Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 412 The Worship of Giants!

A week later, in Paris.

The September sun generously bathed the Champs-Élysées, gilding the magnificent Palace of Industry with a dazzling golden hue.

More than a month has passed since the opening of the International Electricity Exhibition, and the people of Paris have long been accustomed to the bizarre and novel inventions on display.

But today, a long, winding queue had formed early in the morning at the entrance of the Industrial Palace, with a cacophony of voices and an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement far more intense than before.

Carriages, gentlemen, ladies, reporters, curious citizens... all sorts of people gathered here, crowding the square in front of the Industrial Palace.

They came solely to witness firsthand the masterpieces of Thomas Edison, the inventor and industrial tycoon from the New World.

On the second floor of the Palais des Industriels ...

Thomas Edison was wearing a black suit jacket, his bow tie was perfectly tied, and his face was full of a confident smile.

Standing to his left is Charles Lafargue, the general manager of the "Paris Lighting and Gas Company".

Mr. Lafargue was about fifty years old, slightly overweight, wearing a well-tailored gray striped suit, and a large signet ring on his finger.

He looked down at the surging crowd below, his eyes showing the same curiosity as everyone else, but also a hint of worry.

Is the electric light, this new invention, the gravedigger of his career, or a new source from which he can cooperate and share the profits?

To Edison's right is Henri de Villefort, the president of the Paris City Council.

The Speaker had a reserved and proud demeanor, typical of French bureaucrats, with his graying sideburns neatly combed.

His concerns were far more complex than Lafargue's:
Will this new technology win the hearts of Parisians?

Can it create a brighter and more "progressive" image for the city?

Will this cause social unrest or opposition?

Of course, the Speaker felt that it was not unreasonable to appropriately promote this "beneficial to the country and the people" cause, given the considerable "consulting fee" promised by Edison in private.

Speaker Wilford nodded slightly in appreciation: "Look at the popularity, Mr. Edison."

Parisians are always enthusiastic about new things, especially wonders from across the ocean.

Edison stroked his chin with satisfaction: "Mr. Speaker, the streets of Paris will be illuminated as brightly as day in the future!"
Today's exhibition is just a small step for me personally, but it will be a giant leap for the lighting industry.

He then turned to Lafargue: “As for cost and reliability, Mr. Lafargue, my system is far more economical and stable than you might imagine.”

They come here today for something new, but tomorrow, electric lights will become an indispensable part of their lives.

The nights in Paris should be as bright as day, and all of this will be achieved by my system.

The era of gas lamps is coming to an end; electric lights are the future!

Lafargue smiled noncommittally and didn't reply.

He was quickly calculating the cost comparison between gas and electricity, and how much of a share he could gain in this energy revolution if they cooperated.

Edison's promise of a share of the patent licensing rights and the joint venture's shares was indeed very tempting.

The noise in the downstairs exhibition hall suddenly increased, indicating that the exhibition was about to begin.

Thomas Edison nodded to his two companions: "Gentlemen, excuse me, it's time for me to show Paris 'another sun'."

Lafargue and Villefort exchanged a glance, as if they both remembered something—two years ago, someone had also announced that they would bring a new sun to France, but it turned out to be a disaster.

However, that person was from England.

Thomas Edison, of course, had no idea what the two of them were thinking. He had already turned and walked down the stairs, leaving Lafargue and Villefort standing on the high ground, each lost in their own thoughts as they watched down below.

The main exhibition hall on the first floor was crowded with people and unbearably hot.

In the center of the exhibition hall, a colossal object was tightly covered by a huge black velvet cloth, with only the cold outline of steel and its terrifyingly large size vaguely visible.

People gathered around it, discussing and speculating about what kind of wonder it was.

Lionel Sorel and his companion Nikola Tesla were inconspicuous in the crowd.

Lionel's gaze swept over the excited crowd and the covered behemoth, but he did not push forward with them, and his expression remained calm.

Tesla beside him appeared even more tense, his pale face and deep-set eyes burning with a flame, as if trying to see through the black cloth to see what his "idol" had created this time.

Lionel chuckled and whispered to Tesla, “Look at this scene, Nikola. Thomas Edison was indeed a marketing genius.”

He knows how to create suspense and how to stir people's emotions.

Unexpectedly, Nikola Tesla shook his head: "The day after tomorrow, the day after tomorrow it will be our turn. At that time, people will know what the real future is, and who the real genius is."

However, I'm worried..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lionel patted him on the shoulder and reassured him, "Be patient, my friend."

Let Mr. Edison enjoy his moment of glory first; change needs a prelude.

"It's just that in the past, others have always been stepping stones for Mr. Edison." Just then, the crowd automatically parted to make way, and Thomas Edison, surrounded by several assistants and exhibition staff, strode up to the giant object covered by a black cloth.

The noise gradually subsided, and all eyes were focused on him.

Edison didn't engage in much small talk; he knew that actions spoke louder than words at this moment.

He looked around, then suddenly waved his hand—his assistants simultaneously pulled down the huge black cloth.

