The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-02
Rotary Club Entertained by Its
Electrical Experts.
Interesting Features by Purdy,
Patten and OveFt0n.
HAD LARGEST STREET RAIL WAY
Topeka Operated Longest Line
in World in Year 1883.
Meeting Was Held at Offices of
Topeka Railway.

&
( For one year, 1889. Topeka had the
reputation of operating the longest
( electric railway system IN the world
{ according 70 a statement made by A
/ n Purdy. superintendent of the To-
/ peka Edison company. at the MONDAY
meeting Of the Rotary club today
/ The city that year had eighteen miles
OF track and ran thirty street cars.
/ Superintendent Purdy brought out
A number Of interesting electrical
I points IN an address before the club.
The meeting was held in the en-
pIoyees' rooms OF the office building
Of the Topeka Railway company a
large portion OF the Rotary club
membership afforded the session held
.-iE honor OF Electrical Prosperity
Week Albert NJ Patten A. H
Purdy and E l. Overrou were the
hosts OF the day
The club rooms Of the Street Rail
way company building were TIIurni-
mated in the latest fashion Overhead
an electrical aeroDtane buzzed- at the
head of each table an electrical coffee
percolater dubbed; an electric lamp
flashed on and off through magnetic
induction and an electric rotary
wheel revOlved-
The members Of the club were con-
veyed 10 the car barns IN special
street cars. The meeting was electric
E
the nearest 10 the number Of reV0Iu-
tons made by the meters on each
table John NJ EInkeL H D. Driscou- |
Ray Harries C A Harlan and W E
Bulls received prizes
H D Yoder and NJ E Palmer were
named as new members of the club
today by Chairman overton-
Take Off on Purdy-
A feature Of the meeting was the
reproduction Of the office OF the To-
|
Hart presiding As Superiureudent /
Purdy- Mr. Hart received the com
plants in i most soIicIlous manner
and when he was dissa tiSfied with the /
the electric current which '-shocked'' /
several of the members OF the club
Week Of Electricity
The week Of NOvem Der 29Uh to De- I
cember 4th was set aside by the cleo
trlcal industry for the purpose Of
celebrating Electrical Prosperity /
week and during this week electric (
celebrations and displays ara takir.s {
place over the entire United States /
heraIdIng the message OF prosperity I
said Mr. Purtfv.
Possibly you asiS-why Electrical I
Prosperity Week. Il
Because electricity and prosperity 4
90 h2ud II hand because perhaps /
the greatest factor in the urosDerirv
OF the country may be traced TO the /
permanent development OF applied (
EiECLElClLE- NO OE6eE industry THIS
civilized lard can show such a mar
veIous record Of big. achievennenls-
in research. inventions, and practical I
results for the good OF humanity.
In the industry you find the cen
trail station. the manUfacCu and .
the electrical contractor. working TO
Eerher hand in hand Naturally from
the standpoint Of service to the pub
uc- the central station assumes the
greatest prominence No other pub
lie utility has shown As great pro-
gressiveuass. tremendous develop
merit as the Electric Utility company 7
During the past twenty years while
the cost of practically all other corn
modiUies has increased from - TO
80 per cent the central station is fur
nishing energy for light or power at
constantly decreasing costs to the
public.
There are 50 many different
phases Of the subject Of electricity
that when one goes into the history
OF its development. he finds It LIffi-
cult 70 determine where % begin the
story "A
From small central station il
New York city in 1852 which fur
uished light TO less than 2He Gus
toners the electric lighting and pow
er business has expanded until To-
day there are nearly $500 central
stations in the United States, serv-
ing millions OF customers The en-
tire electrical industry of the country
represents an investment Of nearly
three billions of dollars. while the
total yearly business done Is approx
matelv $50 million dollars.
20 Per Cent Use Juice
Seventy per cent Of the people Of
the United States use electricity in
some form every day Ten per cent
are dependent upon II for their live
ihOod-
Electricity has done much TO en-
hauce the comfort. health and happi-
ness of mankind
Consider its wonders The same
current, carried by simple little wires,
serves Us with light heat or power
1t carries our burdens. it transports
Us from place to place 1t lights our
homes. stores and streets. and thus
protects Us against the reFrOrs that
thrive II darkness
Electricity does our sewing cook
inG washing and ironing It cleans
the home, and keeps X free from dirt
and germs
1t links together the peoples OF
the world by the wireless. the cable
the telegraph ard the relep hone, max
ing ore huge family of Us all
Electricity enters into the ma1u-
facrure Of practically all our Eecessi-
ties making them cheaper and bet 4
ter th1n would be possible by any
other means
Electricity finds no duty toe heavy.
nor any task too delicate With -gou- 1
1erTrI aaapca biIity. always under con
troll II Il powerful enough 70 drive
pouderous machinery gentle enough