Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-30
FIRST ELECTRIC
LIGHT INSTALLED
IN CITY IN 1881
Ta John BeugstoH Pioneer Druggist
foes redjt Of Possessing Orig
inal Arc Light.
rr0PLt Hsg1ELED 0YLR LAMP
initiatory Fewer Motor in Rock Is
land Vas Placed in 1891 in
Schenlrs Wood Shop.

sOtHjug has equaled the fyemeH-
donsly rapid strides made by elec-
trlcity ia The commercial field. This
fact is best appreciated when one con-
siders that electricity did not enter ia
10 our every day lie until the last
quarter Of tue last century and tdat
some Of The men. such as Thomas A.
Edison aud nr. Alexander Bell, who
we're discnyerefs of the ways aud
means which helped 10 make electric
lily practical. are alive today.
The first electric light shown in the
tri-cities was in 1881 IN Inc drug store
Of John BengstoH. Second avenue aud
Seventeenth street. where a small dyu-
amo. operated by water motor, was
installed and by means nf which two
ar lights were induced to furnish an
illumination which prophecied the
lighting Of the future. This vas only
- Years age yet people came from
miles 10 see this new lighting which
was so mysterious and marvellous. Tie
generator which Nr Bengston pur-
chased and which furnished the first
electric lighting in Rock Island is
now preserved as relic
One If the frs; electric motors in
Rock Island was 30 IA. 2, and was
installed in the wood works shop Of
Matthias Schnell where Henry Tappen-
DORIS shop nov stands, 10 1891 Al
though this was hardly more than a
quarter OF a century ago the utilization
of electrical energy for power pur-
poses has developed So rapidly thar
one Rock Island concern. the Rock Is
land Pillow company. has more than
200 motors installed in It's factory
with a capacity OF more than $500 h, p.
Practically every factory in the trf-
cities today uses electricity entirely in
running their machinery.
Ineandescent Lamps In 1857.
The first incandescent lamps, the
light that is bottled up in glass bulbs,
were installed ia Rock Island about
1887 These lamps were lighted from
generator located on the premises
Of the Rock island Buggy company,
Sixteenth street and First avenue. The
lamps cost about 81 80 each and a IT,
candle power lamp cost 81. cents an
hour to burn Today l5-candle pow
or Mazda lamps cost only n cents and
# Will burn II hours instead Of one
hours for 2s c.
twenty-five years ago electric wires
we're installed on ceilings being held
in place by wooden cleats No atteu-
ton was paid TO appearance or safe
ty. At the present time 4 person
would forbid having wires exposed to
view I'm their home All wiring to
day as far as residences are concern
ed is concealed and this work is per-
formed under strict inspection which
makes il absolutely safe.
Practically everybody uses electric
ity for some purpose There is no
want in the lines of light. power, heat,
refrigeration, ventilation. cooking
ironing. cleaning and washing that
electrical devices cannot supply,
Everything Electrical.
Electricity could play the following
important parts In ones every day life.
Upon waking in the morning you
press button which turns on the
electric lights and press another but
ton which causes an electric radiator
TO warm the bath room. With your
breakfast YOU have toast from an cleo
trio toaster and coffee from an electric