A SELECTIVE MICROFILM EDITION
PART III (1887-1898)
Thomas E. Jeffrey Microfilm Editor
Gregory Field Theresa M. Collins David W. Hutchings Lisa Gitclman Leonard DeGraaf Dennis D. Madden
Reese V. Jenkins Director and Editor
Mary Ann Hellrigel Paul B. Israel Robert A. Rosenberg Karen A. Detig Gregory Janku nls Douglas G. Tan-
Sponsors
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey National Park Service, Edison National Historic Site New Jersey Historical Commission Smithsonian Institution
University Publications of America Bethesda, Maryland 1993
THOMAS A. EDISON PAPERS
Reese V. Jenkins Director and Editor
Thomas E. Jeffrey Associate Director and Microfilm Editor
Robert A. Rosenberg Managing Editor, Book Edition
Helen Endick
Assistant Director for Administration
Associate Editor
Paul B. Israel
Research Associates
Theresa M. Collins David W. Hutchings Karen A. Detig
Assistant Editors
Keith A. Nier Gregory Field Lisa Gltclman Martha J. King
Secretary
Grace Kurkowski
Gregory Jankunls
Student Assistant
Bethany Jankunls
BOARD OF SPONSORS
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Francis L. Lawrence Joseph J. Seneca Richard F. Foley Rudolph M. Bell
New Jersey Historical Commission Howard L. Green
National Park Service John Maounls Maryanne Gerbauckas Nancy Waters George Tseios Smithsonian Institution Bernard Finn Arthur P. Molelia
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
James Brittain, Georgia Institute of Technology Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., Harvard University Neil Harris, University of Chicago Thomas Parke Hughes, University of Pennsylvania Arthur Link, Princeton University Nathan Reingold, Smithsonian Institution Robert E. Schofield, Iowa State University
CORPORATE ASSOCIATES
William C. Hittinger (Chairman), RCA Corporation Edward J. Bloustein, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey * Cees Bruynes, North American Philips Corporation Paul J. Christiansen, Charles Edison Fund Philip F. Dietz, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Roland W. Schmitt, General Electric Corporation Harold W. Sonn, Public Service Electric and Gas Company
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS
PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Charles Edison Fund The Hyde and Watson Foundation Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
PUBLIC FOUNDATIONS
National Science Foundation National Endowment for the Humanities National Historical Publications and Records Commission
PRIVATE CORPORATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
Alabama Power Company Amerada Hess Corporation Anonymous AT&T
Atlantic Electric
Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, Inc.
Battelle Memorial Institute The Boston Edison Foundation Cabot Corporation Foundation, Inc. Carolina Power & Light Company Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc.
Consumers Power Company Coming Glass Works Foundation Duke Power Company Entergy Corporation (Middle South Electric Systems)
Exxon Corporation Florida Power & Light Company General Electric Foundation Gould Inc. Foundation Gulf States Utilities Company Idaho Power Company International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Iowa Power and Light Company
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley H. Katz Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. McGraw-Edison Company Minnesota Power New Jersey Bell New York State Electric & Gas Corporation
North American Philips Corporation
Philips International B.V.
Public Service Electric and Gas Company RCA Corporation Robert Bosch GmbH Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation
San Diego Gas & Electric Savannah Electric and Power Company Schering-Plough Foundation Texas Utilities Company Thomas & Betts Corporation Thomson Grand Public Transamerica Delaval Inc. Westinghouse Educational Foundation Wisconsin Public Service Corporation
A Note on the Sources
The pages which have been filmed are the best copies available. Every technical effort possible has been made to ensure legibility.
PUBLICATION AND MICROFILM COPYING RESTRICTIONS
R66l duplication of the whole or of any part of this film is prohibited. In lieu of transcripts, however, enlarged photocopies of selected’ items contained on these reels may be made in order to facilitate research.
1890. Electric Light - Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York (D-90-29)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to the business of the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York. Many of the letters pertain to canvassing plans and construction work on new central stations for Manhattan. Also included is a report by Eaton & Lewis, the company’s lawyers, regarding vibration and noise at central stations. Most of the letters are by Richard R. Bowker, first vice-president, and J. B. Skehan treasurer. Many of them are addressed to Arthur E. Kennelly, Edison’s chief electrician. Some of the documents may be partially illegible due to faded ink and water damage.
Approximately 90 percent of the documents have been filmed. The following categories of documents have not been filmed: letters of acknowledgement and transmittal; meeting announcements; other routine business correspondence; galley proofs of the company’s annual report to its stockholders for 1889.
NEWVOBK>: .
• . -V . . ;;Y . ; *5.
H»»mra. Thomas A. Edison,
S. b. Baton,
0. Goddard.
Gentleman :
I bog to advise you that the tn«>a|0M* of the Mutual Mf. Insurance Go*,.* ,f **, for g|^
dated November 19th, 1881, i. oano.llsd this <V<
loan of $3o, 000* whieh it oovored having boss pat* «* disc-harped of record.
Tours vsry tn
Cm . L+
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York,
FIRST OISTRICT, j?Sf LIbIrT^ It.,
General Office, 4 32 Fifth Avenue,
THIRD DISTRICT, 117-UU WEST 39™ ST.,
FOURTH DISTRICT, 118-1 20- UM WEST KJoST.
New York ,
ThO Jai3 i. ttisOU is;j,
Llmls* Park. Creui*e, J.
• In response to your inquiry ad bo the amount ana oust
oi' oopjwr figured. for proposed new Oeneral ioaiiou to ?s*el 80. disi- rioo, i find that .Pr. Van Vliok, the lleotriciau at toe uptown Offioe, reOaoned o:i 4eOO 1 jib of i-t aders, bo supply a 8 wire ays'; *01, toe neutral o-sioo about a third ( c<TLoer oenb. ) op Positive ana nag* t tv*, which figured out in i*ound iiurn'oers 360,000 pounds cupper,- which at 19 seats Ooaas to 8 65,400.
This is 011 the oasis oP tile present lamp, 15 to the horse power, oP 255 resistance.
I ini sending to Prof. Kenually a memorandum of our conversation with you 011 Thursday, whi'oh I verify before vour denar tore,; time to verify it, so that vie
Thanking you oil my own ing you on Thursday, I am
Verv
hope you will have time to look over and if not, I hope Prof. Kennelly oan find may have your important word in definite
ora*// yours.
(0. O. (3(rw^hcA,
First VI oe President"1.
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York,
'C°TsS'l°S‘ General Office , 432 Fifth Avenue,
DISTRICT. .17.40-B! WEST 80th ST..
D DISTRICT, 117-ISO WEST 30th ST..
BEQQS,
. . . . New York, f3'o. a, 1590 .
Prof. a. iiv Xennelly.
“Idi3on’s Laboratory. Orange, fl. J.
My dear Sir .
Ill the first plaoe let me thank you heartily for the- 1 oourtesy shorn a naw.ooaar, at the Laboratory, 011 Thursday laat. ■ '
I fear that I left behind me the rough memoranda whioh I took of your figuring as to the copper. I should he greatly obliged if you- oould give as that in detail, for my 01m information— or eduoaiiouj I send you here.nith a memorandum of our conversation with Mr. idison, as I understood it. Kill you kindly, look over it, and verify it, noth as to the eleotrioal terms and as to the aoouraoy of the oon -
a. 'Y^a. cXxa. w****** c*i*ooo
versas ion so far as you heard it; and if it is praotioable to get. Mr . - iidison, in the little time he has at his disposal before starting, also to look over it for verification, I hope you will see that it fsi,vdone.
I look forward with pleasure to haying oooasion to ooae to the laboratory now and then, in the oourse of the solution of the important problems wnioh we are now facing in Hew York, i should' be glad' tb’ know, e.t », what is the. most convenient hour for you people at the Laboratory, .-Bhouddr,.
I have oooasion to make any inquiries without making previ dud -appoint meut, and I beg to assure you that I should take no unnecessary time in • any suoh conversation. -Vihen people are .working^as Kr/idison and his o&afi are, for the good of. the world at large and posterity in general,-
small fraction
io is not fair that their time should be monopolized t of present humanity.
, Very trul/j yours, i;i
(0. (Oi. 63 trwvfog/v
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York,
central stations. General- Office., 4.32 Fifth Avenue,
RICT> I 604I9LIb1rTY ST.,
0 DISTRICT, 47.40.S1 WEST SSth ST..
RD DISTRICT, 1I7-II0 WEST 99.. ST„
FOURTH DISTRICT. 1I8-I90.1IB WEST S3:. ST.
Aidta. Bk. 3. New York, pah. 14, 1890 .
Prof. 2.. Kennelly.
Edison’s Laboratory ' •
Ora ago, X J.
My dear 3ir-/t —
1 have delayed thanking you for your oour teams replies to iny uorts, and for the returu of the Report -from Mr,. Edison, until after a meeting of our. Board -of Directors, - so- that .1 oould give you «or» definite word as to- the canvass; let me now thank you for your prompt oourfcssy in tha wiole matter, and repeat that ■ it sill give me great pleasure to- ooue Into.- relation with you oaraouaUy -again when :33 have ooaaai:ou to- visit the- Laboratory. .35 understood of cour3a that Mr, Edison £3 ao/t t<r be dis¬ turbed when ha Is engaged la speoial work, and ay query was as to- the hour when I oould moat conveniently see you or other mem'oecsof the Staff, should I have oooaiJlou to come out without previous appointment.
L enclose herewith «h* average load diagram of our First Disbriot main Station, for a fair 24 hours, as oalled for in your favor to- Mr. Baggs, of February 10th, and trust it will sarve the pucpoe? required.
In regard to the eleotrioal canvass of the oortion of Sew York below Eighth Street, we find that a oanvass on the soale of that furnished to. Mr. Edison: from. Milwaukee would consume acf.au months at a very large cost, and ■would not even then be fully satisfactory as tfct percentage of the light sup¬ ply which m should be able to obtain tor till-., Ooupauy is so indeterminate in itself I have directed however, that one of Mr. Sargent's men, who- I understand Mr. Edison prefers should, be put. in charge of, any oanvass here.
Prof. A. E. Kennelly.
p. 2.
Feb. -14, 1390
should --be asked to- meet me . tu-aorrcvr morning, and am authorized by the Board .of. Directors tavstairt aroauva-as which jrauld give as an approximate - notion of the distribution of .load, and I will report te you further after my oouvaraa- tlon. with hiiiu,.
I laid the Report of the oonyaraatlon -with Mr. Edison, and your; ao - : ooinpaiiying.. letter, before the Board of Dlreotona in full,, and have tor, thank you on their behalf, •:$ shall have some further, question's to' ask' from the Laboratory in this. matter, .and shall hope during next weak- to- make a-oall on you with that purpose in view.
Again thanking you for your courteous attention, I am Very truly .yours i,
O. O. O
First Vice Pna slide at .
-(Snolosure. )
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York,
General Office, 4 32 Fifth Avenue ,
SECOND OISTRICT, 47 40-51 WEST 20th ST.,
THIRD OISTRICT, 117-110 V/EST 30tm ST.,
FOURTH DISTRICT, 1HM80-122 WEST Wo ST.
New York ,
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York,
General Office , 432 Fifth Avenue ,
. . . . c.e^~. NcivYork, . March S, I860.
■Dear Professor .Kennel ly:-
Iir vDe.w of thereoent determination of our Board of .Directors to : supply theso-oalled:53rdSt. District from the S9ttt St. Station, requiring the readjustment of the existing -feeders and the determination and laying of new connecting feeders from the 'SjJtttiStatlan, and also: of the faot that the Department of Publiic Horks proposes tooompeljus to do this work before they gat at the repaving - of- tbe streets, ;it is most important that we should have an.eariy de¬ termination -of the^aizes of feeders and mains required uptown and in our other new work and should have the beat eleotrloal advice on the subject that we oould get; Mr. Johneon has therefore proposed that we should ask you, Mr. Field, and others, a* well as those of this Company who- are informed on this part of our work, to oome together early next week @’wheil^ should have the data in shape for you to:oonf irm or modl- !fy ~ or “PWI if you please,— the general plans that will be submitted. Could .you make it convenient to bB in New York say Tuesday afternoon 93* evening, next week, and would you prefer to oome sb«- for luncheon or dtnnor, or betwixt add between ? if not Tuesday, what other day noxt week would suit you ? We oan then have everything in shape for Mr. Edison’s final word if he returns, as I hear is expaoted, the latter past ■ of next week.
The Immediate reason for haste is the neoessity of placing •Tders at once with the Machine Works, which orders oa'n soafceely wait r Mr. Boggs’ return, as was originally planned. Mr. Kruesi is urging us
KaToh 3^. tl890..
to- give him the earliest possible word as to this season^ orderB. Truly yours,
O .Q.Qo^sWok
Pro i. A. E. Kennelly.
Edison's Laboratory.
Orange, N. J.
• - ‘•-'••V- t.-i U; . r.T t -;9S is tna .i.
• OT USticd if ViiU - \ it " - - f tr:.. “■ ? >».S- *. Si$$ it |*t; J ; Jjj;,
Could you »fk» It ’.vil i:- ■■ Si; i a?!*****
or ewsnlra, ».»*t p#»a, -^-r^ d~ **** ?** i*.
or dinner, #t «uf .-j-W v, • *s-i. ,.3,.
next aesk W HU *■» * % ««-• t*#« **•,- *••••»?•;*?*»* **. *,»*# «**•
»r. ««i«43,» firr.t «? rtf ? j- f !j -- - r i*
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i-iJiitl; .iits u*%. %r. An-sh t.: *ra*;.£ <*s*
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York,
Pro*. 'A. ’S.. Kenneliy.
Bdiaenfs Laboratory.
orange, •».. Js.
My dear Sir**-'
I thank youfor your favor of Makoh 7th returning ny report to the Dlreotors, of whloh I sbaSlbe glad to furnish a oopy to Mr. Mlson on his return as you suggest. 1 note the oorreotlons aM suggestions whloh you have kindly node and shall- be gag. pleased tobring then to- theattentionofour -Direotora^ although may their opinion is so definitely in if avor of two Stations rather than one for the dlstrlet south of Eighth street that it seems improbable the deci¬ sion in favor of two Stations will, be ohahged. Xhls opinion isoon- ****•*'^■••10* theoazperta who- harve .baon loonaolted in the natter an a nunber of questions ^ aawall as tbs aasotrioal ons^artioulariy the possibility that sone kiad of a breakdown in a single central. Station; for: that dlstrlet would loanee Inf ini to datoage.
m- trust thatyouwil&besble to ba wl tb aa at *-.16 . Broad St. on visdnssdafr at eleven oeleek when this question nay inoldentally oona up, although the :neln subftsot iter dlsoussion is one of the nop, size aM ahaTaetar of feeders >f or the uptown dlstrlot.
(ToElTY C2 c
Trulyyours,
THE EDI80N ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO. OF NEW YORK,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
16 tL 18 BROAD 8TREET.
New York, March ioth, 1890.
To the Stockholders of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York;
In pursuance of action taken by the stockholders, the capital stock of this Company has been increased from $2,600,000 to «4,Soo,ooo; and $2,000,000 of 5 per cent, convertible first mortgage gold bonds (interest payable semi-annually, on the first days of September and March) have been issued upon the present and future property of the Company in this City below Seventieth Street. Said bonds are part of a series of $5, 000, 000 bonds (the remainder being reserved for future extensions, and not to be issued until authorized by the stockholders), and are convertible into stock at par, at the option of their holders severally, on the 21st days of January or July in any year between 1892 and 1895 inclusive, upon ninety days notice. Should the Company be unable or fail to make such conversion, the principal of all the bonds may at once be declared due and payable with twenty per centum premium added, in addition to any interest accrued, according to the terms of the mortgage, but instead of accepting such payment the holder may insist upon such conversion if the Company be legally competent to make it.
Whenever seventy-five per centum of the bonds shall have been converted, the Com¬ pany may require the holders of the remaining bonds either to convert the same or to accept payment thereof at one hundred and ten per centum of their face value, and accrued interest, at the option of such holders severally, and at any time after 1900, whether seventy-five per centum shall have been converted or not, the Company may require the holders of the out¬ standing bonds to accept payment thereof at one hundred and ten percentum of their face value, and accrued interest.
The stock and bonds and their proceeds are intended to be used to provide for the outlays of the Company already made for the enlargement of the second and third districts uptown, and also for the fourth district, representing in all about $600,000, (partly represented by exisisting bonds which will be retired) and to make further important extensions of and additions to the system in the territory south of Seventieth Street, as may be deemed desirable by your Board of Directors.
There is urgent need for all the work now contemplated, and your Directors are of the opinion that it will add so largely to the Company’s revenue as fully to justify the estimated outlay involved.
Under arrangements made with the Edison Electric Light Company, from which this Company derives its license, the Board of Directors are enabled to offer to the stockholders of this Company the right to participate in the purchase of new bonds and stock, on the basis of $1,000 bond )
, f for $i,25o cash.
$400 stock )
The said stock is to be entitled to participate in dividends declared after January, 1891.
The said cash payment of s i .25o is to be made as follows:
#125 on application, when bonds (or scrip) for si25 will be delivered.
S25o on May ist, 1890, when bonds (or scrip) for $25o will be delivered.
#300 when called for on ten days notice by mail, but not earlier than July ist, 1890, and when such call is paid, #300 bonds (or scrip) will be delivered.
<325 when called for on ten days notice by mail, but not earlier than September ist, 1890, and when such call is paid, $325 bonds (or scrip) will be delivered.
#25o when called for on ten days notice by mail, but not earlier than December ist, 1890, and when such call is paid, $400 stock will be delivered.
Interest on bonds and payments therefor (i. e., on the first, second, third and fourth payments above set forth) will be adjusted at five per centum per annum on each delivery.
Ronds are in coupon form and for s 1 ,000 each and can be registered as to principal.
No application will be received for less than one bond and four shares of stock, and all applications must be for these amounts, or some multiple thereof.
A receipt will be issued when the first payment is made, and further payments and deliveries of securities, when and as made, will be endorsed thereon.
The instructions from the Edison Electric Light Company are that this Company shall offer the stock and bonds to its stockholders to an amount equivalent to the amount of their present holdings, as nearly as practicable, and you are accordingly notified that you are entitled to purchase on the foregoing basis, S / 0 0 0 bonds, and i jts — stock, for $ /-£ S~2> — In case you desire to avail of this right, you must sign and return the enclosed application to the undersigned, at the address given below, on or before April 10th, 1890, with a cheque for the first payment of #125 on each bond subscribed for, say S
plus one month and nine days interest accrued to April 10th, 1890, on # bonds, at S5.40 per bond, for which a certificate exchangeable into
bonds bearing interest from March ist, 1890, will be delivered to you at once _
In all S
Any stockholders desiring to assign their rights, may do so on the enclosed blank. Arrangements have been made to dispose elsewhere of any bonds and stock, as above, not purchased by the stockholders or their assigns.
By order of the Board of Directors,
J. B. SKEHAN,
10th, 1890. Treasurer.
New York, March
IE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING C
W-O . - Vcdch^
Epril 5, 1890.
<p\ L A L
'V
My deaf Mr, Tate ;
Mr, Peabody has received your valued favor of the 3rd iat,, and asks me to write you to eay that he krill be at the Station on Tuesday evening, and if Mr, Edison ean make it eon. venient, he should be very glad to have him dine with him, as before stated.
He also wishes te say that he would like to have one or two gentlemen ’ meet Mr. Edison, and desires to ask if there is anyone he would be pleased te meet; if yeu will name the party, Mr. Peabody will invite thasu
If you ean telephone* Monday definitely ns te Mr.
Edison* a plan#, it will be * great faver. { /uV
Mr. A. o. Tate,
Secretary,
THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING C< OF NEW YORK,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE 16 & 18 BROAD STREET.
.
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EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO.
tortl MU, IM»
Thomas A. JMleon, t«Q. ,
Orange, M. J.
Mjr dear Mr. Edison i
t have to thank you for th» hour | while you sera under eu»h pressure of work, and to g delight to find that, contrary to the usual eaperieaaw with tha inventive temperament, the * Wisard of Invent iaft • wswalao ft business man Of far-seeing views', and she s*wM %
business point*.
