Lamps in Before proceeding to the introduction of a description of early American inventions relating to lamps and light ing appliances, it will be interesting to briefly notice what may be truly designated as the original American lamp. There has never been found among the remains of the mysterious mound-builders of the Western Continent any utensil that could be rightly regarded as a lamp. The North American Indians, who were found inhabiting the country on the arrival of the first Europeans, did not possess a lamp. The pine torch was their only means of artificial Illuminating. The one lamp that can claim the distinction of being really American is the stone lamp of the Eskimo. This is usually a shallow vessel of stone, most frequently of soap-stone, sometimes bone, clay, wood and the skull of an animal is used. The oil of the seal, walrus and whale is burned in these rude lamps, dry moss serving as a wick. These lamps also serve as stoves, for they are used for cooking and warming. Without these simple lamps human life could not be maintained in the inhospitable regions these strange people inhabit.
The first lamps used in the Plymouth Colony were of Dutch make, and were called by the English emigrants Betty lamps (German, Bes ser-better). The few lamps that the Pilgrim fathers brought with them in the Mayflower on her memorable voyage were of this class. They are of iron, either forged from a single piece or were cast of gray, coarse iron. The earliest of these were known as the open Betty, or 'Slot lamp!' Then followed the Betty with a top, one part of which was formed as a hinged lid. The wick support was an angular, half round iron secured to the inside bottom of the lamp. There was an upright handle at the back, to which was attached, by a link, a pointed hook, the point of which extended beyond the crook. This was used to sus pend the lamp from the high back of the rush-bottom chair, or the point was thrust into the crevice between the great stones of the side of the open fire-place. The Betty was pear-shaped, flat on the top and bot tom. This form was sometimes made in brass, but rarely was any attempt made at ornamenta tion. These lamps were in use in some parts of the New England colonies as late as 1790. Prior to 1680 all lamps used in the American colonies were imported, mostly from En land. In 1680 a tinsmith of Newbury, Mass., the manufacture of tin Betty lamps. These, after Newburyport was separated from New bury, became known as Newburyport Bettys. Later these lamps were made in Rivermouth (Portsmouth, N. H.) and were called Ports
mouth Bettys. In 1720 a few pewter and brass lamps had been made by small manufacturers at Salem, Mass., and Providence, R. I. These were heavy and extremely inconvenient to be carried about. Among the earliest makers of pewter lamps and candlesticks in the New Eng land colonies was Richard Graves, a pewterer who came from England, where he had learned the trade, or, as it was then called, the art. He came first to Boston, but moved to Salem, Mass., where he long worked at his business, and brought out many fine goods in his line. Henry Shrimpton of Boston was also a maker of fine pewter lamps, and his beautiful lamps and candlesticks graced many of the grand old colonial homes. Among the earliest American experimenters in lamp construction and in ventors of improved burners was that mar velous investigator, philosopher, statesman and inventor, Benjamin Franklin (q.v.). Not con tent with perfecting an improved stove, known as the Franklin heater, he very early turned his attention to the improvement of domestic lamps. When we recall the fact that Franklin's first manual labor was cutting wicks in his father's chandler shop, it is not surprising that we find his versatile mind turning to the subject of improved illuminating appliances. Prior to i 1742 candles were in general use in American colonies. The iron Betty lamps were used in a comparatively few families. The shallow. saucer-shaped clay cruise introduced from Scot land was still used for lighting among the poorer classes, but candles were the chief illu minators. Franklin's first invention consisted in devising two round wick tubes so arranged that, according to his directions given to the workmen who constructed the burner, the dis tance between the tubes should equal the diameter of one of them. His theory was that the proximity of the two flames created an up ward draught that so increased the heat that the liberated carbon was consumed, thus adding to the light and preventing smoke. He observed that the introduction of the third burner, while it consumed a third more oil, and added a third more flame, did not give a corresponding in crease in light. Franklin also suggested the improved cotton wick, loosely braided, which afforded a better medium for supplying oil to the flame by capillary attraction. Franklin did not secure patents on his inventions, but al lowed manufacturers to freely introduce them, which they did on quite an extensive scale, and small portable lamps of tin and brass with Franklin burners soon became very common.