Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-01-12


The above table shows gain in thir-
teen years of over $500 per cent. TO
bring this about an absolutely cnor-
nous outlay of money has had to liz
made. and every dollar Of it was
squeezed out of the people. They have
built throughout the city a system of
underground conduits and system of
distribution. which, with their power
generating plants, they claim cost
about S1O,OOO.OOO. In addition to this
they are now investing a very large
amount of money.
But they do not pay the city anything
for the use Of the streets and nothing
from their gross receipts.
At the West Harrison street station.
they are adding two new units.
one of 5000 and the other of 5000
horse power. At the stations at 9th
street and Wabash avenue and ut Oak
snd Clark streets, as well rs ut tho
North avenue substntion. n 5000 volt
multiphase current is used and is con-
verted into 10 direct current by large
rotary converters. Finally. Mt $50
Adams street Is located a 1900 horse
power storage battery for use in the
downtown district.
1t would seem to the ordinary OBJ
server that this gang ought to pay
something to the municipality out of
which they are coming money.
The uses TO which electricity can he
put are now almost without number
and new ones are being found almost
every day. In Its original field of light.
ing II rcigns supreme. bringing neither
smoke nor dust nor apprecinble heat.
For decorative lighting nothing can
take It's place. and the show windows
AMI the beautiful hght.studdcd ceilings
II produces grow more numerous and
more beautiful each day. From the
dainty tiny table lights for entertain.
ments. the movable drop lights for the
library In all beautiful forms aud
shapes to the many-hued and ever
changing advertising signs upon the
streets. everywhere that light Is needed
the Edison incantlescent Il found. Moth
ing rivals 1t. nothing compares with 1t
The wonderful power generated ant
sent through the little wire Is almOs
beyond computation and the uses t
which 1t may be applied are many ant
various. What lies buried In the depths
OF the future can only be guessed at
and. at hest, II Is but idle and futil,
guessing ut that. Almost every da!
some new use Il found and some new
method of application or control Is dis
covered. The saying that our knOwl
edge of electricity Is In Its infancy II
sorcly trlte and yet absolutely and cvc1
newly true. However, enough II
known to make the Edison Company 1
very, very busy concern. Their elcctri,
lighting business Is fast being rivalet
In amount by their business In furnish
ing motor power to manufacturing con
Germs of every possible description
from the largest to the smallest all owe
the city of Chicago. Its uses are 80 In
. finite. varied and diversified that !
would be difficult TO find any place
. within Its radius where there Is no
something run by power furnished b!
the Edison Company.
| itnIJ, SFuIt, uTuIt, urVit, HTUIt'
SO great has this part of the bushes
grown that the company IL obliged t
keep on hand now motors of every siz
and description. These motors the,
sell, and where 1t Is desired they sci
them on the installment plan.
In fact, they sell everything that the.
can make money out of. ana use til
public streets In doing so.
\ new feature was inaugurated with
In the past year when this cOmpan,
, took practical charge OF five large OF
flee buildings In the heart g. the city
: furnishing them with steam heat The
, also furnish the electricity for lighting
power for operating the elevators
pumps. drainage, ventilating and re
frigerating apparatus. The Ediso
Company takes charge Of the ent!r
, moving equipment and management o
= the building. relieving the owners O
:. all care except that of the janitOr sci
!, vice.
From these few facts II will be scel
. that the sooner the law-making power
of the State get after the Chicago Ed
son Company the better for the people