The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-04-29
The Electric Age.

| the electric age, and America
~ leads the procession. This is
no empty boast The facts to
prove the assertion are abundant. The
| development in the use of electric power
has been so rapid and has reached such
| an extent at home that it is apparent
to every beholder. But not only are we
| employing electricity in uses never be-
fore dreamed Of We are supplying the
same sort of facilities to the world at
| large. This amazing growth has been
| the matter of comparatively few years
| 1t is not so very long ago that ventures
| into the electric field were attended
with much risk and not infrequently re-
suited in financial disaster. Now the
demand for electricity for various pur-
poses seems to exceed the supply.
Millions of dollars are invested in great
electric generating plants like that at
Niagara Falls and that now being con-
structed at the st. Lawrence rapids in
northern New York, to say nothing of
the utilizing of many waterfalls and the
erection of power houses run by steam
in hundreds of other places. The use of
electricity for industrial, transportation
and lighting purposes has made great
progress abroad. of course. But no.
where else has it been developed as in
the United States. Our people have
taken the initiative, often, as is shown
by the above reference TO past expert
ence. at serious loss, but with the pluck,
persistence and intelligent adaptation
OF means to ends that ultimately
brought success and splendid profit.
The supremacy thus secured is likely TO
be retained, and the field for the en-
ployment of capital and labor in cleo
trical development is pretty certain to
expand rather than contract"
Perusal of the foregoing suggests that !
it is time for the business interests of |
the Electric city to see if Scranton cam
not more largely share in electrical de-
velopments. We pointed out on Satur-
day how the General Electric company,
located at Schenectady. n. y, last year
paid all it's bills and fixed charges. de-
c!ared the usual dividends and then put
into it's surplus fund out of the years
net profits an amount equal to a "a per
cent. dividend on its total capitalization.
The benefits of this development to
schenectady are equal in degree to
those received by General Electric
stockholders. Twenty years ago Schcn-
ec.ady was Il quiet little hamlet with
practically nc business life and only q
few thousand inhabitants. TODAY it is
one of the busiest cities in the country.
has a population close to $4,000 and is
growing so rapidly and substantially
mat it seems almost impossible for the
trades to supply the demand
or new homes. Houses are rented he.
ore the ground is broken, landlords are
Wearing diamonds and merchants are
Kept on the jump to meet the needs OF
heir expanding trade.
we know or no reason why Scranton
mould not be as desirable a home for
Electrical industries as any other city
n this part of the country. The fact
hat the Westinghouse people have had
heir eye on Scranton and are already |
nVesting largely in it's vicinity is en- II
ouFaginS and significant. But thus far
title local encouragement has been "
We suggest that our busi- Ii
ess builders look into this field for d
he promotion of Scranton's Industrial =
lture. 1t ought to prove fertile. k