*#*w
I confess that* with war aloes ■ frpiMt M> -f
got your idea of a canvas* as I had sot grasped it to Um gSMMl conversation of sous weeks ego, X now nndTSl— wfcatpsa want
9T9 two maifi fifcjt* r
first t The msgisHm lighting at early dark, «f the shortest
days, say at M#K 1, December lBth, so as tw gisw thssaseat sf copper rsfuiwsd for the magi mm lead, whish esppor egg to wtosoM «s« for a 35 par e*«t, drop at that tins, since ooly t wwVper sent, drop would Ms involved at other seasons of tW fWSCW
8soond 1 The number or lamp hours, to- girs you the prwhaMw fast* of the money income.
X understand that eueh a canvass can bo Mtdo by ffrtrt-
Tfcoaae A* Wen* %
mation at any tine of the year Ay Dlltiu f*r (Mm« Ida »Mg> WwtCd an mr or ttto earlier in the gag* .$£■£** ':h ? fr
1 Have tHie nerving Man Mr, Naetinga *Wl«A« mm T the mj>s for tHe previous oanraea «f whiah yon apiMl, Aa* g* having bine prints aaie from the eioth oepieei Mr, neatft^fg Ham titm directed * teireh to be mde far the original ••araeeiag hneke, eMeh he *uppas*» to m in a eault in the tredaee Baanataga, f w intending also to give order* this nf tornado In fat ataw£geed tm ▼aasers m import mi atnteta, Ota year pSaa, to gee Hao fAf ttaay gira different reaaUA groat tin mm oflya aM He* far i«*Aey «* eaeadeers to martui tha territory*. ,
* **•«*'** te Aina Heaoyart that yea aggnmgiediao paeniiawtitH vtaldH oak# a scientific deterttnaaaoa l*felfe%#tor* leea available tftaa In neat Villa*, in |Ha aaaat laamian of a station* As yon ***, property n often htM VMM* •«* !*£ *»a* OHJ1 Hettaaae it la not ttw Ugi ^l«M — «T-— -gr «n M, aa Ml
Uoioa ym gamier any «~*nl%t Mgttta* i*r#erta*«gnevtat n* ***** at «iH Bae&Ada ^ Mf>« e* Hi^gaa.oaoar to tea aa* development ef *aaa <jfd*r par* a of tea -pity, *htl» go «da ottaor hand, there eta certain dietnete, ata«h go the mmHmi Henf* quarter*, «k*re there la no “fttftnr of « OMMM'/aH« 4m«i ******** t9* Xightiag* Again there ia «a**a» ee*emie» la Ago Ter*, end while f held ft»U* n«H yea that the Motion gyeteo Hefre the winning ward in the long fta « else t ahonld aet kna
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•OM into it - 1 do sot think m ooa #** *** •***ot«l» diatasoo «r oom potitor* to tho «itnt «f getting all *«- HjMlM • lb m
hkhda. Homomr thorn 1« tho *}«n( of Brookiyn, for iMtiMt, tho pooplo Old not
oxpeotod th*jr would, so that tho tatlMM It lVt|Hfcir || motlwr direction from that whloh waa oapootad* and Mm or tfc tM |)Mon are taking the groatar part of tho huoisodt, loOVlaf SOWS* Or eight Othortf 'working aw eh below tholr mi toots.
m viww of au thio, wit hr wool or *M« t asdovstswl goo t# «*r*o, *no in Yiww of tho ftjrtnor ra«t thotss tihmi,u till* •rcngtotf altr, hnf roal owtato just Whom on want i% tat aaat taka What o» nan got, and that vo ham to go Into aortal* ofwSstOriefct •wag hofor* tawing coanonooo, I ham boas ooat *uiatt»*t^gof
*ppr»*i**tv Wn»armi6«t i«no Whiwh mooli tmitf tho aiMAM Mn> faapodly nwfO In Ineeting tho uptown otstigaa am m ostihlfc so to fig on •*• downtown ktation loa&tlsa ah* got how a«M( Aoso is mm of the st foots Y*tho*t 40lk|« A. eh duty mold prowast «sr gottisg 1» dfcopo rail to Asm sow, oo our m* oapitrt, «i>t ao is • had poaiuoo in the safkot. -u
if we wot^isJ sstss $w soot or thd stvwot*, ao Aw bass planned, thorn will « Vi don tig bo Ssoogh ooppor #*r alSOSt Mf ‘ *•*"* of taaimas, otpoeisil, with tho domlopmst or t*a u*
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THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO. OF NEW YORK,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE 16 & 18 BROAD STREET.
J. B. SKEHAN,
&
April aath, 1030.
Thomas A, Edison, Raq.,
Orange, N„ d.
My dear Sir :
I thank y <m tor your rarer tad note yon* word to confer With Mr, Henderson on thd remits of oaWaee ha fore they done to you,
you kindly )et oh- knqd whether you hays tried the experiment* in the laboratory stash Tith the electrified vires for eatohing the solid product* or Coobuetiqn, TW may be Interested to khow that we tried * wire gauze et the top Of the k taek in the Sftth Street station with fair audosse until the «et vest her same, vhen the water accumulated about the Wires of the netting to eneh an extant as to interfere with the tr*ft tery ns rl on sly, and to rsquire the immediate removal of the netting to glee sufficient steam for the engine*. W* are now propoeing to try a wire netting at tha bottom of the steak, boV should be glad to base earliest word from you autborlzlng us to go forward with your auggsatioa if the plaa works successfully.
We are replacing the leather belting with cotton faced belting to decided ad rant age, and ar# also about tOitry placing a layer of hair felt under ths dynamos to remedy any possible com-
'fhftmas A, Bdieon, Sscj* 2,
municatioti of vibrations from than to the walls of ths Wilding* tfc* Wow sahanot hood on th* Qbth Street Station, of *hl*!h t ehowad you th» vl«^r has mitigated ttw hdise considerably but not ourod it, ad yon indicated, pbtf w« are proposing to go forward with the plane tq* throwing thh into a tank of some
afort additional to that already in oks at the station, either in tha shape or a oietorn in-tfts yard, or a not typo of heater, or a tank of ordinary Oflirtstruotioft.
^ mention thaws poihid so that you may posted jnat as to whftt w« srp <tp*ftg In the In^ftotion oO*e.
th»ly you re,
Q.0.0
Jfcn- A' '/,
New York City, May 7, 1890.
Dear Mr. Edison:
ti inmf. +• „ Please find enclosed our opinion rendered to t
Illuminating Co. regarding nuisance caused by vibration or nois You may be interested to see what the established rules of law are as regards nuisances from these causes.
Very t —
[ENCLOSURE]
/r9o
'OPINION — of —
MESS. 'EATON '& LEWIS, upon Nuisances by Vibration and Noise. prepared for the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York.
Dated, May 5th, 1890.
[ENCLOSURE]
OPINION :UPOM NUISANCES BY 7 1 BRAT I ON AND NOISE. PREPAY gnp THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY OF NEW YORK. '
This opinion is prepared for the general information of the Officers of the Company, and not as an exhaustive treatise upon the sub-’ jeot of nuisances, or upon the special kind of nuisanoes produced by vi¬ bration and noise. We have not, therefore, attempted to review all the cases upon the subject, even within this jurisdiction. The authorities cited are such only as express what seem to us to be settled ’legal con¬ clusions, and to have a practical bearing upon what the officers of the Company may have occasion to practically consider. ,v: i",
U
The general nature of an actionable nuisance.
• For the purpose of the kind of nuisance which alone we nefjd
practically consider, a nuisance may be defined as such unlawful use of real property by the owner or occupier thereof as will unreasonably in-' jure or annoy the owner or oocupier of other real property in the vicineige. It will be noticed that this definition speaks of an unreasonable an-‘ noyance. It is not every use of property., resulting in a certain amount of annoyance to others that will constitute an actionable nuisance. Every dweller in a great city is, to some extent, annoyed by certain of the vibrations and sounds Incident to city life. Almost every occupation is productive of a certain amount of 'discomfort for those around. Thus even the retail shop with the crowds that commonly resort to it and with : the transportation of goods from and to it, would be productive of somV "V annoyance to the dwellers of a quiet residential neighborhood. Probably, however, such a shop has never been held to be a nuisance. On the other hand, an ordinary stable would undoubtedly be considered a nuisance under the same condition, provided it were a public stable, conducted as such stables commonly are. This distinction illustrates the view which the Courts now uniformly take-that the whole thing is a matter of common, sense to be determined by the surroundings and conditions. Exaotly where the line is to be drawn is a thing in part to be determined by previous
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2.
decisions, and in part by the special circumstances of the case as it arises.
We shall not speak either of public nuisances that is, nuisances affecting a great number of people in a similar way — -or of- things which are nuisances per se, except to distinguish, the. cases which we have to consider., from the latter class of nuisances.
I I.
The question of neighborhood as affecting the law of nuisance,
[al Neighborhood.
As ■ to what is a reasonable use of one's property must necessari¬ ly depend upon the oiroumstanoes of each case, for a use for a particular purpose and in a particular way, in one locality., that would be lawful and reasonable, might be unlawful and a nuisance in another."
Wood on Nuisance, 2nd Ed. Sec. 2.
Nor is this question to be entirely determined by the nature of the neighborhood when the structure is erected. Thus where a slaughter house had been erected without the confines of the city and the oity had grown around it, it was held to have beoome a' private nuisance.
. Brady vs. Weeks, 3 Barb. 158. .
A corresponding rule holds where the case is reversed. Thus in Doellner vs. Tynan, 58 How. .Prao. 178. the action was for an injunction.
The plaintiff dwelt upon the portion of the block between Stuyvesant Street and 2nd Avenue, on 9th Street, New York City. He purchased his property in 1885. Defendant purchased premises adjoining in 1867 and erected an extensive horse-shoeing place. The .proof was ample to show that by the noise, soot, the presence of horses &c.., the place was an¬ noying, to adjoining residents. At the time of action brought [1889,1 there was but one house used as a dwelling house exclusively., on the south side of that portion of the1 block, and none on the north side. The place was partly occupied by stables, and partly by carpenter shops &c. In some cases there were people dwelling over the shops. It did not ap- *
pea'r that the market value for plaintiff's place had been depreciated.
[ENCLOSURE]
3.
but it did conclusively appear that defendant's place was more or less annoying, in a substantial degree. It seemed that the block had been of a more residential character when plaintiff's purchased. The Court held that the business was not a nuisance per se. Whether or not it was a nuisance under existing condition was a question of evidence, and the Court held that the evidence did not show it to be such. The Court said, after citing cases; "These cases illustrate and sustain the pro-1 "position that an action will not lie, if a lawful trade, which may be "offensive to persons living in the vicinity, is carried on at a proper "and suitable place. As there cannot be any legalization of a nuisance "by prescription, and as all offensive trades which have been carried on "without complaint in parts of the city., remote at the time, must yield "to the advance of improvement; and although unobjectionable when begun, "have since become detrimental to the full enjoyment of other property., "must nevertheless be removed to other parts; so, I think, that where a "street in a city ceases to be used or occupied as a place of residence, "and is changed into a place of business, no one or two persons, who may "for any reason, desire to continue a resident therein, or shall persist “in continuing to reside therein, should be allowed to prevent the carry-i "ing on of a lawful and useful trade, merely because they are or may be. “subject to annoyance, or even loss thereby. Better that they Should go elsewhere, than that the public should be inconvenienced by arrest¬ ing a necessary and useful business, and the trade of an artisan broken "up."
Finishing steam boilers so 'that a considerable noise was created, and adjoining tenants annoyed, the work being conducted in a compact part of the City of Albany, was held to be a nuisance.
Fish vs. Dodge, 4 Denial 311.
So with Smelting Works, properly conducted but annoying.
•Tipping vs. StHelens Smelting Co. 4 B. & S. 116.
A marble factory on Bleeker Street, New York City., operated by Steam and causing a vibration, was enjoined, although the neighborhood was, apparently, not one very much used for residential purposes.
-The number of cases bearing upon this point is enormous. In
[ENCLOSURE]
fact, every case of nuisance, where the nuisance is not one of a nuisance per se. illustrates the point.
[bl Change of neighborhood, and question of first occupancy.
It does not seem to make any essential difference whether the person complaining of the nuisance came to the neighborhood before the nuisance, or rather the business creating the nuisance, was started.
Some of the oases cited above illustrate this point. Thus in Doellner v. Tynan, Supra, the plaintiff came to the neighborhood to reside, before the defendant set up his blacksmith shop.
On the other hand, in Elliotson v. Feetham, 2 Bing. W. C. 154, the defendant's manufacturing establishment had been under way for ten years before plaintiff came to the neighborhood to dwell. The neighbor¬ hood had meanwhile become, to some extent, a residential one. The defendant was enjoined.
In Campbell, vs. Seaman, 65 N. Y. 538 the action was for damages and an injunction. The plaintiffs had owned their land at a place on
the Hudson about six miles below Albany, from 1845, It was then waste land. A few years afterward the defendants erected a brick kiln upon his adjoining land. In burning the bricks he used a great quantity of anthracite coal., that gave off fumes of sulphuric acid gas. There was another brick kiln belonging to a third party in the neighborhood, and it did not appear what, if any, other residences there were. Some years after the erection of the brick kiln, plaintiffs began to improve their ground, setting out great numbers of pine and spruce trees, ornamental trees, plum trees and grape vines. They subsequently erected a spacious and costly country house, about thirteen hundred and twenty feet from defendant's kiln. When the wind was from the south the fumes of sul¬ phuric acid gas blew over the plaintiff's place, and injured the trees.
The Court held as follows: [11 That, while brick burning was not a
nuisance per se the evidence showed it' to be one in this case. . [21
That injury to comfort and enjoyment was sufficient; articles of taste and luxury, like ornamental trees, stand on the same basis as useful, articles, like vines. [31 "A use of-property in one locality and
[ENCLOSURE]
5.
under some circumstances may be lawful and reasonable, which, under other ci rcumstances, would be unlawful, unreasonable, and a nuisance."
[41 "It matters not that the brick yard was used before plaintiffs bought their lands or built their houses,"
The upshot of the whole matter seems to be, that in oases where the nuisance is not one jer se, the question of a right of action for an injunction is to be determined entirely by the nature of the business, and the character of the neighborhood when the complaint is made; the question of first occupancy has nothing to do with the matter.
I I I.
How far legislative sanction may excuse acts, otherwise a nuisance, and the effect of legislative sanction in this case,
A rule early grew up in England that where Parliament had ex¬ pressly authorized a person or corporation to do a thing, damages arising from the doing of the thing, would never constitute an actionable nuisance. This rule has never been so vigorous in this country as in England, owing to the effect of our constitutional provisions, forbidding the taking of private property without compensation.
The rule in this State now is that in order that legislative sanction for the creation of a nuisance, should be successfully pleaded in answer to an action, the Legislature must have specifically authorized the doing of the thing complained of.
Coggswell v. N. Y. N. H. S H. Ry. 103 N. Y. 10.
And see
Baltimore and Potomac Ry. vs. 5th Baptist Church, 108 U.S.317.
Here, of course, we have no such specific authority. The Legis¬ lature, by the Gas Companies Act, authorizes the Illuminating Company to acquire land, and carry on its business. It does not specifically state, or prescribe, precisely whett land shall be acquired, or how the business should be carried on. Hence we can derive no assistance from any doc-, trine of legislative sanction.
[ENCLOSURE]
The public nature of the employment of Illuminating Company.
Even if our business is considered to be a public one, this will not excuse the creation of a nuisance by us. Even a Railroad, in the absence of specific legislative sanction, derives no assistance from the public nature of its employment, except in determining the question, whether or not the thing complained of, in that specific place, is neces¬ sary.
Cogswell v. N. Y. N.. ,H, & H. Ry. Supra.
How far noise and vibration may be the basis of an actionable nuisance.
Cal The extent of the noise or vibration.
That noise or vibration in sufficient degree* may constitute a nuisance, is too clear for argument. The cases are numerous to this effect. As to what extent of noise or vibration will constitute a nui¬
sance, it is not so easy to determine. The following test, though in¬ definite, from the nature of things, seems to be well supported: "The
"real test as to whether a noisy trade is a nuisance in a particular "locality, and- to a particular person in the enjoyment of his property, , "is, whether it is of such a character as would likely to be physical an¬ noyance to a person of ordinary .sensibilities, or whether it is carried "on at such unreasonable hours as to- disturb the repose of persons dwel-" ‘ "ling within its sphere.”
V/ood on Nuisances, 2nd Ed. Sec. 617.
In this connection regard is to be had both to the quality., and the quantity of the noise. The filing of a saw, if carried on continu¬ ously, might be far more annoying than the blows of a trip-hammer.
Davidson v. Isham, 9 N. J. Eq. 185.
On the other hand, a trifling noise or vibration will not be regarded as creating the basis of an actionable injury;
Grant v. Finney, L.. R. 8 Ch. App. 8.
[ENCLOSURE]
7.
A mere diminution of value of property is not enough, if unaor' companied by causes of annoyance rendering the plaintiffs premises less habitable or useful.
Lansing v. Smith, 8 Cow. .153.
On the. other hand noises and vibrations of substantial character
e,,A.
have frequently been enjoined; A boiler shop--'
Fish vs. Dodge; 4 Benitti 311.
A Marble Factory — -McKeon vs. See 51 N. Y. 300.
A printing press—
•Robertson vs. Campbell, 13 F. C. [Scotch! 61.
The cases are numerous.
[bl Specific cases arising from eleotric stations.
We find but two cases in this State arising from vibration and noises communicated from elec.tric s.tations. , ,
In Braender vs. .Har.lem Lighting Co'2 N. Y. Suppt. 245. [Supreme
Court, Special .Term O'Brien, J.l
The action was for an injunction against the Harlem Lighting Com¬ pany. The plaintiff owned adjoining property. The main building of defendant had been erected, and the machinery was running when plaintiff purchased the property. Subsequently, an extension was made, and an en¬ gine of 400 horse power put in. ' This engine turned a cog wheel [pre¬ sumably a balance wheell some sixteen feet in diameter. The building was substantial and the engine excellent. The engine was bedded on solid brick piers. The business was carried on, as the Court found, as well as possible, and the neighborhood was not an improper one for a central station. A considerable vibration was communicated to plain-' - tiff's dwelling, enough to make it uncomfortable, but not enough to in¬ jure the building. Held that an injunction should be granted, . .The Court said, "But the evidence shows great annoyance from jar. This did' "not exist before the large engine and sixteen foot cog wheel were put "in.” This case seems to go rather farther than most previous cases.
[ENCLOSURE]
8.
The Court expressly found that the neighborhood was a proper one for a central station- It appears from the opinion that the Court was a good deal influenced by the consideration that the smaller engine might have been put in and would be unobjectionable.
In the case of Yocum vs. Hotel St. George, 18 Abbott's Mew Cases,
340 [2nd Dept. S. ■ T. Browne, ,J.
■The action was to restrain defendant from operating two dynamos and two small engines in their hotel next to plaintiff’s residence.
There was a buzzing, rattling and jar in plaintiff’s residence. The Court granted an injunction, saying: "It is not necessary to a right of "action that the owner should have been driven from his dwelling; it is "enough that the enjoyment of life and property has been rendered un- "oomfortablej "
Although these oases are oases arising from vibration caused by electric light plants, they really add nothing to the law as it was settled before. For the oases all come to this, that unless the neigh¬ borhood is one principally used for manufacturing purposes, or other pur¬ poses of a similiar kind, not residential, educational or hotel., an eleotrio lighting company must prevent substantial noise or vibration, at its peril .
7 i;
Remedies and measure of damages.
Cal Remedies.
Apart from public nuisances a person injured by a nuisance has two remedies: He may sue in an action at law, for damages. In this event he gets damages up to the time of the commencement o.f the suit, but no injunction. Or he may bring an action, where the nuisance is a con¬ tinuing one, for an injunction, and may get damages as incidental to it.
. [bl Measure of damages.
