Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-10
TOO BUSY TO CELEBRATE
week OF ELECTRICITY
contractors Could Not Find Time to
Wire Special Show
rooms.
HAVE NEVER BEEN SO RUSHED
Many Reasons Are Given, but All
Agree That Electricity Is Coming
Into Its Own as Fast as Facilities
Can &c Supplied.

On account Of the rush of business
which has occupied the electrical con-
'ractors this winter Richmond did not
ccicbrhtc Americas Electrical Week
which closed yesterday. in tho same
extensiv" manner that marked t.Icctri-
cal Prosperity Week last year The
displays OF electrical appliances and
posters In store windows during the
past week scarcely aroused the public
!" the fact that The festival time had
arrived. anu contrastcd forcibly with
last years brilliant parade and show.
We discussed the matter of another
electrical show this year and intended
l" have IT,. said Charles X winston,
or the Virginia Hallway aud Power
Company. member Of the local com
hhttec in charge of electrical week
"hcn We came to fix up the show
room. however, we found that the con-
tractors were too busy 10 give their
tInr 10 wiring and Installing the eX-
hIbits. They couldn't even put in tho
appliances for other people TO show to
the public. on that account wc had to
content ourselves this year with show
ing electrical articles in tho store win
dow..
Never III the history OF Richmond
has thcrS-bccn such a demand for wir.
inG made upon tho contractors as at
present. This is caused largely by tho
Tact that electricity has remained one
Of the few cheap commodities used in
the home. While food and clothing
have gone up higher and higher cleo
ricity is actually cheaper now than i,
was a few years ago.
Old SHOPS DISCARDI\G
COAL-USISt. MACHINERY
Nc" business enterprises are com
ing 10 the city and demanding cl"c-
'ricai work at their plants Old shops
arc discarding coal-using machinery
on accoun; Of Che high price OF fuel
ana arc installing electric motors. Poor
people arc coming more and NOR. TO
use electricity. not only for lighting,
nj, also for power to turn their sewing
machines and to wash their clothes
'Licensed wircrncn arc scarce. on the
other hand. and are conscuucntly.
worked 20 the limit Of their capacity.
believe There arc fewer :han loo
licensed electric w!r",ncn in the whole
city. OF course. there arc helpers in
addition There were just not enough
wircmen to install AN electrical exhibit
besides doing their regular work for
INC pubic.
William = CatIett, OF W l.. Catlct,
CO.. electrical contractors. said lie
considered tho cause OF th. unusual
press Of business III his line to bc phi
maril: tn" mild weather which enabled
construction TO go on in the winter
mouths Usually. kaiL SIR. catlctt,
snow ana cold stopped building and
consequently decreased tho demand for
electrical wiring long before this time
81 year. There has been no such IN
reference SO far.
tILEBHtTION HAS HI:EN
WIDELY OBSERVED
Nlthou-h I:iChmvnd has ia id little
attention 1" Americas Electrical Week.
o,her elites IN All parts OF tho country
hsv" held extensive celebrations Most
prominent of electrical displays. Of
course. MAS the illumination Of the
goddess OF Liberty in New York Harbor
last Saturday. the hrst day Of the
period. Electrical SIN ws or carnivals
lave taken place In Atlanta Ga: Char