News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-07-23
The ELECTRIC LIGHT IN PARIS.
How the French Capital Has Divided
BusIuess Among Electricians.

How the French Capital HaS Divided
Business Among Electricians.
Tho manner In which Paris Is now
proceeding TO introduce electricity in
every portion Of the municipal area is
of the utmost importance Ia all other
cities that have 90 do with similar
problems. There has been no undue
haste. On the contrary, the subject
has been treated In a patient, scientific,
systematic way. To begin With, tho
municipality has spent 1000, 900 francs
or more in making n central electrical
installation of its own in the basement
of LES Halles Centrales,' the great
central market of Paris.
This plant is conveniently situated
for the illumination Of n number OF
public buildings and establishments,
and il can be enlarged indefinitely.
But il has never been intended 20 uso
this or any other municipal installation
for the general work OF lighting the
city. IL enables the municipality TO
command the situation. and gives II a
corps Of men who understand the prac-
teal details of an electrical establish
ment.
For the purpose OF general illumina-
ton the city has been divided into sew
en- ''secteurs electriques." Paris Is APP
proximately a circles and the secteurs
are segments, the dividing lines OF
which radiate from the vicinity of tho
EIalles as n center and extend 20 the
circumference. Each Of these secteurs
has been granted exclusively for short
term Of years TO n responsible electric
company. Thus Edison has been &c
corded one, the great Paris contractor,
Victor Popp (using the Thomson Hous-
ton SYSTEM, has two, and the others
are conceded respectively TO the McssrS.
Rothschild, the Societe Alsacienne, the
Ferranti company OF London, and Maze
& Co. representing the Westinghouse
SYSTEM.
Several of the secteurs were granted
in the latter part Of 1890, completing
the distribution. AS one OF the condi-
tons it has been required that the com.
panies proceed at once 10 make their
installations, and that within two years
their districts shall be completely served
with main cables. Thus, before the
end of 1892, such provision win have
been made that II desired every street
in Paris as well as every house can be
illuinined with electricity. Itisrequircd
that the companies shall supply street
lighting upon terms that are as favor
able as possible-at cost or even less
and a maximum rate OF charge 10 pri-
vate users is prescribed.
Each company has been required to
give a guarantee fund OF several hun
dred thousand francs 10 insure the full
flllment of all the conditions imposed
in the concession. No payment has
been required for the charters. the
terms being short, and permanent ar
engagements being deferred until use
can be made of the results Of five or
ten years experience. Meanwhile tho
city has its own central plant, and Il Is
not debarred from laying IFS cables
into any or all OF the secteurs, with a
view TO regulating prices by competi-
ton. Thus Paris is ON the point Of boz
ing more completely supplied with cleo
trio lighting facilities than any other
large city in the world. DIR. Albert
Shaw in Century.