Year: 1878




Sending Cheap Light, Heat and Power by
Electricity.


Mr.. Edison says that he has discover
ed how to make electricity cheap and
practicable substitute for Illuminating
gas. Many scientific men have worked
assiduously in that direction, but with
little success. A powerful electric light
was the result of these experiments, but
the problem of its division into many
small lights was q puzzler. Gramme,
Siemens, Brush, Wallace, and others
produced at most ten lights from single
machine, but single one OF them was
found to be impracticable for lighting
aught save large foundries, mills and
workshops. It has been reserved for
Mr.. Edison to solve tho difficult prob
lem desired. This, be says, he has done
within few days. His experience with
the telephone, however, has taught him
to be cautious, and he is e1erting him
self to protect the new scientific marvel,
which, he says, will make the use of gas
for illumination thing of the past.


"I have it now!" he said, while vig-
orously turning the handle Of Ritchie
inductive coil in his laboratory at Menlo
Park, "and, singularly enough, have
obtained it through an entirely different
process than that from which scientific
men have ever sought to secure it. They
have all been working in the same
groove, and when it is known how I
have accomplished my object, everybody
will wonder why they have never thought
of it, it is 80 simple. When ten lights
have been produced by single electric
machine, it has been thought to be a
great triumph of scientific skill. With
the process I have Just discovered, I can
produce thousand-aye, ten thousand
from one machine. Indeed, the num-
Der may be said to be infinite. When
the brilliancy and cheapness of the lights
are made known to the public-which
will be IN a few weeks, or just as soon as
I can thoroughly protect the process
illumination by carbureted hydrogen
gas will be discarded. With fifteen or
twenty of these dynamo-electric ma
chimes recently perfected by MIR. Wal
lace can light the entire lower part of
New York city, using 500 horsepower
engine. I purpose to establish one OF
these light centers in Nassau street,
whence wires can be run up town as far
as the Cooper Institute, down to the
Battery, and across to both rivers.
These wires must be insulated, and laid
in the ground in the same manner as gas
pipes. also propose to utilize the gas
burners and chandeliers now in use. In
each house can place light meter,
whence these wires will pass through
the house, tapping small metallic con-
trivances that may be placed over each
burner. Then housekeepers may turn
off their gas, and send the meters
back to the companies whence they
came. Whenever it is desired to light
jet, it will only be necessary to touch a
little spring near it. No matches are re-
quired.


"Again, the same wire that brings
the light to you" Mr.. Edison continued,
"will also bring power and heat. With
the power you can run an elevator,
sewing-machine or any other mechanical
contrivance that requires motor, and
by means Of the heat you may cook your
food. To utilize the heat. it will only
be necessary to have the ovens or stoves
properly arranged for it's reception. This
can be done at triAing cost. The dynamo
electric machine, called telemachon,
may be run by water or steam power at
a distance. When used in large city
the machine would of necessity be run
by steam power. I have computed the
relative cost of the light, power and heat
generated by the electricity transmitted
to the telemachon to be but fraction OF
the cost where obtained in the ordinary
way. By battery or steam power it is
forty.six times cheaper, and by water
power probably. ninety.fve per cent.
cheaper"


1t has heen computed that by Elison's
process the same amount of light that ls
given by one thousand cubic feet OF
carbureted hydrogen gas now used in
this city, and for which from 81. 30 to 50
is paid, may be obtained for from twelve
to fifteen cents. Edison will soon give
public exhibition of his new invention.
-Ne,O York Sun.