Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-27

u he DuItdu VI lut ttIouS hoo JNSt
published report on central electric
light and power stations for the year
ending June 30, 1902, prepared under
the supervision of W. NJ. Steuart, chief
statistician of manufactures. II is the
third of a series of reports on the
operation and utilization OF electric
current. In addition TO the text, which
was prepared by Thomas Commerford
Martin. of New York city. expert spe-
.cial agent, there are elaborate tables
and an interesting series of illustra'
lions.
The chapters Of text discuss. respec-
lively, the scope and method of the in
yestiyation. financial operations, en-
ployess, salaries and wages, physical
equipment, output of stations. franchis'
es, and the history and development OF
electric lighting.
The statistics do not include insolat
ed electric light and power plants In
stalled in manufacturing establish
ments, hotels. Office buildings. etc. for
the purpose of furnishing light and
power primarily for the use of the in
ating such establishments.
History Of Electric Lighting.
Electric lighting dates back only to
the beginning of the last century, while
the history OF central stations proper
belongs only TO the second half or,
more strictly speaking, to the last
quarter of the century.
The development of electric lighting
was marked by the work of series OF
discoverers and inventors, by whom
the evolution of arc lighting from an
expensive laboratory experiment TO its
present cheap and useful form was &C
complished
The progressive success of arc light
ing impaired great impulse To expert
mentation with the incandcscent lamp
Many distinguished inventors devoted
their attention 10 this subject, but the
incandescent lamp was not CONNER
cially q success until about % years
ago, when Edison's first lamp was pro
duced
To Mr.. Edison the development oi
the incandescent lamp was associate
with the creation of complete system
of electric lighting, a current to be
furnished from the central stations TO a
large number of buildings in manner
exactly analogous to that in which the
supply of gas is furnished. In 1880 he
installed such system in Menlo
Park. The introduction of the Edison
Jumbo dynamo soon followed.
The estimated useful life of 100
Watt l6-candlepower lamp made today
is over 10000 hours, about 20 times
as long as il was % years ago.
In the last quarter of a century to
tai of over 25O.00O, 900 lamps has beer
produced, or not less, than lO.0oO.0o'
a year.
Then came the attempt to unity are
and incandescent lighting. the develop
ment OF the use of the alternating cur
rent. the evolution or the later arr
lamp the change from open To incloset
lamps, the production of lamp globes
lamp supports. series and multiple me
thods. appliances. fixtures. fuses ant
cut-outs, methods of wiring, modern con
veniences. and novel types of lamps
including the Nernst iucandescent. the
mercury vapor. and vacuum tube light
ing.
Growth of the Industry.
For convenience in study the various
electric stations have been divided int,
two grand classes. First, those opera
ted by individuals or corporations
and. second. those operated under mt
niciphl control Each of these classes
is subdivided into. first. those doing {
purely electric business, and. secopd
those operated I'm connection with 9th
or industries. The latter are desie
mated composite stations.
Further subdivisions have been made
one being based upon the population
of the place i'm which the station is lc
Gated. and the other upon the horse
power capacity of the generating al
paratus Of the station
The growth of this industry is show
by the following figures: From eigl
I stations beginning operation in ISIS
the number rose 10 100 in 1886. to 20
in 1889. and TO 247 i'm 1892. Durin
the following years of depression tn
number of new stations fell; but
1895. though a time Of financial striI
gency. IL rose again to 2S9 In 1898
reached pa, or more than the numbt
beginning operation in the entire per