Evening journal., 1910-05-26
LIGHTS FOR
The STREETS
Expected That an Emergency
Service Will be Provided
This Afternoon
STORES TO GET SOME
ELECTRIC CURRENT, TOO

Superintendent David L. OF OF the
Wilmington city Electric Company, early
this afternoon said he was much pleased
with the progress made toward the resto-
ration of the electric plant damaged by
hrc The service Of the Water Depart
1ment was restored yesterday afternoon,
so that the pumpage Of filtered water
could be resumed. and The department was
inconvenienced but slightly. Arc lights in
certain sections and the suburban service
also was resumed last night.
Mr.. OFT said the experts at noon began
experiments with the direct current ser
vice, and no hopes to have the service re-
sumed this afternoon for stores in the CEN
ter of the city, the street lights and for
motors in and about the center Of the
city. Men worked all iast night and this
morning at the electric plant
For A short time last evening it look
ed as if there was going to be a repeti-
tion of the storm of the night befWe.
Dark clouds gathered about the same
time as on the previous evening a stiff
breeze began 10 blow. Rain fell shortly
afterward but was not accompanied by
the severe thunder and tightening of the
night before. While the rain did not
subside for some time the wind soon
died out.
The city is recovering from the effects
of the Tuesday nights storm. The par
tial destruction of the plant of the Will
nnington city Electric Company had in
convenienced many business and manu-
featuring places. Along Market street
the lack. of electric power was evident
last night. In windows, between Eighth
and Ninth streets. the enterprising pro
prietor Of a store. had placed candel-
abra each containing three lighted can
dies which served the purpose for which
they were intended
There was demand for candles and
oil lamps and it is safe to say that can
dies which had been in stock for years
were brought out and found ready sale.
oil lamps were cleaned and trimmed and
the demand for kerosene took a sudden
rise.
The Wilmington Gas Company is reap
sing a harvest as a result of the break
down of the electric plant. Gas fixtures
OF an kinds were put up and gas took the
place OF electricity in many places which
had not used the former ip years.
The Wilmington City Electric Company
S. quickly recovering from the blow il
received, many men trained in electrical
work being engaged in making repairs
10 the badly damaged plant.
Strenuous efforts are being made to
restore the street lighting service, and
I'm this the company is being successful.
A portion of the street arc lights was
placed in service last night They are
located m the upper part of Market
street, Delaware avenue and the High
lands The lamps went out twice be-
fore o'clock. but from that hour on
they burned during the entire night.
The company has placed the alternat-
ing current system in operation. but
# has not been possible to deliver
direct current. This may be turned
on to a degree sometime to-day.
Experts on the Job.
The array Of expert light men here
is extensive. The repair work is now
going on under the direction of c. c.
Long. chief electrical engineer; Frank
TYSON. chief mechanical engineer, and
Walter j. Jones. of New York. who has
n national reputation for re-establish-
ing services of the kind when they
meet with dire mishaps.
John a. Rigg, president Of the Inter
state Railway Company. and treas
urer Ficthorn, Of the same concern, ar
rived here yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Ficthorn fixed the damages TO
the plant at probably $4,000 and said
Il might go higher The loss, IL is
said. is fully covered by insurance.
The local company received offers of
assistance from many electric COM
panies from other cities, and the Will
mington Light and Power Company. a
rival. did everything I'm its power 60 as
sst the older concern. Wherever il
was possible TO cut i'm current from
the new company's service this was
done.
From the way new switchboards and
other electrical mechanism is arriving
here to replace the destroyed parts at
the West Fifth street plant it looks as
# the shipments began the minute
following the bolt of lightning which
struck the electric plant,
The lines of the Wilmington City
Railway Company continue TO operate
on schedule time, current being sup
piled direct from the plant along the
Brandywine. and It is intended to con-
tinue this method Of distributing cur
rent to the company's system instead
OF through the West Fifth street plant
which acted as distributing station
IN the past.