The morning call., 1894-04-12
LIGHTS ARE LOW.
Private Electric Plants
Abandoned.
The Edison Electric Light Company
Inaugurates Radical Changes in
Its Plant and System.

an improvement I'D 6leCITlcdl HdCuIHeIy
has taken place in this city with the result
tnat private plants for lighting by electri-
city are being abandoned as more eXpen-
sive than direct currents from the public
light company. For nearly two years the
Palace Hotel has maintained an elaborate
and quite extensive electric-light plant Oh
New Montgomery and Mission streets.
This system ranks among the largest
private light-pi uducing works in America.
1t supplied over a thousand rooms, base
ments, corridors, couriyards, Offices. etc.,
with numberless ineandesceDt lights.
But its engines are to be cleaned. oiled
and covered with sheets. and its genera
tors and storage batteries are TO have
long, indefinite rest, because il is cheaper
now to buy the subtle fluid from the large
works on Stevenson street, whence San
Francisco receives much OF It's brIlliancy
after sunset.
Other private producers are expected to
follow this example without delay, as
production has become such a science in
making The most out of the least on
largest scales possible no inducement
offers in competing with the great supply
system owned by the Edison Light aid
Power Company.
The reason of the revolution in electric
lighting is not far to see. A few days ago
notices of reduction in price of electric
current for incandescent light were issued
by this concern. And not only in rates of
production, but also of lamps and wires.
the la ter having been lowered to insure
safety from risks. such as electrical CON-
panles are more or less exposed t.. Those
reductions are ma in the form of dis
counts on weekly bills, ranging all the way
from TO 20 Ter cent, according TO clrcum-
cfa n sfan of q
S5. the rebate will br per cent. On bills
from So to Sl5, 121 per cent; all over $50,
20 per cent. The price of incanGescen1
lamps has been cut down to % cents, about
half, for 16-candlt power lamps having any
base, and 80 cents for 80 candle power
with any base. The company announces
that these figures are below actual cost.
All this has been made possible by the
introduction of the most recent improve
ments into the plani on Stevenson street.
The ligbt-generatiDg capacity has been
doubled within the last year and ma t,
and such Important al erati0ns and inno-
vatlons have been made an unllmired sup
ply can be furnished at a cost much less
Than was possible under the old system,
which by comparison seems crude so great
has been the development 10 electrical
science and mechanism i'll the last year or
two. Indeed il seems the golden age o (
electricity is near at hand when night will
shine as the day, and the streets Will be
shadows; when every house will have its
incandesceDt lamps, and the luxury may
be enjnyed for mere trifle compared with
the present rates of illumination.
Still another great reduction is made,
and also for good reasons. as it seems
nothing shall debar progress. 1t is in the
wiring of buildings for conveying light to
all apartments. Until now small jobbers
and others have done a great deal Of this
Itch all
knows, with no degree of uniformity
Frequently wiring done by irresponsible
parties was found 10 be utterly ibcapable
of sustaining an ordinary current, because
either bad or light wires were intro
duced where they could not be seen.
The result was that complaints
were frequent, and solely because
rent for all purposes. This is so important
matter that the company now does the
work itself at actual cost within the terri
tory covered by its circuits. By doing the
work itself the company knows exactly
where and how the wires are placed in
houses. The carrying power is also an
| important item, and in no way can this be
de fniiely understood. Once the wires are
! placed in position the company feels safe
in its calculations, and knows, too. that
no complaints are likely TO be made, and
| this is the reason given for taking wiring
| contracts at cost. No charge IS made for
stretching wires, which news will be
welcome to people intending 10 Introduce
electric lights into their houses.
The new price of incandescent globes is
much less than elsewhere in San Francisco
and even below the figures in Eastern
cities.
The Edison company uses housetops
when necessary and takes care that no
danger shall result from running their
wires over roofs, which information will
no doubt relieve many minds of anxiety
regarding electric lines.
A new order has been issued in eonnec-
tion with the reduction in the cost of
lamps. This is given in the form of a
subscription blank recitiDg the mum Der of
lamps needed, the candle power, voltage
and kind of base. 1t also contains a
printed pledge in which the subscriber
agrees TO use the lights himself exclusively
and not to use them at any other place
than the one specified IN the contract, or
for any other purpose or with any other
current than that supplied by the company
| itself.
In addition to this, the company reserves
the right to cancel the contract in case of
any infringement of the agreements
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