If the person who sues, be an owner, and sue in an action at law for damages without injunction, and he be not himself in posses
;sion
[ENCLOSURE]
9.
of the premises, it seems that he cannot .recover unless .he shows a real and lasting injury to his property., as a matter of market value.
Beir 'vs. Cooke, 37 Hun. 38.
If., on the other hand, the person who sues, be a lessee, or the owner himself in possession, the measure of damages seems to be,' the difference between the rental value of the house free from, and the house subject to., the nuisance. It would seem also that. this recovery may include damages from the commencement of the nuisance, to the time of trial .
CONCLUSION.
This memorandum leaves several questions of less general bearing,- undiscussed, but we believe that enough has been stated to give the of-' fleers of the Company a sufficiently clear idea of what constitutes a nuisance by vibration or noise.
Respectfully submitted,
EATON & LEWIS !
New York City, May 5, '1890.
EATON a LEWIS
ITABLE
<yi£w &or/y_
T. A. Edison, Esq.,
Dear Sir:-
Re Illuminating Co »' alleged nuisance on 39th,
St, I beg to say that Mr, Bowker tells me to-day that he has theoretically solved the question of the exhaust. He turned the exhaust steam into the spare stack, and thereupon all vibra¬ tion ceased, absolutely. Moreover, the cessatioh of all vibra¬ tion showed that no jar canes through the earth,' Inasmuch as the steam would ruin the smoke-stack in a short time, tie mme result will be obtained by other means, probably by making a brick tank to exhaust i&s
The experiments thus far made are as follows: 20 feet of new steam pipe on the roof wifli large new exhaust head; cotton belting, whidh works well; hair felting under the dynamo, which does not do much good; lining the walls of the 26th. St, Statio®:,. to prevent j'ar, but unsuccessful; injection of water into the tank, not good; an injector at discharge pipe of engine, no good; rubber buffers placed in horizontal exhaust pipe, no good; two diaphragms placed also in the said general exhaust pipe, no good; and at thw 26th. St. Station, new exhaust valves in^ngine, no good, 1
Mr, Bowker statesti at you are erg^ed in experimenting to find a way to cure the nuisance arising from cinders etc,'
We are adjourning this case from week to week, being treat ed very courteously by. the plaintiff.
Very truly yours.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq,,
Orange ,
H. J.
My dear Mr. Edison :
We can now say, I think, that all danger of a real in¬ junction at the 39th Street station is over, as even with the quick revolution engines, we have succeeded in practically stopping any noise external to the building*
I have been intending to report to you as soon as that result was reached, and am glad to learn from Major Eaton that you will be glad to have a report on the subject. You may care to lcnov/ what we tried unsuccessfully, so that these may not be attempt- ed again.
There was at first much question whether the noise and vibration came through the air, through the walls, or through the
Si-«K5w
foundations of the building. At 26th street., on the west side on which the engines are there placed - where we had complaint of the removal of a tenant of the Racquet Club but no suit 7- there did seem to be sone indication of noise through the wall® to those por¬ tions of the adjoining building on a level with the dynamo and engine floors. To prevent this, we started lining the walls on
Thomas A. Edison, Esq, 2, that side with roofing, paper, afterward to be replaced by asbestos., or a similar nonconductor of sound, but this did not seem to be sufficiently efficacious to justify that interference with the cleanliness, etc,, of the station. By putting a layer of hair felt tinder the dynamos and replacing the leather belting with ootton*faced belting, the interior noise was so much reduced as practioally to do away with this difficulty, and we shall now probably take down the rooflijpaper lining on the 26th Street west wall.
In the course of our experiments it was further demon¬ strated that there was practically no vibration whatever through either walls or foundation at 39th Street, except possibly,, the w»e«rest vibration when several engines were in operation together.
The final result has shown that 90|f, probably, of the total disturbance came through the air from the vibration communi¬ cated at the exhaust* head or from the exterior exhaust 'pipe - sir though whether this was a transmission througi the contents of the exhaust- pipe - the steam and air, or by a telephonic vibration through the metal structure, it has been difficult to say. it seems probable that some vibration was transmitted through both., This vibration through the air seemed to act upon the well-hoies in the Mystic Elat buildings as though they were organ pipes, 'open at one end, or resonators, as the pulsations were even more Evident at the bottom of these wells, quite out of reaoh of any reflection.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq. 3,
of the sound, than at the top or middle portion.
Our first remedy was the construction of a new type of exhaust-head devised by Mr. Van Vleck and Mr. Reese, with special reference to dissipating the sound* mils was raised tWBnty feet higher than the old exhaust-head, and connected to the stack with an asbestos layer between. Nearly 50# of the noise was disposed of in this way, but probably more because the exhaust head was lifted far above the roof than because Of the improvement in the nature of the exhaust-head itself,. Sufficient noise, however, remained to keep the Mystic flats people quite dissatisfied.
Several experiments were then made in the engine room itself. Rubber buffers were inserted in joints of the main ex- haus-t^pipe before it reached the exhaust tank, but it seemed this made very little difference. Two perforated diaphrams were also inserted in the main exhaust pipe, the two diaphrams being turned so that the steam had to seek an indirect channel, but this also without much effect. A similar experiment was tried at the dis¬ charge pipe of the engine, just where the exhaust steam reached the general exhaust -pipe, but this also was ineffective. Each of these perhaps, did a little good, but not enough to qount. As some of the Engineers thought that the iron tank itself-, which is in our station floor, might act as a resonator, a direct connection was made around the tank, whioh resulted in an increase instead of
decrease of the noise.
Thomas A. Edi son Es;q^ .
A construction of canvass, being a sort of canvass tub® of the diameter of the exhaust head, was also tried, carrying th-'J steam from the exhaust head to a little above the top of the t stacks. Kiis produced some improvement, obviating any reflect^ of sound from the smoke stacks, but this also was nott of much effect.
It was impracticable, because of the lack of space at the 39th Street Station, to construct or place within the buildiii&if sufficient tank room to promise good results; and a brick .tank infffl the yard of the building back, whi ch we owned, would, we found, have been very costly, besides the objection that we had to break ' through the- main station walls to get to it, while the vaults " ;i already constructed at the back, through which to take our feeders, left very little room for a tank of any size*: The chiEiney stacks, however, being practically vertical tanks of brick, offered a similar opportunity, and we found that the noise of one engine j
was entirely stopped by running an 8- inch tettiporary exhaust into the unused smoke stack. This at first seemed objectionable because j
vytAd UlUvn n,
of the possible disintegration, but on oonsultation with the ar- ohiteots and further investigation by our mechanical people,, there seemed to be no reason to apprehend disintegration except for a small fraction of an inch. This pipe however* did not go through the f coder , and we had an enormously increased oonstjmption p’f ,#'6al !
because of the lower temperature of water supplied to the ' ‘
Thomas A. Edison, Esq. 5j
It was finally decided that the exhaust steam could be run into the used smoke stack without any danger whatever, after passing through the feeder and heating the water for the boilers, This was finally done through two separate. 16 inch exhaust pipes leading into the smoke stack in use, one somewhat above the other, and the noise liaa been almost absolutely cured in that way. The Engineers report that the teal* is bettered instead of checked by the change, and this simple expedient seems to work well at every point. Whether it would do when a larger number of engines were placed in the station, may be a matter of question.
I have had some investigations made into the probable length of the sound waves and the rapidity of their transmission, with a view to testing whether any result could be obtained by running different portions of the steam through channels of separate length, so that the pulsation waves would interfere, the one with the other, but so long a wave length was indicated that it seemed improbable^ we could make suffioiient difference of chan¬ nel, and this line of experiment was never tried$
We propose to replace the present iron tank in the sta¬ tion floor with a brick tank of the largest possible capacity, -a's it seems probable there is some vibration in this iron tank-, al^- though the difficulty is practically in the sharp exhauSt and short Hxhxusi stroke of tie Armington & Sims engine*#
To remedy the complaints against the fine duat#
Thomas A, Edison, Esq., 6,
dndpping from our smoke stackf, we first tried putting a wire- gauze over the top of the smoke stack* This worked all right until the first wet day, when the rain falling through the interstices and matting the solid matter against the wires, shut down on the draught to such an extent that the rigging was taken off the stack^ as sailors would take in a reef during a gale1. A similar screen was then tried at the bottom of the same stack, but this filled up so quiokly with the solid particles, that the same re¬ sult happened. The expedient of throwing the exhaust steam into the used smoke stacks seemed to remedy this however, as well as the other difficulty, and the matter which falls can of course be easily cleaned out from within the. staok,;. I shall be very glad to hear, however, that your experiments with electrifying these, particles have been successful - although it is to be borne in mind that we are contending With here not with a bituminous resi¬ due or carbon of any kind, but with an aSh*
I shall be glad to give you any further particulars, or to know that you have been glad to reoieive these.
Very truly yours,,*:
O. O . (3 irw'C'iX/'v
THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO. EXECUTIVE OFFICE
O.O.fto
) 4 - C'
. . '"V. *
*£7^ ..
0 O .0)
[ENCLOSURE]
PiIa-CXA i\,UaAAS~- ^ 0.(1 ft> .
(W^Yr'
•Tune 4 tli,
1090.
Contluioli |
In ill or. to the estimate of time callod for by my letter of t oli 51st, please ivo us a statement of ho’./ you arrived at the rough estimate of 0340, 000. as approni: into cost of building, and about hov/ that is to bo divided a, ton tlio different elements of cost.
In regard to the placing of the supporting side walls and consequent v/ldth of building, that should be determined by a calculation of the space necessary on the lover floor, to give plenty of room around the 1,000' II. P. unit, and for the oloctrioal gallery between, and on the boiler room floor for adequate boilers. Y/e do not wish to make the building v/idor than is necessary for its purposes, as it night bo better to leave 30 feet instead of 35 foot on 'Elm Street, if it gives us plenty of v/icith.
In planning the foundation of the building and for the engine, you need to keep in view the provision of one, or possibly two, driven wells for obtaining, an independent supply of water, and . of .giving space for a brick tank or tanka as largo as possible,
[ENCLOSURE]
Mosers. Buchman & Doislor. 2. to receive the exhaust steam, replacing the iron tanks in use in our uptown stations - also, provision should be made for a tank or tanks - perhaps one at either end, for receiving vrator from tho street, so that the pumps shall not oxert any suction on tho croton system, as is complained of at the 2<3th Street Station.
In placing the engine foundations, these should be put as near together toward the center of tho building as is practica¬ ble, so as to leavo as much room at front and rear for purposes of communication and for office room, as can be properly managed.
\ili Gn you visit the Brooklyn station, please note its arrangement in that particular.
In general, it will probably be desirable, when tho both ends of the building are completed, to make the Duane Street frontage an entrance for office purposes, and tho Pearl Street frontage tho entrance for station and mechanical purposes . There should bo on tho Duane Street side, if not on both sides, provis¬ ions for passenger as well as freight elevators, particularly in view of the possible addition of four stories for factory or office purposes. It may be well also, to provide facilities within tho elevator shafts, for hoisting to tho roof, in place of hoisting from the outside, as wo have boon obliged to do recently uptown.
It is proposed to run elevators and all other subsidiary machinery throughout' tho building, by electric motors instead of by smaller engines, so that tho station shall be throughout an
[ENCLOSURE]
noonva. ihichnaii Dololor. 3.
ol.vicot lesson in 1 3 i. o practical application of She electric ourrer.ti.
in the arrangement of the stacks a id other portions of t2u; building relatin'.1; to stoam power, plane should bo made by vrhiah there nay bo an alternative throughout every portion of the system, for example - that the onhauot steam :nay bo oarriod into oitiior staok or "both, by suoli arrangement, and devices as can bo operated at any t imo . 'diin will obviate a considerable difficulty,
/Which v;c oncountorod uptown in recent improvements.
1 1- :r
^o';* - It would-be well to consider, in the arrangement of the
^building as woll as in' the planning of the machinery, the prac¬ ticability of loading coal directly from cars brought to the station on trucks, so that both the truck and liorcoa may be backed within the lines of the station building, leaving the sido- v/alk entirely unenoumbered and confining all our work to the station itself. She sumo cars might be used to tolso up the ashes, so that one journey of a truck would bring coal and take uv/uy ashes- Also adequate arrangements should be made for weighing the coal as it comes to us, as also weighing coal, water, etc., as delivered to the boilers.
In the facades of the building, the combination of brick with stone trimmings used in the uptovm stations, will prubably bo satisfactory in this, but wo should bo glad to have
[ENCLOSURE]
Messrs, Buoliman & Deislor. 4,
n:l'/ suggestions fro;:] you as to the use of the newer typos of brick of ornamental colors.
'i'ho side walls should have sucli provision for connection with a possible Eta Stroet Office building as can be made without weakening their structural strength. When they got to a height above the probable height of adjacent building, it would bo well to provide for tlioir simple ornamentation in an inexpensive manner, rather than to show nn ugly brick well to the rest of the City.
As it is not impossible that, within a few years, elec¬ tricity may be produced by direct combustion, without the inter¬ position of steam machinery, or that the supply may be brought from a considerable distance for storage, wo should look forward to oho possibility that a building, in this valuable quarter, may ultimately be converted into purposes other than station vise, and so far as it is practicable to do so, it would bo well, in your arrangement of grand stories on tlic facades, as within the build¬ ing, to wake it easy to transform the building, by providing in¬ termediate floors where the engines and boilers arc to be placed.
Some important changes as to the height of the several floors may bo necessary as the plans are developed, for instance, the adoption of the upright type of boiler would make u much higher boiler room necessary.
Wo give you those points now as things to be kept in
[ENCLOSURE]
Manors. Euohman A Doislor mind frcri the start in all of your plans.
Yours very truly.
Pirou Vioc President.
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THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO.
OF NEW YORK,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE 16 &. 18 BROAD STREET.
CEO. FOSTER PEABODY, President.
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THE EDI80N ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO. OF NEW YORK,
<* EXECUTIVE OFFICE 16 Sl 18 BROAD STREET.
[ENCLOSURE]
The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York.
'v $2,000,000 First Mortgage Five Per Cent.
Convertible Gold Bonds.
These bonds are in coupon form and are dated March 1st, 1800, running twenty years, to March 1st, 1910, if not converted or redeemed prior to that date, and they can be registered as to the principal. Principal and interest payable in gold coin. Coupons payable March 1st and September 1st each year.
The holders may at their option, convert the bonds into the capital stock of this Company (which is now $4,000,000) at par, on ninety days notice, during the years 1892 to 1895 inclusive.
'I his bond is secured by a First Mortgage covering the Company's real estate, buildings, stations, plant, underground conductors, franchises, leaseholds and property of every nature, real, personal or mixed, now owned or hereafter to be acquired in the City of New York, below 70th Street, the real estate, station buildings and other buildings in various parts of the City, being valuable property in good locations for general purposes.
The plant, consisting of station apparatus, underground conductors, stock, tools and fix¬ tures, is now and will be of the very best construction obtainable, and so arranged as to secure the largest earning power possible with a minimum of operating expenses, the total cost of which will be— when the proceeds of this last issue shall have been expended— in the neighbor¬ hood of $4,000,000 cash.
The first station built by the Company (in Pearl St.) has alone shown net earnings, in each of the years 1888 and 1889, more than sufficient to pay the entire interest on these bonds, and this has been accomplished with a capacity of less than 17,000 lamps, — it now has 20,000 lamps con¬ nected, — and furnishes a large amount of power to motors.
The construction of a station and extensions of the plant, for which the proceeds of these bonds and the new stock issue are to be used, will provide a total capacity of 175,000 to 200,000 lamps, and in view of the general demand for the light, as well as for power to be used for small motors, the earnings will be very large and constantly on the increase, as great care is being taken to establish the new plant in territory which will provide the largest amount of business immediately.
I he Municipal franchises and rights of the Company in this City are very valuable, and could not be duplicated at the present time and the license from the Edison parent company se¬ cures to it the exclusive right to the whole of Manhattan Island.
Ihe Edison system of conductors covered by many patents, is entirely underground and the light, being always of low tension and entirely safe, is popular with the public, by reason of the steadiness of its burning and regularity of its supply.
Dividends have been paid on the capital stock of this Company at the rate of four per cent, per annum continuously since 1885, the amount of such Dividends paid in 1889 being over $100,090, and the business of the Company is so thoroughly established as to warrant the assur¬ ance of continued dividends with a steady addition to the surplus besides.
We are entirely familiar from personal experience with the Company’s business and finances and feel confident that this bond has an unquestionable basis of value, and we commend it to investors as having a double attractiveness, first by reason of its security, and second, the possibilities from the option to convert into stock which may become very valuable and in the judgment of those best qualified is very certain to so prove.
Application will be made to list the bonds on the New York Stock Exchange'.
Respectfully yours,
Spencer Trask & Co.
Mr. Edison was hare last I sold him$27 0f Edison Convertible
(3.
Certificates'^ even up his stock, s#l/VZfo, and gay.e him a bill of same, calling for payment of $20,25 to us;. -
Will you kindly ask him for the bill 1 gave him and remit check to cover same, as I have no doubt that he has over¬ looked it.
rill li.id in rc-rtliind e. ament- not in ordinary mortar.
ilov; that : ir, Boggs has ;;o<: . into the service, or th oral Company, I ahull have to ask you to lot mo consult you v/oll ao Mr. Henderson on those practical ; alt -ra ns much cm Hiblo, providing you do not let my questions divert you from important work.
Very truly yours,
O.O. 0 trvvVa^v
first Vice President.
[ENCLOSURE]
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York,
General Office, 432 Fifth Avenue,
cop* NeW Y°rk' a8' 1800
Mr. R. R. Bowker, First VJoe prest..,
Ho. 16 Broad Street , New York Cl-ty.
Dear Sir
In reference to the exhaust in would say that after
cqnsulting y/ith Mr. Brewster In regard to ’shutting doy/n the station, we concluded to make an examination last night after twelve 0.' clock, to see if there, was any sign of injury .feeing dphe to. the chimney.
. I am very glad to report tp you that after examining the chimney both from above and below, they found the brickwork as perfest as be¬ fore Jhey ran the, exhaust into the dhUne'^ Jfct.no time have they ever found, any moisture, either above . *r _bejLo£j, inside .the chimney, and no; ' steam can be seen escaping at either
X will have both chimney* esmutned ayt last- once a month and if, at any time, I find any injury being done to either of them, will reT port the matter to you without delay, l aifefc Yours very truly#
( Signed ) 4$%$$ REESE, JR.
COPY
.EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATINC CO.
'■ OF NEW YORK,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE , 16 * 18 BROAD STREET.
SKEHAN, Beo'y and Treasurer. NEW YORK, AugUSt Cl, WPG,
mi* s,, buoluuGn ?i hoiolor, u West lit,, -
In regard to the facade of the new station, several sug- gootxons occurred to me which may ho overlooked when you cone to the actual designing, and I therefore j>ut then before you how.
’.i.'ho nervan oageo given to the uptown stations by the su¬ periority of their faeado over most factory buildings, arc so evident that I have no doubt the Construction Committee. ‘will bo ready to approve reasonable expenditures for nakihg tho facade of the new building somewhat notable in its wny-lrJWl should not bo w illing to recommend any considerable inoroaoe in expense's for that purpose. It has suggested itself to mo, however, that, at some central point on tho facade, place might be made for the fine bust of .Mr. Edison in terra cotta, such as we have at tho uptown office, possibly enlarged to heroic size- and that, if it were desirable for decorative .purposes, this might be flunked by busts of Iranklin and Morse as tho other great electrical pioneers of this country. If, also, there were a band of terra cotta work or of cut stone permitting the use of medallions, it might be inter-
.Messrs. Buchman & Deisler. 2.
csting to use in thorn low-relief portraits of the oleotrioians, oig. whose names aro idnctified with the olectrical unit, as Volta, topero, Ohm and Watt. Please bear in mind also that the form of the Edison lamp would lend itself admirably for ouch moulding as tho egg .and- £»t pattern, and that tho horse- ohoe magnet, the urauturo and other olootrioal forms could roadi'ly bo adapted to decorative purposes. This might bo kept in mind for simple decorative work inside ns well ns outside tho building.
