Donald Wandrei by Murray's Light

Author:Murray's Light
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

MAY waned into June and hot, sticky days began to make their appearance in New York City. The novelty of Arctolights had scarcely diminished. Thousands of apartments were lighted by their peculiar, soft irradiation. True, they had one basic disadvantage that Murray had not thought of, but which he speedily remedied. They furnished light that was not only constant, but too constant. They could not be turned off readily. Early purchasers solved the problem by various subterfuges such as putting the magic lamps in dark closets when the owners wanted to sleep. After the first few thousands, Murray distributed a black pasteboard cover with each bulb.

As June flowered into July, the powerful utility and financial interests won their initial victories. They forced “joker” laws through the legislatures of three States. The new laws required an accurate description of all electric, lighting, power, gas, and steam equipment and appliances to be filed with State power commissions. Murray fought for temporary restraining injunctions and won. He battled for permanent injunctions and lost. He fought the cases toward the supreme court but they never reached that austere body.

July sizzled into August, and Arctolights flowed in endless procession to all parts of the country. Controversy still raged in Sunday supplements, feature pages, trade journals, and scientific periodicals. Murray’s failure to protect his discovery or invention brought frequent comment. Numerous experimenters sought the elusive secret, knowing full well that under the patent laws, Murray might be deprived of all rights and rewards if someone else filed an application before he did.

As August baked toward the cooler breezes of September, the war department suddenly became active. Under the patent laws, any invention that affected national defense could be taken over by the government. An order was issued for the confiscation of every Arctolight, while the postal officials and express agencies received instructions to segregate every parcel sent out by the Arctolight Trading Co.

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