Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-21
HISTORY OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING
Great Invention Became Universal
Within Few Years.


Electric lighting, says a special re-
port Of the bureau Of the census,
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 a
series of discoveries and inventions, by
which the evolution Of arc lighting
from an expensive laboratory expert
ment to its present cheap and useful
form was accomplished. The progress
sive success of arc lighting impaired a
great impulse to experimentation with
the incandescent lamp. Many distin-
guished inventors devoted their atten-
ton to this subject, but the incandes-
cent lamp was not commercially a
success until about twenty-five years
ago. when Edison's first lamps were
produced.
To Mr.. Edison the development Of
the incandescent lamp was associated
with the creation of complete sys-
tenn of electric lighting. a current to
be furnished from the central station
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 a system in
Menlo Park. The introduction Of the
Edison Jumbo dynamo soon follow
ed. The estimated useful life Of 100
Watt sixteen candle power lamp made
today is over 10000 hours, about twen-
ty times as long as 1t was twenty-five
years ago. In the last quarter Of
century a total Of over 250,000,00o
lamps has been produced, or not less
han 1OO,OO0,OOO lamps a year.
Then came the attempt to unity arc
and incandescent lightning the devel-
opment of the use Of the alternating
current the evolution Of the later arc
lamp, the change from open to inclosed
lamps the production of lamp globes,
lamp supplies, series and multiple
methods, appliances, fixtures, fuses and
cut outs, methods Of wiring, modern
conveniences, and novel types Of
lamps, including the Nernst incande-
scent, the mercury vapor and vacuum
tube lighting. '.
The growth Of the industry is shown
by the following figures: From eight
stations. beginning operation in 1881
the number rose to 400 in 1886. to 2o8
II 1889, and to 247 In 1892. During the
following years Of depression the num-
Der Of new stations fell, but in 1885,
though a time of financial stringency,
1t again rose to 239. In 1898 1t reach
ed 277, or more than the number be-
ginning operation in the entire period
from 1881 to 1885 inclusive. The num-
ber for 1901 was $50, and for five
months Of 1902, 1t was 146. In the 20
years from 1881 to 1901, inclusive an
average of 165 private and municipal
stations have begun operations each
year. The spread Of the agitation for
municipal ownership Of public service
enterprises Is illustrated in a some
what striking manner. OF the S15 mum
icipal stations enumerated only sixty
eight had been installed up to 1889.
In that year forty were introduced, and
In 1895 the number Of new stations
reached seventy-three, increasing In
1898 to eighty-one. The returns for
1902 indicate that the ratio was fully
maintained in the census year.
In 1902 there were in the United
States $500 central electric stations,
with a cost Of construction and equip
ment Of $5O4,740,352. Employed were
6,s96 salaried officials and clerks, with
salaries amounting to $5,663,5S0; and
% 800 wage-earners, with wages
amounting to $14,sSS,112. The gross
income was sS5,7OO.sO5, comprising
sS4.165,6O5 from sale Of current and
$1,514,OOO from other sources. Total
expenses were sSs,OS1,375. The total
output of stations for the year, In kilo-
watt hours, was 2,507 051,375. The
number of arc lamps was 3S5,6SS, and
of incandescent lamps 1S,194,0t4.