The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-13
81!
1.aea2|
LIGHTING "a SMALL TowN.

High DeyeIOpment of the Electrical
supply Business. $s
There is a little town in Eastern Illi-
aols which " in matters electrical can
eve points to many a city of ten times
its size. In this town. anYille-
has only Il, COO abitants, the light,
Z .lle eat, power and street railway services
re re admirably dministered by a single
3;.o'rlporat ton. The resources of the pow
q are such that any possible kind Of
1enland IS readily met. From this one
supply station, arc and incandescent
lighting, both alternating and continu-
zous current, motors and the electric
galway are all dealt with. Beyond
his the private houses of the CITY are
supplied with steam for heating pur-
poses by an elaborate system of six
ind tNYelye-inch street mains. Usually.
he exhaust is sufficient to meet the
temand, but in winter it is generally
necessary to add a modicl1m Of live
steam. This branch of the business is
.ound to be not only lucrative in itself.
out valuable in bringing in new Gus
;o1ners for electrical energy, and ar
.'angements are being made TO extend
s;he heating mains in all directions.
There is a good demand for arc light
ng. private customers taking $50, and
5.he municipal authorities 11G for street
lighting. There are 5000 lamps en-
he Alncandescent mains, the area Of
supply being comprised in a circle CT
our miles in diameter. The wiring of
consumers premises is done by the
company practically free Of cost, and
10 charge is made for renewing lamps,
out the installation remains the prop
erty of the company. 1t might be
5;hought that specially favorable local
conditions must exist to render this
high development Of the electric sup
=oly business possible in so small a
own; but this is not the case. Coal is
certainly cheap, but this is the My adj
aTaDtage attributable to this locality.
The success of the installation 15n be
duplicated in many towns IF larger
,ize. Its secret is that ms 1aad of be-
ng merely an electric light station,
die during the day, and carrying all
is load at night, the station is also a
cover house, and. therefore, roitably
employed for the greater portion Of
The tWenty-four hours. This is quite
IN advance on English practice, in
which the station is. int aided for light
ng only, power business being only
ately thought Of. Some of the COM
nents, when the Danville installation
vas described in the English electrical
ournals, are amusing. One, for in
,tance, showed how, Gin this country.
The day load is often utterly insignifi-
:ant sometimes consisting of a fan or
::Wo, a BARRIERS brush and few ciga.-
ighters), and the customers for mo-
i've power. can generally be counted
Upon the fingers of ones hand" In
OanVille, Oh the contrary, the motive
ooWer4 business runs the lighting and
traction departments close for first
)lace. Nearly every user of power in
u he district takes his supply from the
.ompany's works. Six printing shops,
numerous machine shops, chemical
works. shoe. cracker, shirt and bicycle
actories, a planning mill and a laundry
Ire among the customers. Electric ell
tors for both passengers and goods
ire to be found in all the hotels and
itores, and last summer more than 100
electric ventilator fans were in use, a
lumber to be greatly increased this
season. Even on farms outside the
own, electric motors are used for
pumping water and other uses. The
overhead trolley is. used on nine miles
Of track. When supplied unit, but con-
racts for a liked sum are often II ade,
Ind the company finds that to have a
arge number Of customers at cheap
ates pays better than to charge i, high
ate and brighten tue customers away.