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Show THE LIGHT AND MOTIVE POWER OF THE FUTURE. Notwithstanding the complete or partial failures that have hitherto attended all attempts at sub-dividing the electric current in such a manner that one wire will convey the subtile fluid to several lamps, it seems that the feat has at length been accomplished, by that indefatigable experimenter, Edison. The following dispatch from New York, dated Sept. 6, indicates that at last he has brought his system of sub-dividing the electric current for lighting purposes, to a fair degree of perfection: Most of the principal stores on Fulton street, from Nassau street to East River, were last evening for the first time lighted by the Edison Electric Light, and there were a few places in the First district, which extends from Spruce to Wall street, that were also lighted by the system, which can now be continually supplied from the first station, at Nos. 255 and 257 Pearl street. Meters have been placed in very many of the buildings throughout the entire district, and the light will be supplied as regularly as possible, each building requiring inspection by the Board of Underwriters before the light can be supplied. The lights are rather more brilliant than gas and are so arranged that the light can be turned on or off at will as in ordinary argand gas burners. The cost, the agent said last evening, would be a trifle less than the same amount of gas light. It has taken us a long time, said the superintendent last evening, but we have had to do what every one said could not be done, that is sub-divide the light in each house to any extent. We have laid our mains through nearly all the streets of the district, and have placed the wires very generally in buildings. We put in wires at our own expense and supply the lamps. If after a certain period of trial our customers desire to continue to use the light we charge them for the fixtures, but not otherwise. This is our first attempt to light the whole district, although we have for some time been furnishing light to a few of the banking offices in Wall street. Now, however, we propose to keep up a continuous supply. The light, the superintendent said, was the safest possible. You may wrap one of the lights in the finest of cambric, and then break the globe with a hammer, and the fabric will not be scorched. The instant the air comes in contact with the flame it goes out. We have our lamps on the steamer City of Worcester, and shall light the iron steamer Pilgrim on the Fall River line, with them, and in fact are now negotiating with that company to place lights on all their steamers. The Drexel building, containing 100 lights, the Times office, Park Bank, and the Herald office, were among the places lighted last night by the electric current from the station on Pearl street. Edison said further that eighteen miles of pipe would be laid in the down town district. Six miles had already been laid. So much for the success of attempts at utilizing electricity for lighting purposes. Of course no one will maintain but that, in all probability, great improvements will be made upon this system now, for the first time, put in practical operation, and there is great reason to believe that, at no distant day, electricity will supercede gas. Scientists are industriously working to devise means by which to utilize this omnipresent element as a motive power. Partial success has been attained and on a narrow guage railway in Germany trains have been propelled by it. There is no question that electricity can be used for motive purposes; the problem is to find a cheap method of developing it. That this problem will eventually be solved there is little doubt, and when once it is accomplished we will witness a revolution in the mechanical world, compared to which the effects that followed the invention of the steam engine will appear trivial. |
