The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-09-18

Again there have been got together execu-
tive boards OF intelligent, pushing men; but a
mistake having been made in the choice Of a
light, their labors, however untiring, proved Of
little avail for the public is as quick to decide
between the relative efficiency OF one electric
light system compared with another, as 1T is
about everything else; and though a convinc-
ing talker will do much in introducing nov
city, he cannot, when it is found to be of COM
paratively little value, find demand IN the
same quarter for new supply.
Let as look for moment at the plan upon
which the American Electric and Illuminating
Company was organized, and the phenome nal
success which has attended it from its very in
ception may be easily accounted for.
FIRST and primarily, superior light was OBJ.
tained, and then competent men were placed
in the management OF the company's business.
No promises were made that could not be full
filled, and the plan of making haste slowly
which rarely commends itself to the unscrupu.
lous, was firmly fixed upon. Thus, every step
taken was firm one: no position once attained
was afterward found to be untenable, and thus,
little by little, the confidence of the public was
gained, and what was not long since but tot
tering infant is now a robust and healthy adult.
To Mr.. Edward H. Golf belongs the credit of
pushing the American Electric and nluminat-
ing Company, of which he is the president, in
to popular favor. Mr.. Goff belongs to that un-
happily small class OF business men who never
permit desire to do business to lead them in
to exaggeration and folly; who never say what
iudy uUb 10 COTEODUTht6u, uuQ VIM 46Nef bU-
courage hopes that cannot be realized. Thus
1t is that they are always welcome in place
which they had once visited, and an atmos-
phere of stability and Of permanency attaches
to any enterprise with which they may be iden-
tilted.
Only few weeks since we had occasion to
describe the lighting by electricity of Old Or
chard Beach, famous summer resort near
Portland, Me- The system was that employed
by the American Electric and Illuminating
Campany, and the plant was constructed for
and distributed under the persc nal superin-
tendence of Mr.. Edward II. Goff.
special train took distinguished party in
cluding the Governor OF the State of Maine, to
they saw everything that had been promised.
There was no delay, no hitch, no excuses, no
blunders. Though the station (40x50) was
hardly completed, so far as the exterior was
concerned, Mr.. Goff knew that the machinery
and apparatus was in good working order.
We explain this much because we have
known of company inviting guests to witness
an illumination and when the signal was given
the lights being improperly and slovenly ar
ranged, did not respond and the company's
officers had the modification of having to ac-
knowledge failureJ where they had prophe-
sled grand success.
The antithess Of this was the case az the Old
Orchard Beach exhibition. AT the specified
time Mr.. Goff gave the signal and instantly the
whole backbone of the finest on the Atlantic
coast-came out from utter darkness like Wis
ion to the eyes of the astonished and delighted
spectators. One hundred lights of uniform in
tensly pierced the gloom of night like mint
ture moons; every promise was fulfilled; every
prediction came to pass.
The exhibition was indicative of the spirit
of enterprise which pervades the management
of the American Electric and Illuminating
Company. In a state where q rival had long
been established to thus suddenly spring into
prominent position in a single jump, showed
that the very acme of able management gov
erned the destinies of the American Electric
and Illuminating Company, and so gained over
the condolences of the public of that section as
to warrant further undertakings. This was
Immediately recognized by Mr.. Golf, and ne
gotiations were begun looking to the purchase
of all the rights and privileges of the Arnoux
Electric Lighting Company, including the
central station in Portland, with its engines,
boilers, lines of poles, wire, structures etc.
A meeting was held at the Falmouth Hotel
at which was present Edward FL. Golf, Presi-
dent aud General Manager Of the American
Electric and Illuminating Company; Silas
Gurney, Vice President, with Mr.. Clarence
Hale and George A. Thomas of Portland rep
resenting the American Company, and Messrs.
Charles A. Milliken, ID. w. Coolidge and 9TH
ers representing the Arnoux Company.
