Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 590 The righteous direct current will surely defeat the evil alternating current!

June 21, 1883, East London: an abandoned gasworks site.

This place has been temporarily transformed into an open-air theater, with a semi-circular wooden grandstand that can accommodate nearly two thousand people.

Opposite the stands was a field enclosed by a rough wooden fence, the ground covered with damp sawdust, and a large basket was placed there.

At 10 a.m., the audience began to enter.

Among them were well-dressed gentlemen, curious students, newspaper reporters, ordinary citizens, and even parents with children.

Tickets cost one shilling, not cheap, but the seats were full. People whispered among themselves, and the air was thick with a mixture of anticipation and unease.

Behind the stands, an old two-story building had been converted into a control center. Thomas Edison stood by a second-floor window.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the throng of people below, his face expressionless.

Samuel Insall stood beside him and reported in a low voice: "The Times, the Daily Telegraph, and the Illustrated London News have all sent reporters."

There were also several French journalists, from Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Petit-Les Parisien, and Le Petit Parisien.

Thomas Edison looked at a huge black machine in the theater. It was a modified alternator, with thick cables extending all the way into the wooden enclosure.

Thomas Edison knew what was going to happen today, and he knew it would be brutal. But he told himself it was necessary.

Business is war, and there is no place for mercy in war!
Thomas Edison asked softly, "Any news from Morgan?"

Samuel Insall shook his head: "His secretary said Mr. Morgan is still 'evaluating all options'."

“Evaluate,” Thomas Edison scoffed. “Once he sees what’s going on today, he’ll know which side to choose.”

A commotion arose downstairs. Thomas Edison walked back to the window.

At the entrance to the venue, a specially made heavy-duty cart was being slowly pulled in by four horses. On the cart was a huge wooden cage, inside which stood an Asian elephant.

The elephant's grayish-brown skin was covered with wrinkles and scars, its ears twitched occasionally, its long trunk curled up and down from time to time, and its eyes were blank.

A commotion arose in the audience. Some people stood up, some craned their necks, and some even left their seats to get closer.

Thomas Edison looked at the elephant; it was very strong, over two meters tall at the shoulder, and probably weighed three tons.

He asked with some concern, "Are the radishes ready?"

Samuel Insall nodded: "Ready, a whole basketful. Its favorite food."

"dose?"

"enough."

Thomas Edison asked no more questions. He knew when the potassium cyanide would take effect—they couldn't wait that long in public.

He needed his death to be swift and shocking enough to leave no room for controversy!
The cart arrived at the outer edge of the enclosure, and the wooden cage was opened. The elephant trainer gently touched the elephant's hind legs with an iron hook, guiding it out of the cage.

The elephant obediently stepped off the cart and walked into the center of the enclosure, the chains dragging on the ground with a dull thud.

It stood there, seemingly at a loss for what to do, before noticing a large basket filled with radishes in the center of the field.

The elephant became happy and immediately used its trunk to pick up a handful of carrots and stuff them into its mouth to eat with gusto. The staff then took the opportunity to secure its chain firmly to the wooden stake.

The audience gradually quieted down.

At this moment, a man dressed in a black suit walked onto a makeshift wooden platform next to the fence, holding a tin megaphone in his hand.

He was Arnold White, the managing director of the Edison Electric Light Company in London.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the science demonstration!"

The applause was sporadic for a while, but the audience mostly whispered among themselves.

Arnold White didn't care: "Today, we will witness an important experiment together. This experiment concerns public safety, the direction of scientific progress, and the future of each and every one of us!"

"As we all know, Mr. Edison's invention of the incandescent light bulb has illuminated countless homes in London, New York, and Paris. Our DC power system is stable, reliable, and safe, earning the trust of the entire world!"

The applause was a bit louder this time. Just last year, London's first central power station, located on the Holburn Viaduct, went into operation.

This power station uses Edison's three-wire DC system to supply power to the surrounding streets and buildings.

Many elites around have embraced a new lifestyle of "upstairs and downstairs, electric lights and telephones," and naturally have a greater affinity for direct current.

“However,” Arnold White’s tone became serious, “in recent years, a power supply method called ‘alternating current’ has begun to be touted. Its proponents claim that alternating current can be transmitted over long distances, is more efficient, and is cheaper.”

But they deliberately avoided a fatal problem—security!

"Direct current is gentle. Its voltage is low, so even if you accidentally touch it, it won't cause serious harm. But alternating current is different! Its voltage can rise to thousands of volts, and the direction of the current constantly changes, which can be devastating to human tissue!"

Uneasy murmurs arose from the audience.

Arnold White points to the elephants inside the enclosure.

"Today, we will demonstrate the dangers of alternating current in the most visual way. The elephant you see here is named 'Singh.' It comes from India and originally worked in a logging camp hauling timber. But do you know what it did?"

