Evening star., 1906-06-16
THE ELECTRIC CITY
GROWTH OF THE USE OF THE
WONDER POWER
Increase In Number Of Central Sta
lions for Distribution Of
Light and Heat.
From the Literary Digest.

From the Literary Digest.
Some of the probable extensions OF prac-
teal electric devices are discussed in Cas-
eier's Magazine by s. Morgan Bushnell.
under the title The Electric City OF the
Future" Mr.. Bushnell notes that twenty
years ago an electrical salesman could
easily familiarize himself with his wares.
In few hours he could memorfze the
prices speeds and general data of every
machine on his list Today the great cleo
trio companies have several thousand
types of apparatus in their books, and not
only has the manufacture become more
diversified, but the needs and scope of the
central lighting stations have become
widely extended. Says the writer:
The first Edison central stations were
installed for the purpose Of distributing
electricity for incandescent electric light
ing. At that time no one thought Of US
ing arc lights on the same wiring, and
while 1t was expected that there might
be an occasional fan, power was consid-
cred an extremely subsidiary portion Of
the business and hardly worth consider
ins; awnen the o,reet-connectea electric .le-
vator was first introduced the central-sta-
ton companies were opposed to It on ac-
count Of the supposed undesirable character
OF the lead. The great fuctuation Of the
amount OF current required in electric ele-
vators caused a great deal OF trouble with
the maintaining OF even pressure for light
ing, and various restrictions were i'm
posed on the electric-elevator companies
Now the situation is reversed; large ele-
vator companies often And the central
station companies actually going out and
making market for their electric eleva-
tors, sometimes almost against the will
Of the elevator companies.
But there are other directions In which
central-station companies have extended
their lines. large amount Of current Is
now used annually for various forms of
heating apparatus. Many tailor shops are
supplied with electric heating irons; cleo
trio soldering outfits have been largely
used; and electric cooking in the ordinary
frequent. A few years ago the central
station was considered as a means simply
of supplying power and light for small
stores for private residences, and for
small shops using only a very limited
amount of power and light The COM
panies are now waking up to their oppor-
tunities, making attractive propositions
and securing the business of some Of the
largest buildings and factories.
Future Use of Electricity.
Has this development reached its limit,
or has 1T merely begun? The writer is in
clined to predict that within the next
twenty years we may be using units Of
100000 horsepower capacity, while new
economies in the distribution of power
may lead inevitably to a cheapening OF
the cost Of electricity. He goes on:
This cheapening will greatly acceler-
ate the tendency which now exists among
all classes Of buildings to secure their
current from the central-station source Of
supply, and it would not be astonishing
IL within twenty years we should find
architects paying as little consideration
to the installation in their buildings Of
electric light and power plants as they do
today to the installation Of plants for the
mr. of n
This result will, in turn, react on the
central station and enable 1t to produce
power in much Vaster quantities than
ever before, and the result will be an ag-
gregation of power for a large city in
two or three great electric power houses
in which all the elements entering into
the production of electricity will be Sc
cured at minimum of cost This will re-
act again on the lowering of the price Of
electricity, so that the use Of electricity
for lighting. for elevator service. and for
the ordinary uses of power which we find
today will be greatly increased, and me-
chanical power will drive out manual Ia
Dor to greater extent than has hitherto
been known.
ly accelerate the movement which is now
in progress in favor of diffused and con-
cealed lighting. High-class apartments
and residences instead of being lighted
by lamps placed in the centers of the
rooms. in order to obtain the greatest
amount of light possible. will be lighted
largely by cove lighting and concealed
securing a mellow effect entirely
different from the glaring results which
are now SO common. Shades will be In
troduced which will form just the right
combination of red. blue and yellow rays.
80 as to avoid on the one hand the pale
glare Of the modern Welsbach and at the
same time avoid an excess of the red rays
which have been found irritating to the
eye:
olt,ffn nrto
methods Of refrigeration. Already ninia
ture electric refrigerating plants have
been designed whose operation Is abso-
lutely automatic. These plants have thus
far been successfully installed in a num-
ber of places, and the reduced cost of
power will cause their adoption to q
great extent, not only by the larger con-
sumers, as at present, but also in private
residences and apartments"
Cost Of Power.
This expected reduction in the cost Of
power will also, Mr.. Bushnell thinks, stim-
uIate the use of the push-button elevators
Eow found only in elaborate residences,
and also tend to the adoption of escala-
tors, or moving stairways, SO arranged
that it will simply be necessary to turn a
switch at the bottom Of the stairs in
order to ascend to the top. Apartment
buildings will have every possible con-
trivance for increasing the ease and COM
fort OF their tenants. Each apartment
will be provided with an electric dish
washing machine. and will be constantly
supplied with pure air, filtered and wash
ed by modern and improved methods,
while the serving of meals will be simpI-
fed by elaborate dumb walters and sig
mailing devices, after the fashion of the
automatic lunch counters now found in
large cities. The writer adds:
"The reduced cost of power will be felt
in every line of industry, and all lines of
manufacture depending upon machinery
for their product Will be in a position to
make lower prices on their goods. The
old problem Of three meals a day viii be
largely simplifled by the use Of electric
saucepans and other devices, which can
be maintained at varying temperatures
by throwing a switch in different posi-
tions.
THE reduced cost of electricity will
also have marked effect on the exterior
appearance OF large cities. Myriads of
lights, blazing along the most prominent
will turn night into day,
and the standard of street lighting, which
is already several times in advance Of
what 1t was twenty years ago, will be
dxro