The American Company obtained charter
some weeks ago for new corporation in Port
lana under the name of the Consolidated
Electric Light Company of Maine, which it
controls. Under this charter the entire bust
A 200-light station is to be established in
Portland, and a 100-light station in Saco and
Biddeford. Central stations are also to be con-
structed for Lewiston, Bath, Augusta and
Bangor, besides in many of the smaller towns.
The new 100-light station which has been so
successfully operated, and which attracted so
much attention at Old Orchard during the
present season, will be transferred to the new
company.
The directorate of the new company is a
strong a. and puaranfaa the nUhliC
that the company means business. 1t is as
follows:
George A. Thomas, retired capitalist of
Portland and brother of Hon. William W.
Thomas, President Canal National Bank;
Chas. A. MillikeD, President Portland Rolling
Mills; D. W. Coolidge, Hon. f. j. Rollins,
Collector Internal Revenue; W. r. Wood,
Director in the Merchants Bank; Hon. Clar-
ence Hale, Elias Thomas, Payson Tucker,
General Manager Maine Central and Eastern
railroads, all Of Portland: Henry w. Staples.
proprietor Old Orchard House, Old Orchard,
Me-, Silas Gurney and Edward Ell. Goff, of
Boston.
The new contract is considered as very
valuable one. as it really gives the American
Company undisputed possession of the entire
field.
The Thomson-Houston system will be sub
stituted for the entire Arnoux business, and
operation commenced at once. The company
has leased commodious quarters in the Centen-
ready opened for business
But it is not alone in Maine that the Ameri-
can Electric and Illuminating Company is
pursuing its fortunes. By no means. In and
about Boston its business has increased to such
an extent that its officers were recently COM
PEELED to move their offices from No. % School
street to new and commodious offices at 234
Devonshire street, Winthrop square.
Those who remember how short time this
company has been organized as compared with
many other electric lighting companies, will
be surprised at the following, which
is an official statement of its present scope and
condition:
Plants in operation Boston, $50 lights; Low
ell, 200 lights; Fitchburg, 100 lights, during
summer; Cottage City, so lights during sum-
mer; Hartford, 100 lights; Portland, 70 lights
replacing those of the Arnoux company.
The additions about to be made are Boston
100 to $50 lights; Hartford, 80 lights Lowell,
100 lights; Fitchburg, 80 lights; Portland, 100
to $50 lights, making it at the very least Q: 200
light station. Providence, R. L., 200 light
plant.
A 200-light plant is now being constructed
for Worcester, Mass; I've 100-horse power
steel boilers are no v being made by Allen &
Sons, of Worcester, which it is expected will
be completed and set up in about three weeks,
and the station will doubtless be in running
order by October 9TH.
The company have contracted for ten addi-
tional stations for the distribution of the cleo
trio light of smaller magnitude. all of which
will in all probability be finished before three
or four months shall have gone. But this is
not all. Mr.. Goff supported by his company,
hos determined to begin work in New York
City at an early day. He proposes to erect a
plant here Of at least 1000 lights capacity to be
in running order by next winter.
Those incredulous persons who have declared
against the electric arc system of electric light
| ing would do we'll to contemplate the results
/ from the workings Of the American Electric
| and Illuminating Company. These results
| show a success. in which the stockholders fully
share, as is attested by the S27 900 of semi-an-
nual dividends, which are now being distributed
| among them, and in which the common as
| we'll as the preferred stockholders participate.
| The readers of the Review will remember
| that it is but short time since that Boston
| journal made the somewhat remarkable dis
| covery that the electric light, regarded from
| an economical standpoint, was failure, de-
| lusion and snare. The aforementioned jour-
| nal having now, as one might say, drawn in its
| horns, it would seem somewhat severe now,
| when it has possibly seen reason to change its
mind, to thus call attention to its defective eye
/ sight.
II companies engaged in selling light at a
| loss can pay such dividend as this, there WILL
| in the future, be little trouble in encouraging
capitalists to invest their money in their stock
The fact is, that the American Electric and