V/c should keep in mind also, tho desirability of having some kind. of display light, which would be interesting to the public and bo a pormonont advertisement for the Company. Possibly thi s "might bo planned in relation with the stacks, as is done to a limited extent in Brooklyn.
Please filo those suggestions for such use as you may choose to make of them when the facade comes under discussion.
Very truly yours,
First Vico President.
JL<slr 04- 1 1— EBIS0N LAB0RAT0RY.
EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE 16 & 18 BROAD STREET.
Q.
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TIle Edison Electric Illuminating Co,, of New York, ,"1“Z irl'ISFwiyL,, ST. General Office, 432 Fifth Avenue,
August 27, I860
<30^ '$?■ ) / V- t-ffi/x, S'
fa/ ? a
R. R. Bowker, Esq.
First Vice President,
Having occasion to shut down the station at 39th street this morning, in order to repair some leaks in the steam pipe, we examined the chimney and cannot find Any signs of injury being done to the briekwork by the exhaust steetft At no place inside of chimney or flue could be found any moisture* #h lie I am confident that no injury to the chimney can be caused by the steam, X will watch the matter closely for at least 3ix months*
Very txuly yours,
I »E<5 ) THOMAS REESE, -JR,
(jUjt Ulo
['Y-'Vw l\x>
(A-
EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO. OF NEW YORK,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE 16 & 18 BROAD 8TREET.
Sept. 26, 1890.
A. 0. Tate, 35sq. ,
Secretary, Thomas A. Edison, EsqTT""
Orange, N. J.
Dear Mr. Tate :
May I ask you to obtain for me, if possible, two of the large-sized, photographs of Mr. Edison (with autograph), for use in our Executive and General Offices. I desire to have them framed for the decoration of those offices.
Yours sincerely,
o&-
IE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING O
Kiowa s A. Edison, Esq. , Orange, If, J.
Dear Mr. Edison !
2 <L//
1 send you copy of a letter on tho proposed now junction box, replying in part to Mr. Krueni ’ & criticisms, which, I have heard, reflected in a measure your own objections. I thought you would like to see this, and that, possibly, it wight modify your opinion, which wo should cortainly want to have before tie-
U/lA
ciding to wanufaetuM this new type.
X should be glad to hear when your docks are cl ear (if ever), so that you can spare me time for a little talk - possibly you would prefer to put it off till next week when I may be able to bring with mo tho outline plan for tho new station, unless you would prefer, or be willlng;to come in and moot with tho Con¬ struction Committee, of which, you will recall, you arc a member — though we have not been able to subpoena you ns yet.
Very truly yours,
(T"). (fA O crvn/CcL A/K
Eirst Vico President.
Enclosure.
(_<5~ (_p i -
2; - ■ v
k, A h N
!> H..
[ENCLOSURE]
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York.
CEO. FOSTER PEABODY, PRESIDENT. J. B. SKEHAN, SECY AND TREAS. R. R. BOWKER, FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. W. A. RUSSELL, AUDITOR.
General Office, 432 Fifth Avenue, Neiv York,
Oct. 3,
1390,
iii‘. F., Bov/’;ssS
First Vice President,
Ira nr
7.u recatQ to the new Junction Box, there have bean suite riatvas- •;lly different opinions cxyvaantA iMrtniniae to its crtvuntaeaa *afl «13.s— MvasiASiOs, By same it has been pronounced a doeidod improvement over the old type; 'while by others, I nadavst'Kirt, it is tbouciit the old Box'
:£>, rrfj&y therefore to those who might bold thin latter view, X baii to submit Via following in the way of o;;r*l»ifi:'.fcloa of what I thin;-: is the rax! statue of both the w and old Box in our Syst®a of Efodsis. LTOund Con-luotors. Jly motive la doing this in based noioly on try de¬ sire to promote .improve, .rtatn where they' can be made v/ith profit, rivvli- r;i.t2 0,0 X do that we have not, in any particular, reaehed the .limit of adraaceaseat; fert}«err.oro, X desire to enuaorato some of the advnutuees- that the new bo;-: possesses over the old Bo::, that night not .lopcra* iVcra *A lnciple.it os’ casual inspection.
In the first place, the aew Box was do •/eloped with o view to overcome cevtnla storin'; defects Vrvo ' -0 o”iatod :’a the old Box, of v.-rlcb every practical ma who is familiar with our Underground System, is .aware, .Vrlnci pally those defects As the liability of diffi- '
ciaty and danger induood by the talrihj. off and putting on of Safety Catches under heavy currents, where serious arcs .and the most dlstrun- tive chovt-cirouito are sometimes caused, even by the hand of the most
[ENCLOSURE]
Mr. udwjiei', p, ■%.
proviso and earful nrnlynlatotf - T. have Isoown th is to happen - not rarely, but frequently - I have 3oen some ox" oar bout men practically destroy the womans parts of a Junction box through no fault ox- their ovn - I have seen Um, with tvoablins hands and blanehod facon, nnderi tal;o to do t •should be a wot liamlose nor? maple to-nlci simply bc- cuuoe they are well «nve that their Jr v'* or yia^ero -t^ht bo qooi’cbefl blv.cl: by ■?. si«£le vdr^lveeteJ. movement. rnoae are not - fanciful otnte- I’.ento, but facto; in the face of which, vc- felt that the ‘old Junction - bo>: did net b'.urely fill it-, purpose:;; that it way scarcely more than a receptacle for Safety Catches, v/ith no nexus of bronJclne oonneotlons •tit.! the M 10- without awtaniat the life of iu wor^nt part c,; and that the manipulation necessary to do this was not without an" axbtsont of cA.u-.cr. It r.l-io difficult to repair a.jd hard to clean, on ac¬ count of its inaccessibility bolov/ the vine*,
an,,-, j.n «.:!« oujc.v .-r'.ad, the new box :ls entirely free .from all thnoo object?, Mm everything Is accessible and -p-ats of ronioyui or 'j.<q- placcmcat. It ;'bL, switches" permits, wit;; the sroatcMt ease, the tahinL off and putties on of safety Catches. it i.n alno of sr c-ater Ou/ve.it c -..j>-c;lty a.v- is less liable to become overheated. in brief, it Is r. more perfect Lore than the eld one becav.ee it answers its trji<- pooc to 9 better •?.<;! van tr.se; in Which resaru it i-; on a urr wit?; all the recent lmprovoaoutn that have been mde in the Edison cy-rtem, which has embraced nearly every feature, with the exception .of the 3-wire Junc¬ tion Sox, which has scarcely over been chanced m any ?, articular -since, its introduction,
Kj0 i’e-Uov/i.ns -.re the advantases of the w, V;ox over the old:
(1) Greater spree between Safety Catches.
(c) baiter also Safety Catches.
(3) mft,3e -v/lto:j®* <* v-Ulch Safety Catches can be removed
r-.-au replaced with, out denser, of a short-circuit, and without tho
[ENCLOSURE]
lfe*» Bowker, p,' 3,' slightest spark'*
. (4) . Accessibility to the bottom of the Box for cleaning purposes,
,{5) The feature of being able. to remove everything in the Box with¬ out removing the Jacket,
(6.) Conoave lid, by whioh the wa ter, that sometimes precipitates thereon, drip's into the centre of the Box where it ca,n do no harm,
(7) Greater insulation,
(8) Greater' ampere capacity, as the main' bus-. if pf copper' and the other parts of corresponding- ample current capacity.'
(0) ' Greater ampere capacity of the + and - switches belonging to the feeder stub, ’ ’ '
(10) The advantage of having in the Box only those switches that are actually in use, which can be added to, or' taken fr'omV at pleasure This is a feature that materially reduces the cost of the Box, when considered collectively. It may be claimed that the new Box is larger' than the old one, but in reality only the Jacket is lar¬ ger', while the diameter' over' the stub's if the same^
I understand that an objection has been made to the new Box, in which it has been stated that if a switch were opened with current Oft the line, an arc would undoubtedly destroy all the other switches.
This objection, as it stands, is either art Incorrect statement, or else the party who made it entertains an entire misconception of the princi¬ ple on which the Box is built and operated, or of the action of a blade switch under current. Granting for a moment the possibility of such an arc being formed In the new' Box, what then, 1 ask, wOuld become of the old Box with the chances of producing an arc infinitely greater ?
In conclusion I would say that the new Box, as recently construe ted, is intended more to suggest a new principle rather' than a pefffct- ed piece of apparatus, which after having been sufficiently Studied arid criticised, will undoubtedly be impr'obed in several respects. As it
[ENCLOSURE]
iJr, . Bowker. p, 4.
is now constructed, however, it appears to be a very efficient and creditable piece of work - thanks to the attention Which has been .given it in its construction.
.Finally, in answer to the question as to what extent the new Box could profitably be adopted, I beg to reply that, at present, I would advise its use only at the important centres of distribution - that is to say - at all feeder ends and at the intersection Of important, maihs^ at these points, it is especially adapted to the conditions, on account of its being- more satisfactory to operate and Vabtiy mqfe durable than the ordinary Box, which would rapidly depreciate. 1 would not now advise its use »n the outlaying, lighWoaded districts of a system, where the ordinary Box, being rarely operated, would be .^ite well ' suited to the requirements,
■ Very truly, • ' •
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York.
SPENCER TRASK, PRESIDENT. J. B. SKEHAN, SECY AND TRE.
R. R. BOWKER, FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT, W. A. RUSSELL, AUDITOR.
General Office,- 4.32 Fifth Avenue,
350 th October , 1800
Dear Mr. Edison :
If the architects Eire me their pencil plan.3 to-
[ V-SKA.j
morrow noon, as they hope to do, I shall endeavor to. come out to see you early Wednesday afternoon, to give you the first sight of the station plans as 30 far developed, and to talk over certain matters business a.nd electrical, which I have been storing away in one corner of my mind for some time, until I could get your advice in regard to them.
Very truly your 3,
Thos. A. Edison, Esq.,
Orange, New Jersey ,
G.O.0
(//ft . / rlO
t
. CL
•* The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York.
Executive Office, 1 6- 1 8 Broad St.
. .,,v. — " / MA'
[ENCLOSURE]
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York.
6PENCER TRASK, PRESIDENT. d. B. SKEHAN, SECY AND TREAS.
R. R. BOWKER, FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. W. A. RUSSELL, AUDITOR.
Executive Office, 16-18 Broad St. w""NO Mow York, Kocombor 10, 1890.
Kfiluon General Electric Company,
«T, 0. Henderson, Esq. , Enginoer in Chief,
03 UrOud fktroot, City.
Eeur ni’.’ Henderson S
Yo'u will recall that Mr, Edison omjihao lac'd the ifcipflrtaneo ofliaVina "an electrical canvass made of our hovnitosm Mstribt "about tli'U feil'ddla of December, it having boon L spraeti cable to obtain any adequate notion of what the lighting requirements’ cif' thiii ’part of How York wore at "the time WG were in con salt n’t Ion about this mat tor before. We fool, no previously stated, that the conditions in Mow York so militate against isiy really scientific layout of a foodor system because of the crowded condition of such main thoroughfares us Mroadvuy, of the difficulties regarding now paving, of the com¬ petition of other Companies in contain districts, etc., etc., that the most careful canvass would give comparatively li t tie guidance in the practical dotornination of the routes, etc. of feeders, but wo fool, of course , not only that ;lr. Edison's views on this sub¬ ject arc entitled to full supremacy, but that we desire to carry out his wishes in such critters in every respect. If, therefore, hr. Edison still desires that such ’a canvass should be made, 'will you kindly lot me know
whether you have the force at hand for that
[ENCLOSURE]
J. 0, Henderson, Esq. 2.
purpose and when you could muke such canvass. It would bo desir¬ able, probably, to cover New York south from Canal Street excepting the poorer quarters, and not to go above Oanal Street, as for some little time ahead we should not attempt to cover very much of the District between Canal and 3th Streets.
Very truly yours,
First Vice President.
■ The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York.
8PENCER TRASK, PRESIDENT. J. B. 8KEHAN, 8EC»V AND TREA8.
R. R. BOWKER, FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT. W. A. RUSSELL, AUDITOR.
Executive Office, 16-18 Broad St.
As your letter < it? rot i i to your pros on t 0 1 re /U, the ■ , l 1 • ft) t p % Mr. hendoruou n loiter, o 1 < 1 npfr i::
oviolosou, ::..d rill ask you to r.erm hi:. word by telephone or letter. I t’iv.si t'.iot wo are in fault i-i not no: di: - you the proi-ossed Iny- ot\t of fuoaors uptown which 1 thought 3: mi already boon -.t by our Electrician. iir. jienderoon remind:; no tiu-.t r.uoi. is not t.e or. ->o I win -THieavor to have it coot you promptly;
p-.ic District illus tratoo one of jgko ■ exigencies to which wo are oonutm-tly put; we hod planned that our 1*6 odors , to rceel: what used to be called the " Fourth District," should run fro:.; the 39th Street Station at 40th Street, a Ion;; (3 th Avenue to the 53rd Street vault, hut it proved impracticable., to /jet t'.ie assent of the Board of Klectriual Control to reopen 6th .Avenue before the winter, iSTki therefore at the last moment we were -obliged to run #1000 feeder alon/; 5th Avenue from 4Snd to 54tli Street ^ to take care of the heavy load we are yet tin;; at the extreme northeast • corner of the District for the ’winter.
I thank you for yoxir
courteous reply to my denire to
truly youiv,
(0- O. 0 '/-wta v .
f
vy
[ENCLOSURE]
* ! oVi” York, Bee ember 17th, 1890,
Edison tienoi’al El oo trio Oo. ,
j. c. iionderson, Es<i. , Eneinoor in Chief,
08 broad Street, City.
Dear Sir. :
In mm Mr. Edison, with vrhon I ari coranunioatine in tho matter, informs you toy lot tor or by tolerhono of his cloolro to .
},avo the canvass of the lowor part of Sow York made as oujKjestod, please take stops to have tho work started at once and completed us soon as practicable, this letter beinjy your authority from this Company for that purpose.
Your canvass should cover that part of the city extending from tho Battery alone the East River to Catherine Street, thence up the Bowery to 8th Street, thonco south alone Wooster Street to Canal Street, west alone Canal Street to the Worth River and alone tho line of the Worth River to the Battery.
Wo understand that no exact estimate of tho cost of this canvass oan be made, but that it is a matter of a few hundred dollars only.
Very truly yours ,
First Vico President.
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York.
Executive Office, 16-18 Broad St.
Nkw York, December 20th, 1890.
The Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of the Edison ElectricT illuminating Company of New York will be held at the office of the Company, as above, on Tuesday, the 20th day of January, 1891, at 12 .\i„ to. elect thirteen directors for /lie ensuing year, and to is may come before the meeting./'
transact such other business ai
Action will also be taken by the Stockholders authorize the
issue, if authorized, will make the $2,25o,ooo, the limit allowed by law ; said
lid^meeting upon a proposition t
of $25o,ooo of First Mortgage Bond^, under the present mortgage, which itstanding First Mortgage Bonds of this Company : Sypoo Bonds or their proceeds to be used only under vote of the Board of Directors of this Company, for additional construction work when decided upon. /
For the purpose of such meeting, the/ransfer books will close on Friday, January, 2nd, 1891, and re-open Wednesday, January l\ st, 1891.
In case you cannot be present at the meeting, will you kindly execute and return the enclosed proxy to J. B. Skehan, S^fetary, 16 Broad Street, New York City.
J. B. SKEHAN,
The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of New York
Executive Office, 16-18 Broad St.
ilcv; vork , Dooc: '!
hear Mi'. Main on :
Re’rtyiM,; to your hi 1 favor }■• yi ft Friday »ui 9, '^osniiilo day for you, I write to r.ny t jx 1 hoyn to > out in tho afternoon by as early a train as the «> mi" out o to of I'M ootri -il Control, which neoto at l P. 21. 0:1 that Piy, ril.l
>ot wishes of tho sea;
Very truly yours ,
0.o. n trvvCoxA
1890. Electric Light - Edison Electric Light Company - General (D-90-30)
This folder contains correspondence relating to the business of the Edison Electric Light Co. The letters are by Frank S. Hastings, secretary and treasurer, and relate to a proposed sub-station in Newport, Rhode Island, and to possible competition from the Westinghouse Electric Co. On August 1, 1890, this company became part of the Edison General Electric Co. Some of the material may be partially illegible due to water damage and faded ink.
Approximately 20 percent of the documents have been filmed. The following categories of documents have not been filmed: letters of transmittal and acknowledgement; meeting announcements; routine letters requesting Edison photographs for Carl Schurz, who served on the company’s board of directors; other routine business correspondence.
F ■■■■■■ ' "
r '
1. EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. 44 WALL STREET.
/
/
New Yorlc, _ Eehr.uar.y...3.9.th,
A. 0. Tate, Esq.,
Edison’s laboratory,
IX'
Orange, M. J.
My dear Mr. Tate,
Some time ago certain maps and determinations were turned over either to Mr. Edison or to sane one under his direc¬ tion in relation to Newport, R. I. with a view to make up an es¬ timate for a transformer system for that City. Can you tell me what condition this matter 1b in and whether an estimate was ever made up ? Or, if not, how long would it take to get such an estimate 1 I fear the delay will result in the Newport Company negotiating with Westinghouse or sane one else for an alternating system.
EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT CO.
yorlc . gfl'b... 27.th.. 1890,
• ,* '
•v- /ii.
A. 0. Tate Esq.,
Edison's Laboratory,
Orange, N.J.
Dear Sir :
Your favor of 25th inst. regarding NeY/p&t''l-^--a hand-. I happened to meet Mr. Kennelly this morning, and ..after dis¬ cussing the matter with him, I agreed to write to Newport for the purpose of obtaining certain additional data ’upon ‘wiii'cA to base an estimate. As soon as I receive this inforihati'6'ft I wills' eomfmi^^|^| with you again. As explained to Mr. Kennelly, my object is to ob¬ viate the possibility of the West inghouse Company selling. a plaint to light the residential portion of Newport.
Y6urs very 1
EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT CO.
Mw York. — Mar..ch....4th,....18.9.Q.. .
A. E. Kennelly Esq.,
Edison laboratory,
Orange, N.J.
My dear Mr. Kennelly :
I enclose herewith a letter from the New¬ port Company, which gives information, as to the proposed location' of a sub-station. It is just as I supposed; they propose to put this transformer station west of Bellvi*^' Avenue. Kindly return
this letter to me after reading, and oblige.
1890. Electric Light - Edison Electric Light Company - Illuminating Companies (D-90-31)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to the organization and operations of local Edison illuminating companies. Included are letters pertaining to the expansion of the Mount Carmel central station and the construction of a new South Side station in Chicago. Other documents concern Edison’s and Arthur E. Kennedy's attendance at the annual convention of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies in Minneapolis.
Approximately 20 percent of the documents have been filmed. The following categories of documents have not been filmed: routine business correspondence, mostly regarding orders and shipments; letters of transmittal.
//
The Edison Illuminating Company of Newport.
Newport, r. i„ Feb. 24th. ,1^0.
Thos. A. Edison, Esq. , Dear Sir:-
zs//f?o
Will you kindly inform us if you have yetarrivedsat a de¬
termination for the operation of a plant to light Oohre Point and vicinity.
Truly yours,
Edison Ill. Co. ,
per^. (P.
gjEjjnw illuminating co. Qf
Offices and Station, ^
Nos. 358, 360 & 362 PEARL STREET,
March 31a t. 1890.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, Orange, N.
7 £ .
The officers of this Company have arranged to throw open this Station for the inspection of our leading citizens, public officials and their families, on the evenings of the 8th. and 10th. April, and cards of invitation have been issued for the same, the object being mainly to familiarize the general public, especially householders, with the appliances for the electric light and to demonstrate its safety and adaptability to their houses.
The Directors of the Company unite with me in the expression of the earnest hope that you may arrange to be with us on one of these evenings. We should be glad to have you see our Station, one of the best in the land we think, but we should be still more glad to grasp by the hand the man whose genius and patient industry has made all this possible.
We will promise you that there shall be no formal ceremony or reception, but your presence cannot fail to add to the interest of the occasion, as well as to assist us in our attempt to educate our people to the advantages of our light.
Very truly yours.
President.
