THE BANISHMENT OF NIGHT 



of greater illuminating power than any other known 

 gas. The flame is absolutely white and of blinding 

 brilliancy, giving a spectrum closely approximating 

 that of sunlight. The light is so strongly actinic that it 

 is excellent for photography. 



Here was a gas that could be made in any desired 

 quantities simply by adding water to a substance costing 

 only about three cents a pound; its cost of production, 

 therefore, representing only about one sixth of the 

 dollar-per- thousand-feet rate usually charged for il- 

 luminating gas in our cities. It could be used in lamps 

 and lanterns made with special burners and with the 

 simple mechanism of a small water tank which allowed 

 water to drip into a receptacle holding the carbide; or 

 reversing the process an apparatus that dropped 

 pieces of carbide into the water tanks. It was, in short, 

 the cheapest illuminant known, generated by an appara- 

 tus that was simplicity itself. 



There were, however, two defects in this gas: its 

 odor was intolerable the "smell of decayed garlic," 

 it has been aptly called and when mixed with air it 

 was highly explosive. The first of these defects could 

 be overcome easily; when the burner consumed all 

 the gas there was no odor. The second, the explosive 

 quality, presented greater difficulties. These were em- 

 phasized and magnified by the number of defective 

 lamps that soon flooded the market, many of these being 

 so badly constructed that explosions were inevitable. 

 As a result a strong prejudice quickly arose against 

 the gas, some countries passing laws prohibiting its use. 



But further inquiry into the cause of the frequent dis- 



