The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-02-01

leum or Gas for Lighting ana for
Motor Power-IsO Are Lights and
10000 IDcandescent Lights Flashing
ina Single Night-The Plant to be
Enlarged.
A representative of the REPUBLICAN
passing the Wilmington Electric Light
Company's works the other day. on
Fifth street near Tatnall, and seeing q
volume of steam and smoke issuing
from Rhundred-foot high chimney,
and hearing the rumbling OF heavy en-
gineS inside, concluded to drop in and
ask something about the mysterious
process by which electricity was flash
ed all over and beyond the city limits;
also to ask something about the favor
with which the electrical process of
furnishing light met with from the
people.
The scribe introducing himself to q
young man behind secretary, was
informed that he was making the ac-
quaintance OF G. r. VanTrump, who
is the popular young manager OF the
plant. Telling Mr.. Trump the nature
OF our errand he gave lis q hearty well
come and declared himself at our SER
vice.
you see," said he. hunting up his
scrap-book, "You can do us and our
system OF furnishing light no better
service than to publish this article clip
ped from recent number of the Phila-
delphia Record, in referring to the
fires in that city for the year 1891. -
We read the article and here 1t is:
''The Fire Insurance Patrol tries to
ascertain the causes of all fires that
occur in the city, and, though unable
to do SO In many cases, the records are
always interesting as showing the
special sources of danger. Out of
l.296 fires that occurred in 1891 no less
than 1871 are asoribed to the use of
petroleum and l19 to the use of
matches. Tho los attributed to defec-
tive iiues are also significant OF care
lessness In construction. though In
some cases the fiues themselves may
not be to blame. Gas jets caused So
tires, hot ashes IS, and rubbish 81.
Stoves accounted for So, smoking 33,
fireworks %. chimneys IS and Ioeomo-
tive sparks 81 The Al attributed to
spontaneous combustion might as well
lie added to the list of unknown ori-
gin. 1t Is interesting to note that, not
outstanding the increased use Of cleo
trioity. there Is not a single fire attrl-
buted to the electric current. Its illu-
minating rivals. gas and petroleum,
together with matches, caused more
than one-fourth Of tho whole number
OF fires"
well now that Is wonderful rec
ord, we replied, land do you say that
it is impossible for electricity as you
manufacture it and distribute il
throughout the city. to cause tires?"
Said Mr.. Trump the science OF cleo
trieity has reached so high a degree OF
perfection and so many safeguards
have been thrown around it, that as
YOU say, amongst tho large number
of fires in Philadelphia, not Que was
caused by electricity" "Yes. but fires
hive resulted from electricity. have
they not? For instance, there was the
Temple Theatre fire in Philadelphia
some three years ago, attributed to an
electrical wire"
"Yes, said Mr.. Trump, "that is true,
but IL good workmanship had been
done, aud The proper safeguards had
been provided, that fire would not
have resulted as it did"
We'll, there is n possibility, Is there
not, of tire or light under some
clrcum stances producing tlrsp, we
suggested, though those possibilities
may lie very remote"
Yes. they could occur by a wire
crossing hot pipe or something of
that kind, but as The Philadelphia re-
port shows nothing OF that kind oe-
CURED i'll thGt city during the whole
OF last year, though there were 295
fires from other causes, while to cleo
trtcity's chief competitors gas. petro-
leum and matches 800 fires are credit.
cd. Ven IL an occasional tire should
be caused by defective work or a de-
feetige wire. electricity would still be
the safer medium of light"
Mr.. Trump then dissected some cleo
trieal apparatus pending over his desk.
to show how that by the melting OF
little eaden quartz. il would ba impos-
siole for All incandescent or arc light
to set tire to any thing.
Mr., irunp then gave a brief outline
OF the history OF electricity for light
ing purposes and motive powerin Viii
fnington.
The business was commenced in
crude state six years ago in a building
at Third and Lombard streets, by tht,
hrno Electric company. The com
Iiany did not succeed very well when
Mr., s. N. Trump came to its aid and
in tho Edison system for
Furnishing electrical light. Under
liiis System and under. tho persistent
and effective work of S. n. Tramp
slowly worked its way into
popularity. About four years ago the
company re-orgBnized, elected Mr.
Trump as president and removed the
plant to its present location.
The company started hero with so
arc lights and 5000 incandeseent Ed
son lights, and also furnished the
needed motive power to onerate the
Riverview branch of the Wilmington
city railway. The capacity of the
company now is $50 are lights for
streets and stores aud 10000 incands
scent lights. The company also fur
nlshes power to about zoo electric mo.
tors, aud it is still increasing its :
paclty. Inc Westinghouse system oil
iighIlhg Is used for outlying districts
aud The Edison system is used for the
centre of the city, bounded by Front
street on the South, Iel.th street Oh
the North Madison street on the West
aud Poplar street on the East.
ne Westinghouse system,is used In
radius OF live miles, and electricity l.
conveyed at one point three miles be-
yond the city limits; 1900 lights arr.
lit by this system. Six immeilse en-.
sines aggregate 100 horse power. One
vi these engines is u 200 horse power
and the others are 100 horse power
each.
Inc WORKS reached high water mari, |
on Monday night before Christmas
when every engine WAS strained to
supply the demand, The demand for
light varied not SO much. being need
Ell for u wet dark night, as but few |
people 20 out and the stores sllul
early.
The company intends to enlarge It's
plant this coming spring by putting In |
Two additional 200 horse power en- |
gines. The company employs Is men
for inside WORK and 10 for outside /