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m DEAR EDISON! -
The Chicago Edison Company,
139-141 ADAMS STREET.
...May - ■Gth , . 1S!1Q., .
A ■/ *~y o
The now South Side Station which will bo located at about the centre of the district, is 2 1/2 milos from the old Station, and it is 2 miles from the property con¬ trolled by Mr. Villard. The old station is a half mile from Mr. Villard's property. We have decided to build tlio new station at once. We have orders placed for nearly everything necessary. I am strongly in. favor of the large station as proposed by Mr. villard, and left with Mr. Henderson in Now York, what data I could. With the natural growth of the business, we would want to start the large station with at least 100,000 light capacity, so arranged that it could be oasily increased 100,000 lights mor9, 1 know I am right in not making the figures
any less, although I think some people in Wall Street, considered me a little too enthusiastic, although they didn't
Mr. Villard’s property is splendidly situated for what ho proposed, and I am very anxious for immediate action, as it will take until next Spring to perfect the plan, yet we might by activity, get all material to complete it, so we could being early next Spring and have everything in operation
By Pall.
The Chicago Edison Company,
139-141 ADAMS STREET.
(2)
I write this to keep the subject before you, and hope to see it carried into effect early. It will be un¬ necessary for me to write Mr. Viilard on the matter, because he lias it in mind, and I told Mr. Henderson to not hesitate to call on me for any data, which will enable him to make a rough estimate of the cost, that we might prepare early to raise the necessary money.
Very truly yours,
jS<j
G*.
THE ASSOCIATION OF
-4 EDISON ♦ ILLUMINATING ♦ COMPANIES, h
Officers, 1889-90.
SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
ROOM 71, NO. 44 WALL STREET.
NEW YORK, August 15th, 1890.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION,
Gentlemen :
The Annual Convention of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies for the gear 1890, will be held at the West Hotel, Minneapolis, Minn., commencing on Tuesday, September 16th.
importance. Among these mag be noted the fact that as a gear has elapsed since the last Convention, many events of vital consequence have occurred, and the general progress of the Edison business will not only bring many new and interesting phases of electric light work before the Convention, but will point many practical lessons to the active executive members of the various illuminating companies composing our Association.
A circular will be issued within the next two weeks stating more in detail the principal features of the Convention ; but it is now important to note that the managers of the principal stations of the country are expressing an unusual interest, that the officials of the parent company are making preparations to attend, and that the presence of Mr. Edison (which is always a source of inspiration) is assured.
The neighborhood of the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul was recommended by the Executive Committee and, approved by the last Convention as desirable for many reasons, among others that the delegates will be afforded an opportunity to combine with their attendance upon the business of the Convention an enjoyable vacation. The two cities to which the attention of the delegates will be naturally directed are especially interesting on account of their large Edison central stations and their Sprague electric railways.
In addition to these features of attraction it should be especially noted that the session occurs during the period of greatest activity in the Minneapolis Industrial Exposition, which will present as one of its principal attractions the Paris Exhibit of Mr. Thomas A. Edison, lately shov/n at the Lenox Lyceum, New York City, and embracing the long line of inventions from the early electric "vote recorder" to the perfected phonograph. An elaborate exhibition of the phonograph is in preparation, as well as several peculiar and beautiful lighting effects on a scale which has never before been attempted in the history of the incandescent art. In connection with the forth-coming circular, careful details of the arrangement of the Exposition will be communicated, it is sufficient now to say that its attractions were considered by the Executive Committee, sufficient to warrant the postpone¬ ment of our session from the date in August, at which it should have occurred in the ordinary course of events, to the later date specified. , ,
The City of Minneapolis is in many respects a desirable resort at this period of the year, situated as it is near the Lake country of Minnesota, with easy railroad communication to numberless points of interest within the State and along the Great Lakes, It may safely be predicted that many of the delegates will take advantage of the readiness with which they can prolong their trip after the convention by visiting some of these localities which can be reached without any considerable expense or loss of time.
Arrangements have been made by which delegates can engage in advance rooms at $3.00 per day, or $3.50 per day with bath, these prices including board, and those who may attend may be assured of first-class accommodations, as this hotel justly enjoys the reputation of being one of the best in the United States. The proprietor will place at the disposal of the Association a hall for our meetings, and all desirable committee rooms. Accommodations should be secured by mail or telegraph as early as convenient, as the month of September is one of the busiest of the year at this popular resort, and the Exposition will probably tax the capacity of all the hotels in the city.
Yours very truly,
W. J. JENKS,
Secretary.
ifH-
THE ASSOCIATION OF
H EDISON 4 ILLUMINATING 4 COMPANIES, h
:kt, JOHN I, DISCOS.
'-'7 per'
' ft I t <■
SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
ROOM 71, NO. 44 WALL STREET.
Executive Committee, 1
I*. EDGAR, BOSTON, >1.
! //«
7
Thomas A. Edison, Esq** Orange, N* JV
Dear Sir : —
I sand under another cover notloes of the meeting of the Association at Minneapolis* Ife have been assured that, if possible you would accompany the party, and it is certain that this announce¬ ment will exercise a great influence toward making this one of our best Conventions*
It 1b difficult to express the Importance which attached to the presence of Mr* Kemelly at the Niagara Falls meeting last year* His paper on the ^Heating of Electric Conductors* was per¬ haps the most thoroughly practical feature of the discussions, and was rendered vastly more forcible by his personal magnetism and the force of his direct address* If not inconsistent with your other plans it would certainly be of great value to have him go to Minneapolis this year and present something to the Convention from the fund of information frail which he always draws so clearly and happily* If thiB is impossible, I hope it may not be out of the question fbr him to write a paper, and I think if you will in-
struct him to do so we shall profit very much by it*
If you will direct him to reply in accordance with your
wishes and plana it will assist me very muoh in making up the prog- ranmo of the session.
<f I *1“ t*>s $ )
IS BROAD STREET,
SAMUEL INSULL.
R JVbu; York, . August-. .
•*
A.O.Tat e,Esq. .Private Secretary,
Edison Labratory,
Orange, N. J.
Dear Sir;-
I have your letter of the 27th, with relation to Mr. Edison going to Minneapolis.
1 don't think there is any necessity of showing Mr. Edison the letter from Mr. Jenks. If you do, I think Mr. Edison will nuke a point blank refusal to go to Minneapolis.
I had Mr. Edison's partial consent to going, and I would pre¬ fer to leave the matter in this shape until a day or so before the Convention. I hope to have other business that will draw Mr. Edi¬ son to the West at the same time.
I have sent for Mr. Jenks, and am going for him pretty lively for interfering in the matter. I have had some correspondence with Mr. JfW'ri^'previously on the matter.
Yours
Bdis®H
C ••^•1 '* -V 1
Dear Sir:
Herewith please find cljeck for
$ /Xrt. - - being dividend No. £ on Scares
of Stock standing in your name on / 0^ , 18 r/rf Please acknowledge receipt,
E. C. TIER, Treasurer.
gfiCb - Mt
EATON & LEWIS S.B. EATON
/J(9 'C$4 Y-Yic/fi’Uy (EQUITABLE BUILDING)
A. 0. Tate Esq., /
X I< A. Edison Esq., /
Orange, N.J. /
Dear Sir j- /
We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the
15+.h inst. enclosing letter from thji President of the Edison
Electric Illuminating Company of Carmel, Pa«, dated Sept. 10th,
and enclosing a waive/ to be executed by Mr. Edison of the regular
notice of Stockholders meeting^ You suggest** the possibility
of Mr. Edison' 8 signature to/ the waiver of notice carrying with
it
j obligation
in his part to subscribe for his proportion
of the proposed increase/in the capital stook.
There is no such obligation imposed upon Mr# Edison, «Lq only effect of signing the waiver, is to relieve the officers of the Company frompublishiqg a notice of stockholders meeting for 60 days. To hold a stockholders meeting upon a less notice than 60 days publication, would be an irregularity were it not for th»
I waiver, that is the only purpose or object of the waiver, anl no obligation is undertaken beyond that of not questioning the
2
regularity of the meeting.
We return to you herewith Mr. Watkins' letter together with the proposed waiver.
Yours truly.
c z£f~ C-cro
.£«■» «f
§8.
Mount Carmel, Pa., September 10/90
Thomas A.EdiBOn.Esq. ,
New York.
Dear Sir:-
The directors of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of this place are desirous of improving their plant, and for this pur¬ pose wish to increase their capital stock from $16000,00 to $30, 000. 00. To do this the law requires that a notice be published for 60 days pr6or to the election to be held by the stockholders for the purpose of voting on the same.Tha authorities of the town are desirous of having the streets lighted, and on this account we will have to act immediately, to prevent others coming in and talcing the contract. Under the law the election can be held on thB 22nd of this month, providing that the unanimous consent of the stockholder is obtained, waiving the required notice. If ithe proposed increase meets with you approval, I wish that you would please execute a power of attorney to the secretary of the company, I. W. Kaiser, authorizing him to sign your name waivin' g the notice. I also enclose a oppy of the waiver, which we are getting the stockholders here to sign, which, if you see fit, sign, as we may be able to get along with this, and not need the power of attorney. Please let me hear from you at fence, and oblige
Yours Truly
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EtJISON GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY;
From . San '1 Insull , . Second V President ,
lo A- . 0. Tate, . Esqr. , Private .Secretary,
Octo. 3rd., 1890,'
JL
I enclose you herewith, a copy of the Due Bill, showing^/^. that Mr. Shaw is entitled to three Shares of the Edison Electric ^ Illuminating Co. of Mount Carmel, but will you please find out whether you have this stock in the safe at Orange, or whether it is here in New York: if in New York, I will get Mr. Edison to get out the stock, the first time he is in town. A \J
[ENCLOSURE]
copy.
^ZCElVgfi
0CT 2 1890 ■
The Rdiion Kletrie Light Company,
Ans'd .
S3 Fifth Ayenue. .
New Tork.aoth Oct 1385.
Dna to P.B.Shaw( to be delivered on receipt of etoek from Company) three ehares fully paid etock of the Rdi eon Blectric Ill' muninating Oonp any of Mount Camel , Pa.
Thoe A.Rdieon,
By Samuel Xnaull,
Attorney.
■53HSSr
A do &
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Bdis©R
Mt. Carrriel, Pa.,
/
3W.
r^f. . ^2 .
Herewitti please find c^eck for $ / 35,(y?y> being dividend No. Z£$Tok\ ^yj^ares of Stock standing in your narne on , is
• Please acknowledge receipt.
E. C. TIER, Treasurer.
1890. Electric Light - Edison Electric Light Company of Philadelphia (D-90-32)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents relating to the business of the Edison Electric Light Co. of Philadelphia. Most of the correspondence is by William D. Marks, general manager of the company. There are also several reports by Marks to the company’s board of directors concerning the construction and operation of central stations.
Approximately 90 percent of the documents have been filmed. The following categories of documents have not been filmed: letters of transmittal and acknowledgement; meeting announcements; other routine business correspondence; order forms for supplies.
-<3
'
^/sepo
Philadelphia ,Pa. Hah ./& 189 Cr
To the President and the Board of Directors of the
Edison Electric Light Co. of Philadelphia. GENTLEME N: —
Your Station at 908 Sansom St. having been in" operation ten months lacking 5 days to Jan'y. 1st 1890, it will be of in¬ terest to you to have a history of its operation and progress from its beginning.
Since starting we have met with no mishaps, preventing us from at all times delivering a satisfactory light to our cus¬ tomers, saive on Arch St. between 13th & Juniper, where, owing to the refusal of the city authorities to allow us to make street repairs in winter, four of our customers are not receiving light.
X have in special communications brought this matter to your at¬ tention, and only refer to it to again earnestly solicit your assistance in obtaining such legislation as will relieve us from the burden of this condition.
The building of the station is completed as far as the top of the 4th story being covered by a temporary vcooden roof.
Every part of this building save the roof is absolutely fireproof, being wholly built of stono, brick, iron and slato in the best substantial manner and of sufficient strength to permit the additional four stories1 required to enable the station to be ' run to its full capacity of 120,000 lamps burning at once.
4*
6-th
7th
8th.
The four additional storios required are as follows :- 5th story. Smoko flues, ash railway, blast fans and pipe Y/ater tanks.
4 batteries of boilers ef a total nominal H.P . of 4000.
Coal bins for 1000 tons of coal.
Office for Yforks , bed rooms, storage floor for street Yfork.
Tlio estimate of the cost of completing the present station is as follov/s. —
For building 4 storios additional $100,000.
For 14 engines and 28 dynamos 210,000.
For boilers on 4th and 6th floors 90,000.
For additions to street conductors 500,000.
For Cash capital (?) 10£,£0C).
$1,000,000.
The completion of the station Trill enable us to vastly increase our out put without increasing our running expenses save for coal and lamps and to manufacture electric light at a cost less than any illuminating gas is now manufactured.
The wisdom of the Board of Directors in making the sel¬ ling price of the wlcctric light 3/4 cent per lamp hour equiva¬ lent to $1.50 per K for gas has been fully confirmed by the .unprecedented demand for our light as we have made far more ra¬ pid progress in obtaining customers than has ever been known in
any other city.
If these works can be completed and the price of the electric light put at 5/8 cent per lamp hour equivalent to gas at $1.25 per M we can get ten customers where we have one now and the works loaded to their fullest capacity of about 240,000 lamps wired.
I would not suggest any change in price as matters stand at present for our street conductors have but a capacity of 50,000 lamps and our dynamos a capacity of 24,000 lamps
The present equipment of the works is as follows .
1st floor. Six engines of nominal 440 H.P. oach.
2nd 11 12 dynamos, nominal capacity 2000 lights oach
3rd " 2 Blast fans, 2 water tanks, 2 ash railway
2 smoko fluos, workshop , otc .
4th " Six boilers of' a total nominal capacity of
2000 H.P. and appurtenances.
There is now in process of erection a third battery of boilers of a nominal 1000 H.P. capacity, contracted to be fin¬ ished in February.
The success of our venture in digging a well for water for boilers is now assured, as it has saved $2000. water rental from the city the first year. This well at no time under the heaviest drafts made upon it has lowered its water ieviil more than IS inches, and after a careful study of the analysis of the water a proper compound was devised preventing injurious action’ cf the water upon the iron of the boilers, due to sewage matter ':- contained, and to scale forming miner^s in solution.
.
#4
4
V/e have up to the present opened 65,514 feet of ditch ah', placed therein 160,688 feet of 3 wire conductors (34-1-/3 miles)
See Map. To our mains we have connected 600 service conduct¬ ors supplying 567 light customers and 107 motor eustomers, or 674 cvistomers in all.
During the Winter months, we are prevented from making house connections and therefore save for increase in our pres¬ ent consumers lights or motors wo are making small progress. 1 am assured by one of the firms now selling motors that they have orders exceeding 200 H. p. to' be attached after March 1st, and as we have at least a dozen different motor firms actively engag¬ ed in soliciting business. I do not overestimate in predict¬ ing an increase of 1000 H. P. in our motor businoss next Summer, and Autumn. As we have reached the safe capacity of our pres¬ ent machinery there is no present reason to regret the stoppage- of our progress in the streets .
. In order to meet the necessary repairs to street work and to make service connections, it has been necessary to keep in stock a small assortment of electrical conductors or various sizes .
Wo have also to keep in stock lamps, meters and the va¬ ried appliances required by our twelve wiring forms.
The appended list will give you an inventory of least amount we have found it possible to carry and which is now on
SUMMARY OR VALUATION 'OR 'STOCK, Jany 1st, 1S90.
Lamps , --------
Meters, --------
Sockets, -------
Receptacles, - - - - -
Switches, - -----
CUt-outs, -------
Bushings ,-------
Plugs, --------
Miscellaneous , - - - - Amp Are Slips, - - - - - Tubes "Mains", - - - - "Reeders ", - - - Service Joints, - - - - Service End Boxes, - - Brackets
Shades , --------
Lead-covered cable, - - Junction Box, - - - - -
Short pieces, "Mains" "Reeders
- $3687 .75
- 1490.85
. 1138.62
- - - - r- 132.40
--------- 354.55
* - 500.27
& - 23.10
- 155.29
- 44.40
- 181.91
- $797.46
- 73-9’4l 1516.87
- - 256.67
- 98.10
- 78.52
- 14.03
- 577.02
- ____ - - 216.00
$10466.35
- $802.11
No 1
- 174 . 69 2-976 .80
ValueJ _
$11443.15
The wiring firms recommended in our circulars are each of them furnished with carefully elaborated rules and tables, which our Inspectors are required to see exaotly carried out.
After
m &
our inspection of their work is completed,, the current is turned on when the certificate of inspection by the In¬ surance companies is obtained and shown to us.
We sell to authorized wiring firms all electric light appliances at 8 % above vrhat they are billed to us , By this means we have greatly assisted the introduction of our light by diminishing the first cost of wiring without loss to ourselves.
As we have enough firms at vrork to create a lively competition, we have prevented monopoly and excessive charges for wiring on their part. As each firm gets a commission of 15 cents a light and $1.50 per H. P. for each motor the solicitation of these firm: has boon active and their preference has been for our Station as against the V/estinghouse and Brush Incandescent light Stations 'in this City.
By reason of the unvarying steadiness and brilliancy of our light, wo have already obtained many of the former custom¬ ers of these above mentioned stations without any abatement from our regular prices. - 'Whore ever complaints have come to us of poor light, it has been found to be caused by insiifficiont wiring in the building and not to be due to any other cause.
The advantage of having a large number of wiring firms is shown in one ability to meet a sudden rush of demands : for wiring and in freeing the Station work from the annoyance of the numberless small corrections and alterations required in the wiring, by the vagaries of our customers.
We have in our 20 odd wiring and motor firms a large and actively interested body of solicitors and canvassers Y/hose
6 I)
7
interests are identical with ours and who have done and will do us excellent service, leaving to us the obligation to furnish, at a moderate price, a perfect light only in order to obtain a business of practically unlimited scope in the near future, if you desire to obtain it.
A careful system of keeping log of all the steam and electrical work in the station has been inaugurated. At regular ■intervals of one quarter of an hour reports of the steam press¬ ures, engines in action, eloctrica.1 nrossures and quantities are recorded on the log book and in ‘’'is way a continual and clefcfc, chock is kept upon all the wm-v in the station. In ad¬ dition, each head of department makes to the supervising Engi¬ neer a written daily report between 6 and 7 P. M.
All of the water used in'. the boilers is passed through a meter and thus a constant tost of tho evaporation value of the coal used is obtained and a chock put upon the use of poor coal or upon bad firing. I find the Xeo Coal (Buckwheat) has an average evaporation of Qx/2 to 9 lbs. of water per pound of Coal at about 130 lbs. pressure, which may be considered a good re¬ sult .
RECEIPTS OF COAL TO 1890.
February - 161975 lbs. used for drying out furnaces.
March - 547325 "
April - 531335 «
May
- 738520
883970 lb a .
* t
,Tuly - 043035 "
August, - 698355 •'
September 724475 «
October - 896850 "
November - 1237885 ”
December - 1673640 11
84-77365 « 37841/fe tons.
The Al’millEton * 3ims engines used are producing one j- dicat ed horse power per hour for an average of from 2^/2 to 3 lbs. of coal. The pumps and fans used also make demands upon the steam and do not use it so economically, The demand for lights has so rapidly increased that it would have been impossi¬ ble to have kept up steam, without blast fans, and we would have found it necessary to pump the City water, just as we do the well water to our boilers on the 4th floor.
The engines with occasional snail break-downs have ful¬ ly met our expectations, and the dynamos although giving us much trouble with the bearings have otherwise performed sat isfactrily •"showing high efficiency while the groat weight of engine fly wheels and dynamo armatures have so steadied their motion, as to give a light entirely devoid of the slight flicker frequent¬ ly found in s nailer installations.
The motor firms engaged in selling motors pronounce
our current absolutely perfect for „
periec, for their purposes , and save where-
f
9
poT/or is used constantly are more, . han pleased with our exceed¬ ingly moderate inoter bills.
