The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-01-03
ELECTRIC ARC LlGHTsl
The First in Portage County!
Ravenna Takes the Lead, and
on New Years Night was
Bathed in Flood of
Me idian SplendOr.
Magnificent System. No Finer
Plant in Northern Ohio.
Success Crowns the Enterprise.

The first night of the New Year
marked an epoch ip the history OF our
city destined to stimulate more than
ever the progress and enterprise so
auspiciousIy begun by her leading cit
izans. On that night Ravenna bade
farewell to the feeble rays of the flick
e,ing gas jet, and arrayed herself in a
halo of light, the admiration of all her
citizens.
Owing to delay in transportation,
the dynamo did not arrive until last
Friday. Monday afternoon test was
made with sixteen lamps. at the sta u.
ton, producing satisfactory results. a
clear, steady ligkt emsnated from the
carbon points, free from the annoying
fluctuations peculiar to other systems,
which has been urged against electric
lighting.
Tuesday afternoon throng of visit
ors wended their way to and from the
station, anxiously awaiting the hour
when the circuit would be completed,
and Ravenna become an "electric
city" Promptly on time the connec-
tion was made and the large lamp at
the station shone with the intensity of
a concentrated brightness. but it was
found that the circuit on the streets
was incomplete, and the lights failed
to burn. Correctly surmising that the
trouble was caused by the wires COM
ing in contact with some object, or
grounding" men were sent out, who
soon located the places. aud remedied
the difficulty, and at 7:45 Ravenna
was lighted from one end to the other
with electric lamps, which burned
steadily and brightly until midnight,
when the lights were turned off
The persistent efforts of live, pro
gressive men have secured in our city
the best system of electric lighting
known. and we may we'll take pride
in the acquisition of this new evidence
of metropolitan push
Mr. H D Seymour was vested with
full power to purchase for the company
and has been untiring in his fforts to
secure the best, having corresponded
with and vi.ited several cities to in
spect the various systems, and finally
made choice of the Thompso Hous
ton. of whom the plant was purchased
Frank H. Mason, of Chicago, super
intended the setting of the dynamo.
That he thoroughly understands his
business, was evidenced by the perfect
working of the dynamo at the first
test made.
Todd Schrantz, telephone manager
of this place, had charge of the con-
stluction of the line work. which was
rapidly and successfully done.
Fl. F. Roop, of Massillon. set up the
engine, and nothing in that connec
ton required doing over again.
w. H. Linton is Superintendent of
the company; Isaiah Linton, Presi
dent; 81. D. Seymour, Vice President !;
w. II. Beebe, Sec and Treas.
The Company desires to remind the
plblic that it is DANGEROUS to touch
the wires or lamps in any portion OF
town, and forbid the same being done
They further call attention to city
ordinance making it an ,offense pun
ishable with fine and imprisonment,
to interfere in any manner with the
lamps and wires, or any connections.
The town will be lighted by moon
schedule, and on dark nights, me on or
no moon, and the lamps will burn un-
til midnight.