Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-07
FIRST ELECTRIC
PLANT STARTED
FORTY YEARS AGO

New York-Forty years goa 8
o'clock in the afternoon Of September
4, 1S62--the first central station went
into operation. The scene was the
station of the Edison Electric Illumin-
Eating company, at 257~Pearl street,
New York city. Il
The Pearl street station was a dou-
BILE brick building four stories high,
of the warehouse type. its two parts
being separated by a fire wall. One
part was used as the station, the 9TH
! er as a storehouse. To stand the
strain of machinery considerable re-
modelling had been necessary. In
May, 1881, boilers were in
stalled in the basement and six gener
ators on the second floor.
These six generators, each with a
capacity of 125 horsepower, were
popularity known as Jumbo" One of
these "Jumbos" is still in existence.
having been preserved by the on,-
pany for historical purposes. When
Thomas A. Edison gave the signal
that afternoon 40 years ago, these
generators sent forth current along
oqd ;s mi5ss1 lines for a total length
There had been plenty Of toll and
difficulty before that triumphar>turn-
ing or of electricity. There had been
years of experiment and preparation.
Edison's plans, as laid out in 1878. i'm
t%ributing system. commercially prac-
teal, underground conductors which
could be tapped to supply customers,
devices for lamps, to give even and
equal supply of light, regardless of
distance from the central station. a
meter to measure current, designs for
an adequate dynamo, and safety APP
~pliances.
The Edison Electric Illuminating
company was organized in 1880. The
greatest obstacle to operation was an
underground system. Many experts
believed current could not be con-
veyed Underground without great loss
through leakage. Edison, however;
insisted IN underground transmission.
The streets of New York were already
overburdened with wires-telephone,
and stock-ticker. Today all these
wires have been taken underground.
Used Underground Wires.
The work Of laying street mains
was begun in the un1me OF 1881.
were manufactured in Workshop
(which was six inches narrower than
the conductors were long. The tubes
had to be taken out through a window
to be turned around.
Twenty-foot length pipes were laid
in the trenches. Through these pipes
were drawn the conductors. They
were two ~half-round copper wires
which were kept IN place at first by
For insulation a preparation Of aspA-
alum and linseed oil was fssasd into
The work Of laying the pipes vas
In charge Of John Kruesi. Edison
himself was often In the trenches
when unforeseen difficulties arose.
During the summer OF 1881 and 1872
he was in the dttehes With Kruest
az often AZ four nights 4 week.
Lack Of experienced workrnsn was
a great handicap Of preparation. "A
night school wa opened At IS Fifth
avenue, to give instruction in engt-
neering problems. Meanwhile, In the
same building, the general public was
informed OF the advantages OF the
new lighting system. Those In charge
had to answer such questions a
II expiode?" and rs It safe In 4
thunder stormT
The enthusiasm and exertion OF
Edison n his associates In the pre-
paratory stages were described by DR..
rs. 3. Wheeler who worked with him.
When time had elapsed even be
.yond Edison's limit Of endurance,
some = was sent out I o gbt him q
cot on which ne slept Gloss beside the
crew crawiefs In an the .lowAr row az
field maSnet coils 0f the sdynamos,
which was considered q nice. warm;
place, though 4 litte bump. I went
Ito sleep standing up against door
: frame, after torty-eight. hours"