' rJaa Engines througli the City when heavily worked, con¬ tinuously produce a horse power at about 5 cents per hour, or 33 V3 % less than our charge of / per K. P. Hour. They
require more room oiling and attention, and are more expensive than electric motors under light and variable loads.
During the month of December, the average cost of one horse power hour all and every expense connected with running • tho works included, has boon slightly loss than 4I/2 cents.
With the works increased to full capacity we will reach a minimum cost slightly loss than 23/4 cents per H. P. hour. We arc now ablo to produce power at a cost loss than the ■gas engine and with completed works, can sell at a good profit at 5 cents per H.p.hour and obtain many thousand horse powers.
Tho following is the amount of current used by cus-
f.iarch April May June , July, "Aug list
each month since station 29865 1 hrs .
205336 » »
- 298352 >' "
329890 " "
385168 11 ”
407060 « "
started, from consumers meters.
841/4 H. P. Hrs.
19222/3 " * «
37631/4 " 11 "
66901/4 " u "
78031/2 " “ «
V &
September Oct ober Nov eirb er
December TOTALS ,
5G925C
1102088
1627682
1964066
6950163
1 Sir's .
752S1/?- H. P. Hr s .
715 0V2 " “
8689V2 % « »
108391/2 " ’> >'
54472 » " >'
The appended table shoves the number of lamps exchang¬ ed . We give new lamps for old ones returned with glass unbro¬ ken. It is our practice to change lamps returned with glass unbroken without comment using those vdiich are blackened, but have whole carbons in the works and for test lamps, etc.
We also exchange the lamps to suit the wishes of cus- tumers as to candle power trying in every way to make them feel satisfied.
Many of these customers are exceedingly changeable in their views hut they generally settle down contented after a- while .
We have sent bills for lamps furnished to the City Authorities, although we are obliged by the terms of a bill giv¬ ing us a right to lay tubes for a few blocks on Arch and other streets to furnish current free of charge to City offices and schools. If possible, some limit should be placed to the uso of our current by these people, as they are very lavish in its
1.1
■t $
LAMPS EXCHANGED PROM MARCH 1889 TO JAM ' Y 1. 1890:—
TcoiledI 7 Total
16c }32c i24c 150c 18c Inight IlOOb ilSOc J20 1 Amt. _ _ jLamp _1 _ . _ Ij3 H _
MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY ■ AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER
83 1
283 2 1 .1
324 4
348 4
340 3
563 9
656 0
1195 10
2560 25
3685 15
_1 0,037 _82
1 1 4 1
2
12 7 1
20 1 2 1
19 2 9 1
2C 4 _6 _5
76 11 26 9
84
287
329
354
1 1 350
1 575
1 1 687
1 24. 1236
162 2625
__ _4 _ 8 3747
_4 _ 14 _15 10j_274
32c .p .lamps reduced to 16 164
24 » « " » 114 ,
50 " « » « 34
8 " " » » 13
100 ” 11 “ « 25
150 11 “ “ « 130
20 “ " ” « 20
Total in 16°/p lps 10538
Dividing the lamp hours sold 6950163 by 10538 lamps replaced gives very cl&93*ly an average of 660 hours of lamp life
of 600
Although this lamp life exceeds the guarantee hours, it is not a wholly satisfactory result on so steady a cm • rent as has been furnished as their life should be greater. A system of stamping the date on each lamp as it is given out has been adopted and will enable us to identify bad lots of lamps, the product of tire Edison Lamp Co. has of late been .very uneven and caused much dissatisfaction among our customers, having iso¬ lated plants.
Since starting the Station, we have had applications for light and power to the amount of
33748 sixteen C p lamps.
344 Horso power of Motors.
or reckoning each H. P. as equal to 15 - 16 c p lamps. 'lie have applications amounting to
38,908 sixteen c. p. lamps. -
Of these we have attached to the Station conductors 23,579 sockets for lamps containing the equivalent of 24,463 sixteen candle power lamps , and also 107 motors aggregating 227 Horse powers. Reckoning 15 lamps (16 c. p . ) to the Horse power those are equivalent to 3405 lamps - making the aggregate in 16 c. p. lamps 27,868.
The appended table will show the growth of the Station lighting during the past 10 months and also show the number and sizes of lamps originally introduced into sockets.
* &
LAMPS IN SOCKET TO JAN 1 Y 1, 1800.
1 coi -Led j
4o | 8o f 16o ! 20el 24o| S2c I 50o 1 100c 1 150c 1 Night ! TOT Al]
(! 1 i i 1 i, i ! i LAMPS I AMT..
_ ! _ i _ i i 1 1 i
|
CENTRAL STA¬ TION BLD’G |
1 ; i 2ai |
1 - 1 1 |
21 |
— |
— f — r— ^ . 2 | 128 1 378 1 |
|
|
ENG I NEKR 1 S OFFICE, |
i 1 t 64 |
1 7 |
I,' |
| 1 72 ^ |
||
|
1889 UNION LEAGUE |
1 . i 873 |
! * r' |
. |
1 |
■ 1 1 1 1 881 |
|
|
FEBRUARY , |
lj 1 113 |
1 , . |
1 113 1 |
|||
|
MARCH, |
i S.>, 2566 |
1 |
f 1 2571 j |
|||
|
APRIL, |
j 5 1 2068 1 |
371 39 |
17 |
j 1 2166 ' |
||
|
MAY, |
. if 935 |
3 j 2 |
2 |
| |
| 943 | |
|
|
JUNE, |
i 1 j 1022 1 |
7, 10l |
1 |
| |
2 i 1043 1 |
|
|
JULY, |
1 1 1 2 , 555 1 |
6 |
i 4| 9| |
j j 576 1 |
||
|
AUGUST, |
^ 1 i 1344 j |
1 1 ^ |
1 |
j 1382 1 |
||
|
SEPTEMBER, |
1 8 1 2804 ' |
1 j 105 ' #6 ! |
61 |
1 |
1 1 f 2981 ! |
|
|
OCTOBER |
Il62 1 2644 |
7 I |
i 1 i 26 207 |
3i |
■ 3049 1 |
|
|
NOVEMBER , 1 |
*148 J 3156 1 |
12 | |
1 1 S5 ( 120 |
7 |
4-i |
1 1 | 3533 |
|
DECEMBER ; 11 |
134 i 3e47| |
54 | |
69) 108' |
3I _ |_ |
5| |
1 1 | 3 i 4034 j r ' |
|
12 ■REDUCED TO |
1 455 (22032J II I |
79 | _ I |
33SJ 604J I 1 |
39) |
17 1 _ !_ |
t r 5 1133J 23,722 I I |
|
■ 16 C.P. 3 |
{232 122032 | |
99 I |
504 11208 f |
1171 |
1021 |
1501 161 24,463 , |
r 8
14.
The subjoined brief Summary shows how wo have disposed of the lamps bought .
S U M M A R Y.
■Lamps placed in sockets, ---------- 23,722
Lamps exchanged and broken, - - - - - - - - 10,274
Merchandise sold 6,530
Lamps in Stock Room ------------- 9,629
Claim in Lamp Co (allowed) --------- 1,190
Old lamps for station use, ------- 800
52, 145
Lamp Rec'd, -------------- - 51 , 870
Excess unaccounted for --------- - 275.
You have already an estimate showing $900,000 to be required to complete the Station to its full capacity.
V/e have sufficient coppor in underground conductors to parry 50,000 lights burning at once, and machinery for 24,000 lights. Should you deem it advisablo to double the present ca¬ pacity of machinery without increasing the street conductors, the
following is the estimate of cost.
4 stories to Building, -------- $100,000
6 Engines and 12 Dynamos, - - - - - 90,000
9 boilers and fittings, - - - - - - 60,000
Giving a lamp capacity of 48,000 lights, - - 250,000
Should you deem it proper to use the space in the
North-east corner of the 4th floor (now used for coal storage)
*. ft
for cm additional battery of boilers the estimate is- as- follows:
3 Boilers and fittings, ----- -§20,000
S Engines and 6 Dynamos , - - - - - 45,000 ~f65,000
This will give a total lamp capacity of 36,000 and render it necessary to store our coal elsewhere than in the
building.
As a summary we have as required.
For the completed Station and street work, - - - $900,000 Eor double the present lamp capacity (48000) - - -250,000 For an increase of one-half in one
present lamp capacity (36,000) -------- 65,000
Under the existing &nnditions as to patent protection we cannot hope for a speculativa profit on electric lighting ma¬ terials as the competition is of the severest kind, but by giv¬ ing a uniform light and by concentrating great power into a sin¬ gle station and thereby economizing labor, we are enabled to make a profit where lesser plants would. meet with a loss and as stated before wo are now taking customers irom our rivals.
Finally X may be pardoned for again calling your at¬ tention to the fact that by far the most valuable possession we have is our right to lay conducts in the streets of Philadelphia and for urging you to take such steps as will preserve it to us and enlarge our existing limits and privileges.
I am,
Very Respectfully and truly yours ,
Supervising Eng. & General Manager
£fj&f
'T/fyJ'^- '- <A -^i_ei v .
-Isu/uCu Of . 'z^U-uk . ^ </2f-
^LOU .^L^ot... Of- . *>L<L^,AA,^ Of^
: / C^tA-A' CK,^ J>f)
i|!i Plf II! It!i//«i!l 4l| sijil !| Ihf li! Hw M&i 'M
3 ill b 3^ a^|| ||i gjjflfo L/ ”l^€i>^ClCi<
§§P1, III!
^|J kf!§ It! -mj<-
Sigsl S Sill I Is|^asi 2 u® ■p|ie . g ■"fH u nSglttf b li
alois I -Bl*i « sUllfS SI!-
|
g g 5 u |
u z |
timm mi |
.pas sjjjfs-g 111 U-of'g".; |
Sra f i! it; |
V |
|
|
1 1 u 1 1 i .. I §!.:i •- |
i- (0 t |
I i if * I a i alii - ill? |
I’ll Ijliffc I'll iflfil |
tl gfl*g>o“d “iSSili |
s! If tjf^j fig ill* Jsffslf ||| |
|
|
£ s 3 i Id x ■ - g W H g S Z D |
BY forgiven n over to the inspector o Kitty for a raijaitntig Should ivill so repo lot turn on loticeand a |
5|l lif-ffs -|I lllrl |
K'uB Mlllfli |
Switches e^bright an Theintej oisture froc itt^cemen Individus d crosses v ms, before |
S' j v\ ! , tf ! |
|
|
u ^ ftnOMVS |
5.5 3 Se/SpSgSg §■§ |
~T
[ENCLOSURE]
U'
OONCERN1KC* Tlih COST 01? PRODUCING THE EDISON INCANDESCENT
light nm actual data obtained from tub books
OF THE EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY, 01? PHILA¬ DELPHIA, JULY, AUGUST , SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER, ISfiO
The cost of producing incandcjscorvt light lias various practical factors in it which cannot easily bo forenoon or estima- ted i.n advance and therefore arc. boot derived from ti review of the actual expanses fur tho fail* months above mentioned.
Tho interest on the original investment, (which is ua- ctv:iecl to be covered by dividend and interest on stock und bonds) can for tho present be negloctod.
The expenses then divide themselves into two c lasses — ■
FIRST! Constant charges irrespective of the number of lamps burning, whether there be few or many. A contain number of lump hours must bo sold in order to cover thaso constant run¬ ning expenses.
SECOND: Ah increasing oxportse, inereuaing olowly aa
tho number of lamp hours aold aurpuasea tho amount required to moot constant charges.
Taking Up theee constant charges for four montlis, wo liavo, Salaries — President , Supervising Engineer and General Manager Counsel, Secretary and Treasurer, Solicitor and C’hiof Clerk, Com¬ posing—
[ENCLOSURE]
2
§4800.02 '
403.32 30.00 430.00 1282.00 912. 22 303.00 207.72 301.30 305.82 590.00 480.00 1791.30 400.00 ii&OO.OO 1200.00 2466.00 §17718.85
The price $4.11 per ton for oo'ul covers $1.00 pci' ton paid for buckwheat coni at Philadelphia, hauling to Station, elevating, wages, firns-tm and coal paucerc , cite, und hauling may' ashes, besides wages ,-bwilor cloanora and water tenders and compound for scale prevontivo.
It has boon found that 5 tons of coal per day is the least with which the furnaces und machinery can bo kopt warm and in action, hov/evor small the load may bo. The constant charge on the works therofor, is $4429.66 por month, requiring at 3/4 of a cent por lamp hour 500,628 lamp hours before a profit appears .
Executive Stuff,
Taxes ,
Insurance ,
Rents ,
Engine Room Pay Roll,.
Dynamo Room Pay Roll,
Motor Room Puy Roll,
Work Shop Supplies,
Oil and Waste,
Office Expenses, •
Uouso Wiring Inspection,
Store Keeping,
General Expenses,
Advertising,
•i-C/Wi. ^
Repairs to^Oonductoro and Sorvicos, Repairs to Machinery,
600 Tons Goal at $4.11.
[ENCLOSURE]
% 4 # '*
4 . 3
If y/g accept the guarantee of 000 hours of life for each lamp (whi eh, w ith the steady potential of our Station, iB being much ex coaled), and tako the 'coat of lui^i at 37 */Z cents each, 1000 lamp hours coats us 62 ^-/Z cts . in lajrps worn out. Wo have thoro- forc v/ith sufficient closeness
For all other fixed ohargoe per month, $4489.66
For coat of lamps 501,000 at 02 ^/& cts. per W, 360 . 37
Total monthly fixed chargor., $4709.03
or say in round numbers per month, $4000,00
This; in round nirnluro requires that this Company shall soil 640,000 lamp hours per month to practically clear itself nt 3/4 of a cent por lainp hour. Or if wo assume a lamp to bo used on an average of two hours' per day, requires 10,668 lanws to bo connected up. This is as was if ret stated by mo to 'organizers of Company, "10,000 lamps v/ill covor expenses . "
V.'o i:oi:ie, iioxt to the slovrcr incroasc of coat of produc¬ ing electric light after wo oxcaod sales of 040,000 la:,p hours por month; this consists of lamps at 02 1/2 etc. por 1000 lairp hours • ’
Fxtra subordinate employees and oil and vraato, but these minor items will bo more than eountorbalanced by t.ho diminished cout of handling coal find nro included in t.ho $4.11 por ton .
The costly men aro all hero and future additions to building and machinery and working force should be covered from incroaoocl cap¬ ital from stock or bonds.
Remonboring that v;o havo from experiment found 150 tons of coal asonth to bo a constant charge, we can roviow the past
[ENCLOSURE]
i
4
1’our months and infer tho prospects of tho Company in tho future. A~ discounts oi’ 25 % to largo consumers largely reduced our nominal price of 1 1/3 eta. per lanp hour, I have given the aggre¬ gate of bills written ami when the number of lamp hours does not oxeood 640,000 - 591,000 lanp hours or $309.57 is included in tho constant charge of $4800. as being near enough.
V/e taiio each HP. of motor as equal to 12 lamps and re¬ duce all lamps to standard IS C. limps .
mn,Y - lamps oonnocted 10,044 408,451 lump hours — bills written $4018.18
Constant charges $4800. 0Q
130 tons coal at $4.11 554.35 5354.85
loss $1336.07
.Cost of producing a lamp hour 115/L00 cent. v
AUGUST - la'nps connected 11,320 500,702 limp hours - bills -written ‘ $4227.78
Constant charges $4800.00
122 tons coal at $4.11 501.42 5301.42
boss $1073.64
CoGt of producing a lamp hour 1 59/l000 cent . •>■■■•
SEPTEMBER - lanp 8 connoctod 15,226
689,593 lanp hours — bills written $5808.89
Constant charges $4800.00
106 tons' coal at $4.11 682.23
50»00t) lanp hrs.at 621/2/ por > 31.25 5513.51
Profit $ 295.38
Cost of producing a lamp hour 8/i0 cent .
[ENCLOSURE]
* t
A
OCTOBER - lamps connected 19,355 1,188,304 lamp hours at — bills written, §8517.13
Constant charges, $4800.00
843 tons coal at §4.11 098.73
548,000 lump lira, at
■Qii 1/2 / per H, 348.50 8141 .83
Profit, §2375.90
Coat of producing a lamp hour G17/L000 cent.
There is a profit on the ealo of lanps , isolated plants, and wiring appliances which has oonvortod the apparent loas in Winning the works into & profit ranging from §500. to §1500. in th'o' months of July, August and September.
Looking now to the future prospects of this Edition Star tion, based on reasoning from actual data and neglecting profits from sal oa mentioned which will incroase slowly, wo may draw tho following inferences :
ESTIMATE EOR DECEMBER AID) TIIEREAETBR 3,000,000 lanp hrs . at 3/4/ sold, $22,500.00
.Constant charges, $4800.00
GOO tons coal at §4.11 2446.00
2,360,000 latrp hrs. at
02 1/2 / per H, 1475.00 3721.00
Profit, $13,779.00
Coat of producing a lamp hour 201/l°00 cent.
Equivalent to gas at 58 2/L0 / per, M.
[ENCLOSURE]
IOTIStATB POR 120,000 LAMPS , burning 100 hours por month oaoh.
12,000,000 laity bourn at 3/^4 ff
Constant oha rgoa , §4300 . 00
2400 tone opal ut §4.11 0364.00
11,500,000 lamp lira, at QH1/^
eta. por M, 7100.00
21,704.00
§68,236.00
Profit,
Cost of producing 1 lamp hour 1F!1/l000 conti
Equivalent to gas at 36 2/iO por M,
To roach this greatest capacity of works vfill require
I-'or building 4 stories additional to Station, $100,000.00
For Electrical Street Conductors additional, 500,000.00
14 Engines and 28 Dynamos, 210,000.00
7500 HP. of Boilers (Wax. capacity) 00,000.00
§35,000,000.00
Thu average of lamp hours burned during July, August’ arid September is voi? low because of long summer days and becahso i.ho number of lanps connect od was receiving daily additions during the month and had not the opportunity to burn for v. whole month.
Iho average number of hours of burning por lamp will increase from now on, and wo can bo more particular in the future us to what oust osiers wo accept.
V/o hnvo at present a' floating indebtedness aggregating in notes §171,000 — also in open acoounto enough more to reach §200,000. It will be necessary to make provision far this soon probably by bonding works to the full extent of §1,000,000,
[ENCLOSURE]
V/o lift vo orders for 27,000 lights at prosont , which is not ono-tonth part of the obtainable lighting in our present district, wi.ioh will bo largely supplemented by Power saloo.
Tiiat you may have a clear understanding of tho ponding financial necessities and also clearly see the very groat profit assured, 1 have made thin analysis of tho past working of tho Station arid by inference shown you tho very groat profit in the rioar future, provided wo supply a light, of uniformly good quulity koop up the works and organization so as to be able to do this, insist upon a strict inspection, so as to prevent tho possibility of firos, and go forward with the work as v/o have begun it, com¬ pleting it in its entirety as originally proposed.
Very respectfully ,
Supervising Engineer & General -V.angt
.GENERAL MERCHANDISE.
^ ^.JLktL^/L . /&fa
PZ'Jl.
*JLi/
/i .
*2ei <
06C rts fltey erz*r&
jf&OCyCy* dhobis r
&*7ca£J ^ri&L<-y£~r uc fitc, J&7castfV fl<~o
/tll^£s&fcei*>S $ ^<®<v 9t£j*S(cc*-j’ —
^ ~ /4kV>A/
^ ' •&<£
^ ?/&**/ &6j~&t**c de*
[ENCLOSURE]
EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT CO.
44 WALL STREET.
Mw York . Jan, ... 29». ..1B90 ,.
Edison^Eleetrie Light Co.,
Prof.Wn.D.Uarks, General Manager,
908 Saneom St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Dear Sir:-
Yonr favor of the 21et inat., addressed to Mr.. 'Edison , was by him referred to Mr.Villard. and by Mr.Villard re- .ferred tome for answer.
It oeeura to. me as very irregular for the General Manages* -of -the Philadelphia Station to open, correspondence with the Diree- tprsof the General Company upon a matter whioh is already under -negotiation with the President of the Company, and I have to-day -notified him of this matter.
I may add that our Bepresentative at the stockholders’ •meet Ing.has fully advised us qf the action taken at that meeting..
