During this period ]
had upward Of 100 energetic men work.
ing hard on all the details
The thoroughneSS with which the job
was done is proved by the fact that the
first commercial installation ran sue
ceSsfully for Is years before being re-
placed by more modern plant. This
was on a steamer of the Oregon Rail-
way and Navigation Co. and started
operation May 2, 1880. During the next
two years over $50 other private plants
were installed, and then came the his
city. which started operation September
4, 1882.
100000 Homes Using Lamps.
Considering the complexity of this
undertaking, 1t is astonishing that q
really successful central power station
should have been put into operation
within three years after the invention
of the lamp itself. do not need to tell
how the idea of centralized power pro-
duction has spread in these so years,
for the magnitudes pass our compre-
hension. There are more than nine
teen million homes in the United
States using electric lamps, and last
year 577,000,000 lamps were made
and sold In this country alone. Ac-
cording to the most recent reports of
the Census Bureau IS per cent of the
70
tries is electrical, full so per cent of
the total Is furnished from central
power plants, and every year sees these
proportions increased. Ten billion dol
lars is already invested in power plants
to serve the public, and their growth
calls for q billion more each year.
Translated into human terms, this
growth means that more and more the
hard labor Of industry is being taken
from men and placed upon machines.
Our average workmen Of today controls
and directs forces that represent the
muscle power of 80 slaves, and we all
reap the benefit in material wellbeing
and larger share of opportunity for
life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness"
EdiSon's original direct-current ma
chimes have yielded their place to alter
anting current, and his 1l0-volt system
has been supplemented by feeders at
higher voltages until 100000 is almost
commonplace. Not merely do all the
users of electricity in a city draw their
power from common network Of wires
fed by generators working in unison In
a single station; often a whole district
using power drawn from many sources
Is thus linked up; steam and water
power work side by side. Yet in spite of
the tremendous growth which has taken
place, EdiSon's basic idea Of the multi
pie system has survived, or, more exact
ly, this idea is what made such growth
possible.
So, as have said, this golden jubilee
celebrates much more than the mere
invention Of a lamp. Tt is a renewed
recognition of the man whose genius
more than any other has made our In
dustrial world what it Is today. And
since this man and his accomplishment
appeal so much to the imagination Of
the world, we should know more Of the
real facts of his life.
OF academic education Edison had
practically none. His simple statement
is that he received some instruction
from his mother" but his training In
scientific knowledge, while self-attained,
has been thorough and broad. He has
by no means deSpised academic learn
ing; he has simply refused to be bound
by its conventions and limitations. He
Is described as a voracious reader a
tireless experimenter, an indefatigable