Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-04
Electric Lights.

The question of lighting the Woo,
county bridge has been settled for tn
present, at least, the cities havin.
voted to pay the amount required
That leads to the question of th,
origin and successful prosecution O
the use of electric lights in these two
cities.
Messrs. Spencer & Mack of th,
Wisconsin Wood Pulp Co. were the
originators of the idea of putting in
plant for the use of the company mil
as means of fire protection After
a thorough investigation of the vari
Gus electrical methods. the COMPANY
decided upon the ''Weston," intro
duced by the U. S. Illuminating Co
of Chicago. The present plant wa,
purchased and put into operation Dec
s, 1885, about forty-fve lights burn.
ing. The machine is called ter
light arc. or the system of incandes.
cent lighting of 1915 candle power
lamps, burned in groups of five.
The machine is entirely automatic
generating only sufficient current for
the number of lamps actually in use
1t stands over Hume and is driven by
So inch American water wheel. The
wheel sets in separate fume and is
entirely independent of the mill. Ten
horse power is required by the dynamo
while the capacity of the wheel is
twenty horse.
The wire, which is insulated and
known as No. 5 copper, extends from
the mill to f. MacKinnon's residence
north. A distance of 1900 feet to
Coleman, Jackson & Co., Touring
mills and 1000 feet further to MacKin-
mons, lighting the Pulp Mill, fifteen
lights, Coleman, Jackson & Co.'S mills,
six lights, and the residence, of w. E.
Mack and F. MacKinnon, five lights
each. The line then runs from Pulp
mill to +. Garrisons store fifteen lights,
then over Wood Co. bridge, five
lights, suspended in the centre eight
cen feet from the floor, about 12O feet
apart ; these lights are turned on and
off at DR.. Robinsons private office ;
then comes E. j. Wood & Co. drug
store, five lights, Chas. Gouger saloon,
Eve, G. Fl. Slocum drug store, FIVE, F..
Pomainyille Saloon, ten, Witter House
fifteen, DR.. Writer'S office, one, and
First Natl Bank, one. Two of the
groups in the Witter House are man
aged in groups of six placed about the
Office, hall, stairway and one light out
side. The candle power is somewhat
less in these groups of six. The
entire length of this last line is 1000
feet.
In an electrical sense this machine
develops 300 volts and 20 ampLres of
current. This in running through the
wire produces five lights of sixteen
candle power each. By very clever
device six Of these lamps are operated
and may be seen in the Witter House
with an automatic switch, whereby
either ten or sixteen candle power
lights may be had, the purpose being
where they burn all night, is to save
the loss of lamps ON account of the
high power.
The whole result, thus far, has been
entirely satisfactory, requiring but
little attention. The adjustment of
the brushes and oiling, being princi-
pally what is necessary. The patrons
of the plan are highly pleased with
the system. The venture has proven
a success and is credit to the pro-
jectors. The cost of the plant to the
company, including the wheel, is
nearly $1,000. The charge for lights
is $6 and 81 each per year, accord
ing to the number taken. All the
lights are in use except twenty and
these have been spoken for by Geo. A.
Corriveau.
Our people are always quite slow in
taking up with new methods but in
this case Messrs. Spencer & Mack had
the hearty cooperation of Messrs. G..
J. jackson and F.. Garrison in pro-
noting the success of this valuable
enterprise. The cost has been the
objection raised by many,
but when compared with prices in
other places it will be found much
lower, and anyone who will take the
pains of figuring the matter carefully,
making allowances for contingencies,
will readily acknowledge that the rates
charged are as reasonable as possible.
While in Pittsville the past week we
noticed that the firms of S. G.. Har-