Yours -truly.
t*'
^ <? /tuc±<a>&J Sz^&Zle. / - «£
$CiZc ^ d^Z/ /£?&^2&*£S
^C**e*L
Mz<ZUZ*72^S
Phila . , Eeb. 19th, 1890.
TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD OE DIRECTORS,
of tha EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT CO., 03? PHILADELPHIA.
Gentlemen: -
At present we have 36,-812 sixteen C.p. lamps connected, and 8,436 c.p. lamps applied for* but not connected.
V/e have 2S4 horse power of motors connected and 8l'''/24 horse power ordered, but not connected.
Making a total of orders 40,728 sixteen c.p. lamps.
Many of these lamps and motors applied fjir^canno't have services put in until after March 1st . ^In,.sdme cases the buildings are not yet ready for wiring but our greatest and most vexatious cause of delay is the inexcusable delays and mistakes of w iring and fixture firms, and the constant evasion of the wiring rules neces¬ sarily enfoi'ced to prevent fires. Although we have furnished every wiring firm with these rules in the form of a pocket book.
I have found it necessary 'for the protection of customers to get up a general form of specification for intending customer's use.
I shall send copies of this together with our advertise¬ ment to all architects in this city, and to all applicants for light from our station, hoping thereby to raise the standard of wiring, avoid vexatious and costly delays in getting customers on, and prevent one most serious calamity a succession of fires and general apprehensiveness on the part of the public as to the safe¬
ty of incandescent lighting, as
result .
«»
2
You will recall the appointment of a committee, to con¬ sider the assessment of this Co. by the Philadelphia Fire Under¬ writers Association for the support of an Electrical Inspection Dept. You will also recall the fact that an agreement mutually satisfactory was then reached. Since then I am advised by F. W, Wilting that this agreement was rejected by Executive Com¬ mittee of the Underwriters, and the following proposition for one year substituted: -
PHILADELPHIA FIRE UNDERY/RITERS ' ASSOCIATION.
136-138 South Fourth Street.
- ooo -
PERMITS FOR THE USE OF ELECTRIC CURRENT.
Permits for the use of electric current will be granted on the following conditions: —
That the Company furnishing the current,, or the individ¬ ual introducing lights, or wiring a building, shall sign the fol¬ lowing agreement:
Each arc lamp (omitting city street lamps) to contribute 80/ per annum, to be paid in quarterly amounts on the first day of January, April, July and October; the number of lamps in use or • supplied by current on those dates to be the basis of calculating the amount of the contribution for the ensuing quarter.
Each incandescent lamp on the same basis to contribute
62/3/.
*
Each motor, 80/ per horse power.
The sum thus received, to be used for the payment of sala¬ ries of the inspectors and other expenses of the Electrical Depart-
Cortifioates of inspection shall be sent to the subscrib¬ ers to thijii. agreement for each installation examined, supplied by its current or apparatus.
It is further provided that if the sum received in ac- ••irdance with this agreement shall be in excess of the amount re¬ quired for the payment of said salaries and expenses, a rebate in future payments shall be made to each subscriber in proportion to their several subscriptions.
This agreement shall hold for one year from the first day of . 189 .
Date
Unless the above conditions are accepted, no certificate or permit shall be granted for the introduction of electric cur-
This is a direct raid on our Treasury, but 1 have agreed to recommend it to this Board subject to the following conditions.
PROVIDED, the expenses for this year shall not exceed $5,800 without further agreement.
That the Underwriters books shall be open to inspection by representatives of the Edison or other Companies.
That all certificates of inspection of wiring for the
■m
Edison Co. shall be given to them.
1 P1,0P°se making our authorized wiring firms pay us for their certii ieatea as we do no wiring ourselves.
Our proportion of the cost of this Underwriters inspec¬ tion Department will not exceed .$2,000 per year, which I hope to recoup from our wiring firms.
The time limit is one year and it is important not to have our work interfered with until we have reached our ful.1' com¬ plement 01 lights, after which wo can take a more determined stand if we deem it wise .
I would suggest that your Supervising Eng'r. and Gen ' 1 , Mang'r. without entering into the formal agreement, as" they offer it, be authorized to write a letter acceding with the exceptions above stated to their proposition for one year from Jan. 1st, 1890, which will, I believe, prove satisfactory to the Underwriters.
It is important that some general and strict supervision be exercised over all forms of Electric lighting in this City, as the reflex influence of bad and dangerous work by other Companies will prove injurious to our interests.
m response to the inquiry of your Committee asking the probable income and expenses of this Station with the equivalent of 40,000 sixteen c.p. lamps connected, I would make the following estimate
Jan. 1st, 1890 we had the equivalent of about 28,000
sixteen c.p.lanps connected.
.Daring Decomber we generated at the Works and passed
through consumers meters,
1,964,966 lamp hours 10,839 1/2 horse power hours.
We collected from paying consumers, from the books of the Company $16551.57
With the equivalent of 40,000 lamps connected we should expect for a similar period about 43^ additional income or
December is our best month for lighting, but we hope for far more rapid progress in selling motive power during the ensuing spring and summer .
We should not with increasing number of lamps and motors, fall below our present income during the summer and can expect an increase next autumn and winter.
Assuming that this Company does not contemplate increas¬ ing its street mains or feeders, the cost of services and meters during the ensuing season will approximately be as follows:
Service work $15,000
Meter work 10 , 000 $25,000
This additional investment will be required by the in¬ crease of .ramps and motors.
As an estimate for Dec. 1890 I would submit the following
c
Est. of Bills written
Constant charges $4800
858 tons coal at $411 3526.38
2810000 lamp hours
Less 640000 " "
2170000 at 621/2 cts per M ,11556.25
Profit
9,682.63
12,556.11
This estimate is under the assumption 'that no additions be made to the machinery or boilers save that now in progress.
Y/e have had much trouble Y/ith our boilers ovring to im¬ perfect iron in the castings, but the Abendroth & Root Mfg. Co., promise to make them good at their ovm expense.
Very respectfully & truly yours
Sup. Eng'r. & Genl. Mang'r.
m
ft-e-n . u -•* a 2,
Phi ladle lph i a . Mar . 19 "/90 To the President and the Board of Directors .
of the Edison Electric Light Co. of Phil a.
Gentlemen: -
Since March 1st your Supervising Engineer and Goner al Manager has made a careful analysis of the books of this Company for the President and the Chairman of the Committee on Accts, cov¬ ering January and February, 1390.
In brief the results are as follows Running Expenses $17,324.63
Additions to Plant 14,292.14
Discounts and Interest 2,022.21
Income from Light and Power,
Excess of Expenditure over Income, - PROFITS
$33,638.93
28,796.06
4848.92
Income from Light and Power Running Expenses,
Profit on Station Estimated profit on Mdse sales Total profit two months
$28,796,06
17,324.63
11,471.43
1,493.03
$12,964.46
In addition to going oyer the Ledger Accts. such bills reached this office by Mar. 10th are included in this analy-
From this total profit must be subtracted Commissions
2
o?i Lamps anil Motor's for 2 months presented March lath net yet ad¬ justed but claiming
Crosby §40 . 75
Maxwell _ 237.05 §282.80
The detailed report made to the President and the Chairman of the Committee on Accounts on March 11th, 1890 covering finances to that date, and submitted the following suggestions.
Your Supervising Engineer and General Manager would respectfully recommend the following changes for the approval of the Hoard of Directors.
(1) Trial Balance of tho preceding month to bo struck 5 days before tho Mooting of the Board of Directors.
(2) That the Supervising Engineer and General Manager be permitted to go over the accounts of each month in detail.
(3) That all the vouchers for each month be folded, endorsed and filed in a separate package, and that so far as possible these vouchers be separated under their respective Ledger Accounts.
It would appear from the above that this Station has each month realized a profit of §6482.23, and has spent for running expenses and additions to plant §2421.46 more than its gross income Your Engineer until further instructed has deemed it necessary to reduce the force on construction allowing the work of service and meter introduction to lag, bringing the expenses within the
income of this Company.
SERVICER AMD METERS.
March 1st found us with 50 new applications for services ana meters.-- of those 23 have now been introduced. 533 remain to be introduced. On Thursday March 20th the Service gangs will be
reduced to two of 3 men each and the work will progress only as fast as they can do it. It was necessary at first to at once-
supply the U. S, Mint and certain other urgent cases.
Your Engineer and General Manager would respectfully submit' the following regulations ■ regarding services for your considera¬ tion and approval.
(1) Ho applications for free service connection for light
or power are to be received without a guarantee of §3.00 per month •or §00. for first year, as a least payment.
(2) Consumers willing to pay in advance the cost of service 'connection and moter, must guarantee at least §2.50 per month for
the first year and accept a rebate of like amount on light and pow- ■' er leaving the sei-vice and meter the property of this Comp any •■until their cost is covered.
(3) No permits for services shall be taken out until the house wiring is actually in progress or completed.
(4) No services to be put in unless parties asking them agree to use the light or power for one year.
(5) Especially difficult or costly services may have rates increased by General Manager.
Should these regulations meet with your approval they will be printed on the back of application blank, so that there can be no misunderstandings with our consumers who will be requested tp
, • i
* s*
4
siRn these rules, together with the application for °prvice.
Your Engineer in the future hopes to reduce veiy -iv.cl- the cost of making service connection by means of a special 3 wire lead covered cable manufactured by Tatham Bros, from his designs.
The prices for meters from Bergmann & Co. cannot be changed as they are a patented monopoly..
With the nocossary relinquishment of vigorous work on services the need of active solicitation vanishes and it appears proper, to reduce the commissions offered for lamps and motors.
Your Engineer and General Manager respectfully requests that in the matter of commissions for light and power obtained, all claims be subjected to his closest scrutiny before being paid, and that commissions on lamps bo reduced to G2/3 cents per lump of any size whatever and for power commissions bo withdrawn al¬ together as we now have some 13 motor firms at work trying to sell their motors. Should other Electric Companies offer to pay the 80 cents per horse power exacted for inspection by the Phila. Board of Eire Underwriters, it will bc nocossary for us to meet this offer on their part, but 1 would respectfully request that this matter be left open for this purpose only, and that we en¬ deavor by circulars to show the general public the great economy of electric motors.
In the matter of procuring lights, a years run was completed on the 5th of this month without a single real complaint of the , quality of the light, and this will prove our best advertisement.
We now have some twelve authorized wiring firms soliciting business and do not need to urge them by large commissions.
A number oc
' SPECIAL RATE2>Y.
Clubs burning lamps many hours per night have complained of their bills as exceeding the cost of gas, and do not acknowledge the fact that they have received double the illumina¬ tion at a small per cent age (say 10 or 15#) above gas bills.
Other clubs and large consumers under the lead of the Colonnade ■ Hotel and the Manufacturers' Club are talking about installing isolated plants because our competitors in electric- light ing loudly claim the same light and greater economy from isolated plants. Should you doom it advisable rather than to lose them to make a special rate, I would say that during the months of January and February the cost per lamp hour covering every expense save in¬ terest was 03.89 per thousand lamp hours, or 389/1000 of a cent per lamp hour.
It is quite impossible that an isolated plant should reach- this economy for any length of time under a proper management and valuation of coal,' lamps, labor, repairs and deterioration however positively this may bo asserted by agents, unless coal and labor- which might otherwise have gone to waste can be utilized to run them.
Electric light at 389/1000 cent per lamp hour is equivalent to gas 77 8/l° cents per M. at the consumers burner.
Your Engineer and General Manager is striving by reduction of his work ing force to the narrowest possible limit and by proposing to burn culm to still further increase the economy of the produc¬ tion of the light and power, but the constant charges upon this Station amounting probably to $4800. per month, will militate very
ft
S 6
strongly against his efforts, during the light loads of the svm-
mer months.
COAL
You are aware that during the past year we have been burning No. 1 Buckwheat from the Lee mines at $1.90 per long ton on siding in Philada.
This contract terminates April 1st, 1890. We have found this coal to be excellent in quality.
During the past week I have obtained the following bids.
(1) Prom W.H. Ingham, representing the Penna. R. R. coals.
Susquehanna No. 1 Buckwheat $1.80 per ton in Phila.
“ "2 “ 1 . 65 • “ “ " »
Culm 1.50 "■!*-»»
(2) Prom J.P.Auch, Prt . Agt. P. & R. R.R.Co.,
Culm on 'track in Phila. $1.35 per ton, our present coal aver¬ ages 20# ash and may be said to cost us $2. 37^/2 per ton of carbon. Assuming culm to average 40# ash, which is hardly probable we would have to pay §2.25 per ton of carbon, I regard this as a high estimate of cost, we cannot get lesser freight rates on Culm or control its quality as closely as we do with better grades of coal.
Wm. G. Bryant has been hauling our coal to the Station for 45 cents per ton. The Black Diamond Coal Co. offers to haul culm at 43 cts. per ton.
Your Engineer and Manager respectfully requests that he be- authorized to make a contract for culm at §1.35 per ton and hauling at 43 cts. per ton with tho alternative of using Buckwheat coal
from Reading collieries at prices not exceeding those quoted by V/.K. Ingham, provided he finds it. to be uneconomical or for any reason impracticable to use Culm.
IRON SMOKE STACKS.
The proprietor of the Continental Hotel has made repeat? 1 complaints of the gases from our Smoke Stacks. Our only economi¬ cal method of avoiding trouble from this source is to place tem¬ porary sheet iron smoke stacks 30 ft. high upon the present brick stacks. This will cost $1000. in round figures. Your Engineer and Manager believes Mr. J. E. Kingsley ' s complaint to be well found¬ ed and requests permission to place these stacks upon the building BILLS FOR LIRHT AMD POWER.
• Your Engineer and Manager would submit the following rules for collection of bills to be printed on them. Customers not paying bills within 5 days of presentation will be notified in writ ing.
•Current will be cut off from customers without notice if ■ bills are not paid within 10 days of presentation.
' LAMPS AMD MOTORS.
March loth our record was as follows.
Lamps. 27706 Sixteen Candle Power connected Motors 283V2 H.P. "
Equivalent to
31964 sixteen c.p. lamps connected Lamps applied for 6913| sixteen c.p. lamps not connected Motors " ” 102^/8 H.P. not connected.
LAMP S
During the months of Jan. and Eeb. the' lamps used fell 2900 short of averaging 600 hours life each. I am pleased to report
that the Edison Lamp Co. has replaced these free of chaise to us and has done- so without malting qny difficulty.
During Jan. the lamp hours from mete: Deb.
2148765
1855515
5984280
giving an average of 67530 lamp hours per day. Dividing this by 27000 the average of these months wo have an average burning of each lamp of 2x/2 hours per day. A careful analysis of tho value of each customer to us has been in progress Since Jan. 1st and -will show us which are profitable and enable us to act more intelligent¬
ly in selecting' future customers.
SUB- STATION IN TOST PIIILADA.
Messrs. Elmer E. Baldwin and Kendall Stockley of 3821 Lan¬ caster Avenue have called a meeting at their address on March 21st 8 P.M. for the purpose of organizing an Electric Light Co. prefer¬ ring so I am advised, to use the Edison System for the incandes¬ cent part of their work but being willing only to buy the machinery without paying any part of their stock for patents and alleging that they can buy incandescent systems of other companies if the Edison Co. does not sell to them. It is proper that you should be advised of this and decide whether you arc or are not willing to sell to them for -ash.
I am
Very
Sup . Engr . and Genl.Mgr.
[ENCLOSURE]
,{ FRANK HALFEN. DA
H alp En
IB South I
Prof. Marks* v,'/
No. 909 Sansanf ' St. /
' : Plh i ado 1 phid , Pa.
. NDeor Sir:- 'He Pro . looking - for power, to ,
run our, elevator . and we have been recommended to Use' an Electric motor. 'He would require ? horse power. Gap' you do anything for its? There is a , big fieud in this neighborhood for this motive power . An early reply would oblige. ■
Yours truly.
&
/ larzelere company,
A&W, May loth, 1890,
We have jst taken a store o.- Front St., between Market and Chestnut and would like a 4 H. P, for elevator* Was about contracting for a gas enp.ine , when we happened to speak to Mr. Hainan, Pres, of the P^d^ce' Exchange, and next door to us, and he sald he was just about setting in a 7 H. P. gas engine. We conferred together and' after giving him the information I had with regard. to you furnishing power for motors, a»4 we concluded to say to you that we both, and we • think many others ri<ht in that block and on Water and 2nd Sts. would be extremely glad to have the use of the Edison Line both for
prevail on you oo at. once run a line down to us in some way, being assured of this much and more business. Can't you cone over the present poles or over the houses? Vfe certainly think/ you can get there somehow. An immediate reply is earnestly requested, and if the is and reasonable chance of iranediate or near by action, we will wait.
If we have it from you definitely that there is no reasonable near hy chance, we will both go ahead and put in the gas engines. ' Very truly yours,
[ENCLOSURE]
The necessary safety-plugs, melting before a wire becomes overheated, are inserted at all branches and starting points, and the proper sizes of all wires are carefully calcu¬ lated by us, so that, if the Edison system is carried out, the safety is greater than with any other form of lighting known. ' '
These statements do not apply to the methods of wiring frequently used by iji expe¬ rienced or careless companies, finns or workmen;
There is not the absolute safety that is found in the Edison system in aity .other system of lighting where circuits of greater difference of pressure are used.
This Company wilt furnish Specifications for Wiring free of charge to all intending consumers, who will save themselves trouble and delay by making use of them.
MOTORS.
A small motor, at a trifling cost, will run a sewing machine. A slightly larger one . will serve for a fan in summer. Elevators cau be run with five to ten horse-power motors with vastly greater convenience than the present small steam-engine and boiler and at a less cost. Shops of any size, under fifty liorse-power, can, readily . and cheaply be run by electric motors.
As this Company does uot express any preference for any particular make of motor, it will furuisli oil power by meter, cliargitig 7# cents per horse power hour.
Irist of motors and Agents.
Sprague— EQUITABLE CONSTRUCTION CO., 418 Walnut Street. Eddy— WALTER C. McINTIRE & CO., 506 Commerce Street.
Thomson-Houston — HARRY G. CLAY, Jr., 12 Ferret— H. A. CLEVERLY, 1018 Chestnut Street. QUaker City— QUAKER CITY ELECTRIC CO., 4 Detroit— WALKER & KEPLER, 108 South Fourth Rhodes— RHODES MPG. CO., 918 Vine St. Edgerton— H. A. EDGERTON, 805 St
Belding— WM. T. . ~~
Potter & Morg LaRoche — LA ROCHE, 11^
Billberg— T. H. DALLETT & C- Jenney— CHAS. B. CROSBY, 90;
Crocker & ‘Wheeler— 322 Se>
Agents for Edison Isolated Plants, within the limits of Philadelphia, WALKER & KEPLER, 108 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia.
[ENCLOSURE]
42,500 Sixteen-Candle Lamps applied lor •
or connected. We believe a SATISFIED CUSTOMER to be onr BEST ADVERTISEMENT and we refer you to ANY CONSUMER of
our Light, or Power.
E EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT CO., OF PHILADELPHIA.
B. K. JAMISON, Vice* Pi, kit.
PAY BILLS AT 827 CHESTNUT STREET, 2d Floor.
Manager, at CENTRAL STATION, o
IF YOU WANT CHEAP POWER, USE A MOTOR.
THE EDISON CURRENT IS ABSOLUTELY FREE FROM DANGER TO LIFE.
PHILADELPHI,
, „ 5^V-c<
l£*'
Wty 7^rr/ /r/)
/zs j7&!ezci^) ~ 6^JacJ$
s3 .jL j /) ' . 7
— \
'e^'o£&uK±eA
&&£*</, TOtzS /^Tfa/tCeco&LZ,
/***** 7
4v
^ ?oz6C£<?& y- — ^ - l!
&ct^4oce*Jt - <zzs-chOsre/ ^
<sz/ ?u7coi«sj 7— t&yy /J
[ENCLOSURE]
Philadelphia, April 16th, 1S90.
To the Pres.aont, and the
Board of Directors of the
Raison Electric Light Company of Pliila.
