Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1878 — Electric Light. [ARTICLE]

Electric Light.

About two years ago, Mr. J. B. Fq(ler invented and exhibited an electric machine for telegraphic purposes. It then occurred to him that the same apparatus might, with some changes, be made to produce an electric light, and, after considerable labor, he perfeutod his invention, It was in operation on Saturday evening, in the rear of Maltby’s oyster depot, at U Greenwich avenue. A small steam-engine furnishes the motive power for the machine, which is very simple, consisting of an armature revolving between the poles of a powerful electro-magnet. A strong current of electricity is thus generated. Two electric wires arc attached to the machine, and they convey tho electricity to the various burners. Each of theso burnors consists of two sticks of carbon, separated by a piece of glass, which are attached, in an upright position, to the wires. The electricity is. ignited by the application of an ordinary piece of metal to the burners. The light thus produced is dazzlingly brilliant and very beautiful, so far surpassing the ordinary gas-light that the latter looks yellow and dirty beside it. Any number of lights may be supplied by the same wires, anti Mr. Fuller has succeeded in so subdividing the current of electricity that any one of the lights can be extinguished without affecting, in the slightest degree, the other lights on the same circuit. This had not been accomplished before. Mr. Fuller savs.hO can light buildings in any part of the city by extending his wires to them through the streets. He also says he can light the streets with electricity, and to prove this he has stretched his wires to a post on the sidewalk, in front of the building, where he keeps a light burning every evening. This light is far more brilliant than any calcium-light, and illuminates the street for a block. One of these lights would illuminate a whole block, and far lietter, too, than a dozen or more of street-lamps. In lighting up a house, porcelain or ground-glass shades are used for softening the glaro of the light. The cost of production is very slight, much less than that of tho ordinary gas.— N. Y. Sun.