The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-13

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LIGHTING "a SMALL TowN.

High DeveIOpment of the Electrical
supply business.
There is little town in Eastern Illi-
aois which in matters electrical can
zlye points to many a city of ten times
IT'S size. In this town-Danyille which
has only 1900 inha bitants, the light,
lle E, power and street railway services
re admirably administered by a single
corporation. The resources of the pow
II are such that any possible kind Of
1enland is readily met. From this one
supply station, arc and incandescent
hghtlng, both alternating and continu-
ous current, motors and the electric
sailWay 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 tWelve-inch street mains. Usually
he exhaust is sufficient to meet the
lemand, but in winter it is generally
necessary to add a modicrlm of live
steam. This branch of the business is
.ound to be not only lucrative in itself,
1ut valuable in bringing in new Gus
omers for electrical energy, and ar
.angements are being made TO extend
he heating mains in all directions.
There is a good demand for arc light
ng. private customers taking $50, and
he municipal authorities 11G for street
nghtlng. There are 5000 lamps en-
ne lncandescent mains, the area of
supply being comprised in 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,
but The installation remains the prop
arty Of the company. It might be
thought that specially favorable local
conditions must exist to render this
high development of the electric sup
oly business possible in so small
own; but this is not the case. Coal is
certainly cheap, but this is the My adj
TaDtage attributable to tits locality.
The success of the installation can be
duplicated in many towns Of larger
,ize. It's secret is that instead of be-
ng merely an electric light station,
die during the day, and carrying all
is load at night, the station is also
cover house, and. therefore, roftably
employed for the greater portion Of
he 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
ltance, showed how. Sin this country.
he day load is often utterly insignifi-
ant sometimes consisting of a fan or
wo, BARRIERS brush and a few ciga--
ighters), and the customers for mo-
i've power can generally be counted
Upon the fingers of ones hand" In
DanYille, OH the contrary, the motive
)oWers business runs the lighting and
traction departments close for first
olace. Nearly every user of power in
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 laundry
Ire among the customers. Electric ell
.yatOrs for both passengers and goods
Ire to be found in all the hotels and
torres, 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
# track. When supplied unit, but con
iacts for a fixed sum are often ade,
ind the company finds that to have a
arge number of customers at cheap
ates pays better than to charge /. high
ate and frighten tue customers away.