"Last winter in Mumbai, while Lord Charles Ashton and his wife were inspecting the colony, 'Singer' suddenly went berserk, broke through the fence, and trampled the Lord and his two guards to death! All three died on the spot!" Exclamations rang out. Although this news had been reported long ago, most people had long forgotten it. Now, with the "horrific scene" unfolding before their eyes, fear suddenly became tangible.

"This beast should have been put to death. But we have a suggestion—let its death serve science! Let its death serve as a warning to the world!"

Arnold White turned and pointed to the machine: "Today, we will use the alternating current generated by this machine to execute 'Singer'."

This is not cruelty, it's for science, it's a necessary sacrifice! Everyone will see that alternating current can kill even such a large animal instantly!
What would be the consequences if it were used in homes or on the streets?

The audience was completely silent. Behind the curtain at the second-floor window, Thomas Edison watched it all.

He listened to Arnold White's words without showing any expression. The story may be true or false, but Lord Charles Ashton was indeed trampled to death by "Singer."

But the reason "Singh" went mad was because he couldn't bear the abuse at the logging camp—but that's not important. What the public needs is a reason that doesn't carry a moral burden.

Downstairs, Arnold White finished his speech, and the staff began to move about.

Four men entered the enclosure; two carried two heavy copper plates connected to thick cables, while the other two carried whips and iron hooks to prevent the elephant from moving suddenly.

The elephant stood still, its trunk swaying gently. It looked somewhat uneasy, but did not resist; the carrots had "calmed" its emotions.

It ate the carrots in the big basket one bite after another, almost bursting into tears—Singer had never imagined that he would receive such a generous reward.

The copper plate, serving as the electrode, was firmly fixed to the elephant's hind leg and then wrapped with a thick velvet cloth soaked in salt water to enhance conductivity.

everything's ready.

Arnold White raised his right hand: "Now, let us witness!"

In the control room on the second floor, Thomas Edison nodded to Samuel Insall.

Samuel Insall walked up to a control panel covered with brass switches and gauges.

He placed his hand on the main switch and glanced back at Thomas Edison.

Thomas Edison did not speak, but simply nodded slightly.

Samuel Insall took a deep breath and flipped the switch.

Instantly, the alternator emitted a deep hum, and the voltmeter needle jumped sharply to the right—one thousand volts, two thousand volts, three thousand volts, five thousand volts…

Inside the enclosure, the elephant's body suddenly stiffened.

Its eyes widened, its nostrils flared, and it let out a short, mournful cry, which was muffled in its throat before it could fully escape.

The sound wasn't like an elephant's roar, but rather a choked whimper. Then, its limbs began to convulse violently, as if struck by an invisible giant hammer.

An electric current passed through its body. Beneath its grayish-brown skin, muscle spasms first bulged high, then collapsed.

The elephant tried to lift its leg to break free, but the electrodes were firmly attached to its body. It swayed as if drunk, then its front legs gave way, and it collapsed to its knees.

Sawdust was kicked up, and dust filled the air.

Screams erupted from the audience. Some covered their eyes, others stood up to try and see clearly. Children cried and were pulled into their parents' arms.

But the elephant was not dead yet. It lay on its side, its belly heaving violently, its trunk twitching weakly.

A massive electric current continued to surge into its body, and the air around it filled with the smell of burning fur and skin.

Thomas Edison stared at the elephant and told himself that the elephant's suffering would soon be over. Moreover, this suffering was meaningful and valuable!

This is so that the righteous direct current can triumph over the evil alternating current! So that humanity's future can be spared from electrocution! So that old Morgan and other investors can see reality clearly!

“Increase the voltage again,” Thomas Edison said, his voice still calm.

Samuel Insall adjusted the knob. The voltmeter momentarily pointed to six thousand volts, finally settling on the astonishing figure of six thousand six hundred volts.

The elephant's body seemed to be pulled upwards by invisible threads; it struggled for a moment, then fell heavily to the ground and remained motionless.

To ensure that "Singer" was completely dead, the current continued for another thirty seconds before Samuel Insall turned off the switch.

The buzzing gradually subsided. Silence enveloped the venue, broken only by suppressed sobs and whispers from the audience.

Inside the enclosure, the elephant "Singh" lay on the ground, its eyes half-open, motionless.

Its tongue, protruding from its mouth, had turned purplish-black. The skin on its hind legs where it was in contact with the electrodes was charred and carbonized, exposing the flesh beneath.

Arnold White stepped onto the wooden platform. His face was pale; the scene was clearly more horrific than he had imagined.

He managed to remain calm, but his voice was already trembling: "Ladies and gentlemen! You've seen it! This is the power of alternating current!"

In just...seconds, a three-ton elephant lost its life! If such an electric current passed through your home's wiring, and your child accidentally touched it…

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Silence fell over the audience. Fear was written on many faces; the power that killed "Singer" instilled a primal sense of dread.

Thomas Edison turned away from the window, leaving behind only a profound statement:
"it's over!"

(First update, thank you everyone, please vote with monthly tickets!)
(End of this chapter)