Gentlemen:
Since reporting to .you on March 19th, your engineer and manager has been mailing an earnest effort, by reducing the force to the smallest possible number, by stopping all additiaffit^-flb' plant save for the boilers required, and for a limited number of ' f’. ,r services under guarantees approved by you, and by obtaining more favorable rates for coal, to reduce the expenditures of every kind to the narrowest possible limits. The result of these efforts will not appear clearly until the end of April, because the greater portion of March had elapsed before they could be carried out.
The Pennsylvania Railroad is now selling to us Susqiiehan- na Btickwheat at §1,87 per ton and Culm at $1,77 per ton delivered at 908 Sansom Street.
Your engineer is having grate bars especially adapted to culm burning made to be used under our new boilers. These boil¬ ers should certainly be finished by the end of April and in good working order.
Your engineer has had much trouble owing to vexations and unnecessary delays on the part of Abenroth & Root, but hopes to see the end of their work and of the steam piping before May.
Mr.. Abenroth has personally pledged himself to see this work done at his own expense and in a satisfactory manner to your engineer, putting every part in good condition.
The lamps and motors connected April 1st amount to -%'•
33477 sixteen c.p. lamps.
[ENCLOSURE]
Lamps and motors ordered amount to 3372 sixteen c.’o.
lamps.
Total 41849 sixteen c.p. lamps.
Included in the-se are 303 ll/l2 Ti» P. of motors connected and 100 2l/24 H. P. of motors ordered.
An earnest effort is now being made to urge the introduc¬ tion of motors, and we have at present eighteen firms solicd^ing^ '' business for our station and themselves.
Your engineer and manager has caused a careful analysis of all consumers attached before January 1st, 1800 to be made, which proves that most of our consumers calling for a large number of lights give a very small return per lamp.
This is particularly the case with large office buildings which close at six o'clock, P. M., and consequently in summer use very little current .
Prom the records of use of lamps by subscribers prior to January 1st, 1890, taking a total of 17181 lamps, I have classi¬ fied as follows: —
Class 0 - Consumers whose return per lamp is less than 1 ct per day
In this class there are 4773 lamps
Class 1 - Consumers whose return per lamp is above 1 and under 2
cts. per day. In this class there are 5428 lamps
Class 2 - Return per lamp over 2 and under 3 cts. per day
In this class there are 3790 lamps
Class 3 - Return per lamp over 3 and under 4 cts
In this class there are 1952 lamps
Class 4 - Return per lamp over 4 and under 5 cts
In this class there are 403 lamps
[ENCLOSURE]
Class 5 - Return per lamp over § e t s ,
In -ohis class there are 235 lamps.
.In Class 0, we find among those having largo number of lamps, tho following:
City Trust. Co.
, Western Saving Fund
Philadelphia Saving Fund Bullitt Building
In class 1 —
Union league Philadelphia Club Saginaw Club Chestnut St. Bank Trymby, Hunt & Co.
E. Borie
J> 1.. Ketterlinus
Class 2 -
Rit tollhouse Club Hotel Bellevue Super, Marshall & Co. Cornelius & Rowland Gii B. Woodman & Co. Phila. Item University Club C. G.. A. Loder Continental Hotel and many smaller 8th, 9th and
Dr. J. M. Da Costa The. c kar a Mf g. Co.
Merchant Si Co.
Arch St. , 2. Church
Kelsey Baths Dollards
Simons Bros. & Co.
J. W. Queen & Co.
.■loot of Insurance Companies &
Many stores which close 6 to 3 R, M,
A. J, Cassatt J.. Sichel, Stli Street Partridge & Richardson Yeatts S: Troth Walnut Street Theatre Sunday School Times Geo., B* Evans J« E» Ditson & Co.
11th Street stores.
[ENCLOSURE]
Class 3~-
Art Club Sr. m^er T'rvin Partridge's Restaurant Flii lads. Traction Station ^Philadelphia Inquirer
Class 4—
4,
Sam'l Cohon, Sth Street
?ohornncker Piano Co,
Irving House
U. S, Express Co.
and midnight saloons and 'res¬ taurant s .
City Club and 1 a.m. Cigar Stores and Restaurants.
Class 5 —
Bingham House Washington ..Hotel
Rowlands Baths and several all night restaurants.
This will assist you in forming correct ideas as to var ious classes cf lighting, The average income from all the lamps in the district during January and February 1390, was 2 cts per day very nearly.
The lamps exchanged during March amounted to S.168^ v
A
A claim on the Lamp Company has been made for 2594 lamps, leaving 2374 lamps, as properly chargeable to lamp-expenses, assuming 600 hours to be the life of lamps.
Your engineer and manager from a careful review of the maximum out put of January with 28000 16 c.p. lamps attached, is of the opinion that it will not be safe to attach more than the equivalent of 45,000 sixteen c.p. lamps to our present equipment in machinery, and is further of the opinion that the remaining 3151 sixteen c.p. lamps required to load the station to the safe limit will come to us without special effort on oru- part before next autumn.
[ENCLOSURE]
5*
A careful review of the expenditure c and income daring March, shows the following figures.
RUTINIHG EXPENSES.
Advertising
Commissions
Salaries
Rent
General Expense
Workshop supplies and expense
Dynamo Room
Engine Doom
Doiler Room
Repairs to Steam Machinery
Coal, 702 31/100 tons
Street Repairs and maintenance
Lamps exchanged 2874 at 37 l/2 cts.lSl077.75
?rom Ledger 30 1 . 57
Wiring Inspection
Meter expense
Oil & Waste
St. amps
$ 9 ..05 ;
2.40 ,
1410.34 112.50 192.09 369.73 247.68 ■ 363.54 509.02
213 .38
2190.39 646 .47
1439.12
334.24
194.25
17.10
$3532.52
Discount and Interest
$1124.20
[ENCLOSURE]
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT .
Office furniture (Safe) Central Station Building
Mach. Blast
Services Steam piping Y/orkshop Equipment Electrical conductors (Mint) Electrical Apparatus Installation Lamps (first) Meters
$400 .
; S4.23
& Steam Separators 1234.23
1952*43 1233 . 94 .75 611*87 110.95 487.12 775.41 $6391.03
$394.67
in stock at Bryants yard 286 33/100 tons coal, valued at when burnt.
Our gross receipts for light and power are
Less running expenses
Profit on Station, mo: Ma> ch
Estimated profit on Mdse.
Total profits
Our expenditures have been as follows: Running expenses
Construction Account (principally boilers) Discount and interest
le3s gross income
Excess of expenditures over income
$12,353.18
8,S3iftS2. $ .4, 020*66
746.51
4,767,17
$8332,52
6891.03
1124.20
$16347.75
13099.69 $3248 ,06
34 new services were added during March, and 44 remain to be put in in April.
Your engineer and manager expects to effect considerable reductions in the cost of services, steam piping, electrical con¬ ductors, meters and coal, during April.
Very respectful iv and truly yours,
Supervising Eng. and Gen. Mgr.
[ENCLOSURE]
Philadelphia, April 16th, 1890,
Mr,. Lrf D. Brown, Prest.
Edison Electric Light Co. of Philadelphia,
Dear Sir: ,
In reply to your verbal inquiry as to the probable earn¬ ing power of 45,000 sixteen candle lamps attached during January 1891, I would say, that during January 1890 we had attached 28,000 sixteen c.p. lights (or their equivalent) and that our receipts we re as follows:
Prom light and power (28000) $ 15030.02
Profit on Mdse. TOjcffSl
Gross income $15782^53
Assuming a proportional increase in earnings of station we have for 45,000 lights
Prom light and power (45,000) $24165.00
Profit on Mdse. 746 >51
Gross income $24911.51
At 3/4 cts. per lamp hour this would mean 3222000 lamp
hours .
The running expenses are estimated as follows:-- Constant charges per mo. $5000.00
941 tons coal at $3.63 3415.83
2582000 lamp hours at 67 l/Z per M. 1742.85
Total expenses $10158.68
$14752*83.
Leaving a profit of
[ENCLOSURE]
Philadelphia, May 21st, 1890.
To the President and the Board of Directors
of the Edison Electric. Light Co. of Philadelphia.
Gentlemen:
Your engineer and manager reports after making deduction
of all doubtful applications for lamps and motors as follows: _
Lamps connected - 31325'
Motors . 11 334 5 Aft H. P.
Equivalent in 16 candle lamps - - - - -37091
Lamps applied for - 3112
Motors . " " ~ - - 107 3/4 H. P.
Equivalent in 16 candle lamps - 4729
Balance required to complete capacity of
present machinery - : - - 3180
45000
Prom a careful analysis of our district it would appear as though our lightning and motive power is distributed with a re¬ markable evenness conducive to easy v/orking of the' station.
We have May 16th, 690 light meters and 146 motor meters distributed among 725 customers.
The subjoined list will enable you to obtain a correct idea of the locality of our consumers.
■'.fey 10 th 1890 o
Recapitulation of tho distribution. of- business of the
Edison Electric Light' Go. of Philadelphia by greets.
-.Total Equiv* Subscribers :lent in 16 :
. -••C.P .Lamps _
Walnut St. 3829 l/2 Sanaom " 722 l/2
Oil e stmt" 7683 >
Market Arch Vine Filbert J uniper 3rd
4th
5th
Gt'h
7th
8th
9th
10 th
Uth
i2th
13 t'h
Broad
15th
17 th
" 247S " 265
0 375 l/2
11 1204 " 308 1/2
11 2105 1/2 " 330 1/2
" 304
" 363
" 1519 1/2 " 1179 11 262 1/2 " 694 1/2
" 12C l/li
538 l/2 11 2360 " 1231 l/2
5 l/s 17 2/3 45 1/2
25 1/2
11 1/4
10 3/4 3 5/8 6 3/4
11 1/2 ; 25 1/2 29 1/2
3 l/2 2 1/2
|
18th " |
25 |
|
|
19th |
313 |
|
|
20th » |
166 |
|
|
21st " |
41 1/2 |
1/8 |
|
22nd " |
8 |
|
|
Hunter " |
32 |
7 l/2 |
|
J ayne " |
21 |
2 |
|
library " |
219 |
|
|
Locust |
25 |
|
|
So . PeraSq , |
St |
1/4 |
|
S. Ritter.*" |
S3 |
|
|
Cherry Sn. |
23 |
5 ‘ |
|
Conmerce |
35 |
|
|
Drury " |
5 |
|
|
Minor " Total Rl |
167 1 /o "i |
10 1/2 |
3906 1/2 987 1/2 8365 1/2 36 96 3003 '
26 5 758 1204 477 1/2 2166 1/2 391 '
405
535 1/2 1902 1681 1/2 292 1/2 747 '
164
413 1/2 2450 1231 1/2 69
144 1/2
324 1/2
1 Supplied fr .Mkt .St* 1 " " 8th «
" Mkt. ' * 13th * 11 6 th «
Your engineer and manager used all possible speed after obtaining instructions from the Board to prepare drawings and let contract for sheet iron extension of chimneys.
These chimneys will be erected by June 12th under a pen¬ alty of $50. per day for each day exceeding that date; costing $1395.
The Historical Societv of Penna. desire to have a main laid on 13th from Walnut to Locust Street. This will cost upwards of $1000. and the joint return from Historical Society and College of Physicians probably will not, exceed $250.00 per annum. They will obtain the necessary legislation.
Your engineer particularly requests your authority to lay a main along Fifteenth Street from Chestnut to Market, costing $1000, to give an additional supply of current to the Penna.- Rail¬ road. This Company is now supplied by a single main from Arch Street and should not be subjected to the risk of poor light or of having its light cut off by an accident to the Arch Street line of conductors.
It is now paying us upwards of $500. dollars per month, and will soon, if satisfied, pay us about $1000 per month.
A careful review of the expenditures and income during the. month of April shows the following figures, omitting merchan¬ dise and isolated plants from which v/e have quick returns.
RUNHIHG EXPENSES
Rent - $187.50
Salaries - 1410 .-34
Insurance - 144.00
Advertising - 115.00
Office Exp. - 190.29
Comnissions - 138.42
Coal - 2225.52
Oil . 68.60
Work shop exp. - 211.77
Lamps - 1079.61
General Exp. - 398.92
Dyn. Room - 362.18
Eng. Room - 408.50
Boiler Room - 5.05
House Yfiring - 308.6 7
Meter Expense - 363.11
Repairs to steam M. - 184.30
" to steam piping - 241.38
" Station - 66.82
" Elect. Apparatus - 61.21
" Streets - — 1390.08
9561.27
Less Elec. Condrs. - 952,90
$8608.37
<
In the item of lamps the books show §372. 15 charged and so I have estimated from the lamp hours a cost of §1079.61. The Electrical Conductors, §952.90, deducted are spare tubes required but not yet used in case of accidents to street service.
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNTS
Central Station Building - § 69.96
11 " Machinery - 67.13
Elect. Apparatus - 367.67
Services - 2821.11
Steam piping - 725.10
Work shop equipment - 2.08
Installation lamps - 694.80
4747.85
Less Service Cable - -1938.03
§2809.82
The service cable subtracted is now -in stock tion for future use as needed.
our sta-
RESUME
Our gross receipts for light and power are - $12756v'19
less running expenses - - - - 8608.57
Profit on Station month of April - 4147 .,82
Estimated profit on mdse. - - - 746 .<51
Total profits - - - ■__$ 4894^33
6 ,i
°’-U’ S1’0SS reoelPt8 are - - - - 413502.70
Running Expenses - . — — . $86 08.37 '
Construction account _ _ _ 2809,82
Int.. & Disct . (estimated) . . — looo.on 12418.,19
Excess of income over expenditures - - - $ 1084,, 51
It will be noted that in order to give a correct state¬ ment your manager has been obliged to estimate certain quantities because one month is too short k period in which to obtain a fair average .
The actual cash balances will appear from your treasur¬ ers Report .
33 new services were added during April and we have a steady demand for light sufficient to keep our small service gang busy .
Your engineer and manager is of the opinion that the re¬ maining 3180 sixteen candle lamps in lamps and motors will be ap¬ plied for within the next two months without effort on our part, when we must stop making any further service connections, presuma¬ bly about August 1st.
To connect more to present machinery would risk putting
the lights out over the whole district.
Prom past experience it is certain that it will be impos¬ sible to obtain engines, boilers and dynamos in less than four or five months from the date of your decision to enlarge our capacity and X would therefore request your definite decision at this meet¬ ing whether wo shall stop at 45000 lights or increase to 67500 lights at an expense of $75000, as it will be impossible to con>. plete- machinery before Oct. 1st should you now decide to increase the capacity of the works for next winter. I am,
Very respectfully and truly yours,
Supervising Eng. Z-. Gen.. Mngr .•
Philadelphia, June 12th, 1890,.
To the President and
The Board of Directors of the
Edison Electric light Co. of Fhila.
Gentlemen:
Your Engineer and Manager reports lamps and motors as
31882 sixteen c.p.
442 njzg^u. P.
•38519 sixteen c.p.
2878 sixteen c.p.
85 H. p.
4123 sixteen c.p.
Applied for or connected 42642 sixteen c.p.
Balance required to com¬ plete capacity . 2358 sixteen c.p.
At present rate of applications we will be obliged to refuse fur¬ ther applications for light and power after August 1st, next.
CHIMNEYS
The Chimneys authorized by your Board at its last meeting were com¬ pleted the first of June and will serve for two years or until the Station can be completed.
follows up to June 9th: _
lamps connected Motors ”
Total "
lamps applied for Motors " »
Total
Ordinances to extend our system of mains from Chestnut to Market on Fifteenth St. and from Walnut to Locust on Thirteenth St. and also from Broad to' Thirteenth on Locust St. have been introduced into Councils and have been referred to sub-committees; they will,- come up on the 13th current.
STORAGE BATTERY DYNAMOS
The subjoined letter from Walker and Kepler will explain itself. They desire to sell dynamos for storage battery purposes not to be used for street railway propulsion and specially request a communi¬ cation with and decision by The Executive Conmittee of The Edison Electric Light Co. of New York, with which Company our contract was made.
Philadelphia May 31st, 1890,
Edison Electric Light Company,
Prof. Marks,
Supervising Eng'r. & Gen'l. Mg'r.
Philadelphia. Pa.
Dear Sir:
Several weeks ago we asked you to qtiote us prices on 220 and 250 Volt dynamos, which were to be used to charge storage bat¬ teries. Up to this date we have received no quotations for such dynamos. We understand, that the delay in quoting prices is with the Machine Works in refusing to quote you prices, for reasons un¬ known to us, but which we think is because they have decided that the right to sell such dynamos does not belong to the Phila. Company. We have carefully examined our contract, which we have with your Company, the main points of which are the same as those covered in the contract which you have with the Edison Electric Light Co. of New York, and, as we interpret it, we understand we have the right to sell such dynamos.
We should be very glad to have your executive Conmittee • bring this matter before the Executive Conmittee of the Edison El¬ ectric Light Co. of New York and have the matter decided, as we are loBing the sale of machinery because we do not receive quota¬ tions. We tiuist that you will be able to push this matter to some kind of a decision.
Yours respectfully,
Walker & Kepler.
A R’O LAMP S
3 W
Your Engineer and Manager has been making experiments with
arc lamps adap ted to incandescent circuits and finds that we can
sell arc lights at a good profit at 9 cents per hour each.,
There is at present a large demand for such arc lights to burn for a few hours, which being on a perfectly safe circuit can be turned out at will, without danger to life of person hand¬ ling them.
Nothing has as yet been done looking to their introduc¬ tion as your Engineer and -Manager desires the approval of the Board before trenching upon the. field of established arc lighting compan-
INCOME AND EXPENSES
Running Expenses:
Salaries Advertising Office Exp.
Commissions Coal Oil
Work Shop Exp.
Lamps (Est . )
Genl* Exp.
Dyn. Room Engine Room Boiler Room Wiring Insp .
Meter Exp.
Repairs to Steam M.
Repairs to steam pipe Repairs to Station streets
$1410.34 25 .,00
227.90 210.77
2299.65 98.44 211.65 ■ 1144.71
431.95 333.45 434 . 92 20.11 210.40 343.68 286.16
111.91 9.33
348 -75 $8159.10
Repairs to
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNTS
|
Central Station Building |
$ 121. .32 |
|
|
Central Station Machinery |
2008.08 |
|
|
Electrical Apparatus |
21.49 |
|
|
Services from boohs $607.25 |
||
|
Lead cable used 447.30 |
1054.55 |
|
|
Meters |
111.72 |
|
|
Steam Piping |
1283.41 |
|
|
Workshop Eq , |
1.85 |
|
|
Installation Lamps |
454.25 |
|
|
$5057.17 |
||
|
The Machinery Account is increased by $1935 for |
Blast Pan and |
|
|
Pump for boilers. |
||
|
The Steam Piping by new water tanks |
for boilers. |
|
|
R E S U |
M E |
|
|
Gross Receipts for light and power |
$13217 .30 |
|
|
Less Running Expenses |
8159.10 |
|
|
Profit on Station for May |
5058.20 |
|
|
Estimated profit on mdse . |
74G .51 |
|
|
Total profit |
$5804.71 |
|
|
Our gross receipts are Running Expenses ' Construction Account Interest (Estimated) |
$8159.10 5057.17 1000.00 |
$13963.81 14216 .27 |
|
Excess of expenditures over income |
$ 252.46 |
V <4
5 s
SERVIO-rr
In order to Keep running expenses ma Oonstruetion-within o«r income od thereby aroid increasing 0or floating indebtedness tl» men employed in putting; in eervic.s lave been reduced so ae to put in on. service per day only sal this is -cosine .’good deal or grumbling by our applicants whs have to wait t.o or three weeks be, for. getting power or light. this is mentioned only to assure
you that the delay is not due to inefficiency of men or careless management . .
»e have added very closely 1200 light, during the month of Bay and it will be noted that our net profit has increased each month since March.
Your Engineer and Manager may be pardoned for again re¬ minding you of the impossibility of getting machinery and boilers in time for the autumn increase, should you desire to avail your¬ selves of it, unless he is instructed to proceed v/ith the worh at once.
Very respectfully and truly yours,
Supervising Engineer and Gen. Mangr*
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