The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26


steam engines were installed, and such
portions of the electric light ma
chinery in service at the old water
power plant at the old paper mill as
had not become out Of date, was re-
moved to the new station and the old
paper mill plant abandoned. This
plant was in continuous operation
from the date Of It's equipment until
the fall Of 1893.
During this time many experiments
were made. The weather. people
took UP electric lighting for their resi-
dences as the proper thing, and stor-
age batteries were Installed in various
residences. Among the number were
DR.. F. A. Dunsmoor and L. 8. Buff
ington, the architect The plan con-
templated charging the storage bat
rent to be consumed at night; but the
scheme proved an utter failure.
Steady Progress.
| Notwithstanding the difficulties and
constantly changing problems which
faced the men In charge of it's affairs
| ton Of the plant at Third avenue N
was a period of decided progress,
| which kept up with the wonderful
growth Of Minneapolis. The eight
lamps on the Bridge Square mast and
six other arc lights in the downtown
portion of the city, which was the
first contract for electric street light
II ,I,&n
in service in 1892. These covered the
same area that Is now covered, altho
the lights were farther apart.
During that period came the intro
duction of incandescent lighting on the
meter basis for the service Of private
consumers. And the price paid by the
city for street lighting dropped from
5000 per lamp per year to $40 per
lamp per year, moon schedule.
The Consolidation Period.
In 1893 the plant of the Edison
Electric Light & Power company, In
the Edison building. was purchased
and consolidated with the business of
the Minnesota Brush Electric COM
pany, and after that date the business
was carried on by The Minneapolis
General Electric company. For three
years subsequently the Edison plant
was maintained as an Independent
steam driven station. practically upon
the lines as formerly operated by the
Edison Electric Light & Power COM
pany. It was then torn out and sold
to the Harris Brothers and practically
u ~ ho1 "a
changes and improvements that Of the
original cost not per cent was real
lied on the sale.
The Present Plant Started.
In the fall of 1892 millsites i, 2 and
3 on Hennepin island, with the water
power appertaining thereto, were pur-
chased from T. B. Walker, Merrinan,
Barrows & Co., and the Hennepin
Paper company, and q fine new COM
bination water power and steam sta
ton was erected. Such electric light
ing and steam power machinery as
had not become obsolete was moved
from the Third avenue N building
to the new site, supplemented by en-
tirely new and modern machinery,
making in effect practically a new
plant with a combined capacity Of
$500 horse power.
This station was projected and built
upon the expectation that it would
meet the demands Of Minneapolis for
twenty years, ample space being pro-
vided for the installation Of addi-
tional machinery. And although pres
ent indications confirm this suppose
ton so far as the building Is con-
cerned, only q small portion Of the
electric light and power machinery
originally installed In the station is in
operation to-day, having been replaced
by modern types and larger units.
, Another Big Machine.
During the early part of December
. this company will have completed the
{ installation Of one direct-coupled,
} three-phase alternating current dyna-
mo Of 1900 horse power capacity,
. which will increase the station capac-
ity to 5000 horse power.
In 1896 the company took offices at
No. II Fourth street S. and rented a