"Buzz..." An uncontrollable gasp erupted from the crowd—before their eyes appeared a colossal steel behemoth!
The steel components gleamed coldly under the gas lamps, and the complex coils and iron core structure revealed the power of the industrial age. The entire machine weighed at least tens of tons!
What's even more awe-inspiring is that above the generator, a giant lighthouse composed of thousands of incandescent bulbs, stacked layer upon layer, stands majestically, like a sleeping god of light waiting to be awakened by the electricity.

Even Parisians, who pride themselves on being worldly-wise and experienced, were deeply awestruck by the beauty of this giant machine, which exudes the power of industry.

They had seen electric lights before. Indeed, when Lionel Sorel's "Thunderstorm" was performed at the Comédie-Française, electric lights were cleverly used to create a thrilling stage effect, making the Comédie-Française itself one of the earliest public buildings in Paris to adopt electric lighting on a large scale.

But those lights were scattered in different corners of the theater.

The enormous lighthouse before us has a completely different kind of impact, almost enough to inspire a primal sense of awe in everyone who sees it in this era.

Edison stood before his masterpiece, his voice booming: "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the future of electricity!"

The machine in front of you weighs 27 tons and is the world's largest and most powerful generator!
And the 1,200 lights above it will prove to you—

Electric lights are no longer novel toys; they are enough to illuminate the entire city!

He paused for a moment, savoring the silence and anticipation he had created.

"Now, I ask you all to be my witnesses!"

Edison turned around, faced the generator control panel, took a deep breath, and then solemnly and personally closed the huge switch!
"Crack!"

After a crisp closing sound, there was a brief, almost suffocating silence.

Immediately afterwards——

"Shh!"

It was as if a thousand miniature suns were born at the same time!

Thousands of incandescent bulbs on the giant electric light tower were lit up at the same moment, emitting an incomparably brilliant, stable, and even merciless light!
The light was so intense that viewers who were close by instinctively shielded their eyes with their hands, feeling as if another sun had truly appeared in their vision.

The entire exhibition hall was illuminated by this sudden artificial daylight, revealing every detail, even the dust particles floating in the air were clearly visible.

The surrounding gaslights suddenly appeared dim and yellowish in its presence, like an old man in his twilight years.

A few seconds later, as people adjusted to the bright light, gasps of amazement, cheers, and applause surged forth like a tidal wave.

They were completely captivated by the spectacular sight, their faces filled with disbelief and ecstasy.

This is not just lighting; it is a miracle, a glorious victory of humankind in harnessing the power of nature!

Lionel squinted at the radiant lighthouse and murmured, "It's truly magnificent. Parisians aren't unfamiliar with electric lights; Yablochkov's electric candles, the lights in our theater..."

But the psychological impact of such a concentrated and large-scale exhibition is unparalleled.

Tesla responded in a low voice: "DC has too many limitations. The line losses for a power supply of this scale would be astronomical."

What a waste! An enormous waste!

On stage, Edison raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, a victorious smile spreading across his face.

He announced loudly: "This is not just a demonstration! To prove the unparalleled reliability of my incandescent bulb, this lamppost will be lit here, in the Industrial Palace, for five consecutive days!"

A gasp erupted from the crowd again: Five consecutive days?
This means that Edison's light bulbs had a durability that was unmatched by previous light bulbs!
It should be noted that the lifespan of most light bulbs publicly displayed in the past was around 600 hours, but this was under the condition that they needed to "rest" for at least 12 hours after being lit for 6 to 8 hours.

If these lights are only used for nighttime lighting, how often do they need to be replaced?
Therefore, this is not only a visual shock, but also a powerful declaration of the reliability of this technology!

The greatly improved durability means a significant reduction in cost, which is the key to the widespread adoption of electric lights from theaters and wealthy people's villas to streets and homes!
If this is true, then the last technical hurdle for electric lights to replace gas lamps seems to have been cleared.

The general manager of Lafarge, watching this scene from the second floor, changed his expression—if the durability of light bulbs was indeed as Edison said, then the cost advantage of gas lamps would be completely lost.

He had to reassess the terms of his collaboration with Edison.

Speaker Villefort smiled with even greater satisfaction, as the public's reaction was positive, even enthusiastic.

This new technology seems to have great potential, as it can both improve political performance and bring tangible benefits.

He could almost see the magnificent sight of Paris's boulevards illuminated by electric lights, and the praise that followed.

Edison continued his speech on stage, painting a rosy picture of the future after the widespread adoption of electric lights, his voice filled with infectious enthusiasm and persuasiveness. The audience erupted in thunderous applause that lasted for a long time.

Lionel tugged at Tesla. “Let’s go, Nikola. Let him enjoy his victory. Our battle is the day after tomorrow.”

Then people will see that turning on light bulbs is just the beginning; the real key is how to transmit and use electricity more efficiently and economically.

Tesla took one last look at the radiant DC power system, took a deep breath, nodded, and followed Lionel as they turned and squeezed out of the crowd still immersed in excitement and amazement.

Inside the Industrial Palace, Edison's "artificial sun" continues to radiate light and heat, seemingly heralding the dawn of a new era.

(End of this chapter)