f (\/M V W TvM ^ ^ ^ AJl Aw SOUVENIR BOOKLET PRESENTED BY THE UNITED LIGHT & RAILWAYS COMPANY ON THE OCCASION OF THE PUBLIC OPENING OF THE Rn'ERSIDE POWER STATION I Forty Years of Development W- HAVE electricity all about It has becomt' a part of hu- man existence in this community. We take it for Ki'anted. Vet, imajiine how ^reat a calamity it would be if we were suddenly obliued to be without electricity. It would paralyze govern- ment, commerce and industry; it would throw our homes, streets and stores into gloom and darkness; our home life would be disruj)ted by con- fusion, annoyance and discomfort. Electricity, as common a thing as water and almost as inexpensive, is only a little over forty years old in the Tri-Cities. The story of electrical de- \elopment covers a period considerably shorter than one man's life and most (jf the pioneers are living who saw and made the beginning of electric service in the Tri-Cities. Forty years ago, electricity was an experiment a subject of much ridi- cule and doubt. Today, this booklet is presented to citizens of the Tri-Cities during the celebration of the opening of a new electric generating station. From its great fires, from its whirling generators, every man, woman and child in the Tri-Cities will receive some share of the benefits of electric heat, light or power. *^^ '^JP^ FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Plant at Fourth St., Moline, Built in 1 888 First Plants Built the Same Year as Opening of First Plant in U. S. First Companies Organized 1882 First Playit Was in Rock Island Historical Review A BRIEF historical review will indicate that no community in the United States was more progressive than the Tri-City com- munity in the introduction and development of the use of electricity. This community was one of the first, if not actually the first, to introduce certain new methods and machines which have since become almost standard throughout the United States. The building of electric plants in the Tri- Cities began in the year 1882 and it is interest- ing to note that this was the year in which Thomas Edison opened the first central station on Pearl street in New York City. On May 1, 1882, the Davenport Electric Light Company was organized, and on July 14th of the same year, the Rock Island County Brush Electric Light Company was organized in Rock Island. Among the organizers of the Davenport company were: George L. Daven- port, Ross Woodmansee, B. B. Woodward, T. G. Gay lord and Charles E. Putnam. In Rock Island the incorporators were: C. Speidel, Oliver Olsen, M. G. Mills, C. E. Hawley, Thomas Gait and A. C. Dart. On November 25, 1882 the Merchants Elec- tric Light Company of Moline was organized, the incorporators being: William Clendenin, Conrad F. Grantz and George H. Sohrbeck. This company secured a charter and made plans for an electric system, but no plant was built until the company was taken over by S. S. and T. B. Davis. The first plant in Rock Island was at Sixteen- th street and First avenue. It was built in the year 1882 and appears to be the first one com- pleted in the Tri-Cities. Many people remem- ber the eleven towers 125 feet high first used to Page Four EARS or DEVELOPAV light the city of Rock Island by electricity. From each tower were suspended two arc lights making twenty-two lights in all. The city paid $305.00 pei' year per light. Also, a number of readers of this booklet will remem- ber having had a financial interest in the Rock Island County Brush Electric Company, for it was organized by Rock Island men and almost every prominent business man in Rock Island finally had shares in it. In 1883 an electrician by the name of F. B. Babt was employed by the Davenport company to install a 20-light machine in the old gas plant which was situated where the French & Hecht factories now stand. On February 9, 1884, S. S. Davis and T. B. Davis, having taken over the Merchants Elec- tric Light Company of Moline, installed a 50- light U. S. arc machine in the waterworks build- ing and lighted the stores in Moline. This was a 600-volt machine and was considered a monster at the time. It was, in fact, one of the largest in the United States. In 1885 the Davis brothers organized the Merchants Elec- tric Light Company of Rock Island and built a plant on Xinteenth street from which the stores in Rock Island were lighted. In 1886 new dynamos were bought and with the one from the Moline waterworks, were placed in the basement of the Davis block and the first electric street lights in Moline. 80 in number, were started May 1st. On November 4, 1885, there appears a res- olution by the City Council of Davenport to light the city by electricity with 35 tower lights and 45 lamps, at street intersections, which was contracted with the Jenney Electric Light Company of Fort Wayne. Indiana. Next came the street cars, the early use of which gave a tremendous impetus to the larger Ritertidr I'uurr Station, Opened October. 19iS Plant in Davenport in 1883 Plant Lights Moline Stores in 188 A Resolution bij Davenport Council to Light Streets in 1SS5 Page Fire FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Generator In- stalled About 1 900 in 23rd St. Plant, Rock Island First Street Car Up Brady Street August 11,1 Peoples Light Company Incorporated Jan. 30, 1 2000 Volt Line Moline to Davenport, 1888 use of electricity. On August 11, 1888, elec- tric street cars were tested on the Brady street hill. The cars loaded with 40 or 50 persons easily climbed the hill and there was general rejoicing. The formal opening of the electric line took place August 13, 1888. The pioneer who was principally responsible for the building of this line was Dr. Wm. L. Allen. The power was generated at a plant on the west side of Brady street, between Second and Third. There was probably no more than one other electric car line in operation in the United States at the time of the opening of this line. The year of 1888 was an important one for electricity in the Tri-Cities for it was during this year that the Davis brothers acquired a 25-year contract with the Moline Water Power Company and built an electric plant at the foot of Fourth street in Moline, this being the first water power plant in the community. On March 10th the dynamos from the Rock Island Merchants Electric Light Company plant were placed in this building and the first electric lights were run from Moline to Rock Island by water power on this day. On January 30, 1888 the Peoples Light Com- pany of Davenport was incorporated and in this year the Davis brothers built a 2,000-volt transmission line from Moline to Davenport. This was a long line and a high voltage for those days. It was one of the outstanding trans- mission lines in the United States at that time. On April 18, 1888 the first electric street lights to appear in Davenport secured current from this line. The alternating current dynamo installed in the Moline plant of the same year, making the long line a possibility, was one of the first dynamos of this type in the United States and it may have been the largest of its kind in existence. Page Six OK DEVELOPMENT The first electric street car appeared on Fifteenth street in Moline on October 17, 1889, receiving current from the Mohne power plant. W. R. Moore was the principal one responsible for the building of this line. It was financed by a large number of local citizens. S. W. Wheelock had a large interest. In the power plant at Moline a number of devices were tried for transmitting the power from the water wheels to the dynamos. Shafts and gears were used without success and a long rope drive finally proved successful, although in one trial it pulled out the whole side of the plant building, almost completely wrecking the plant. If it was not the first plant in the United States, it was one of the first, in which engines and water wheels were used to operate the same dynamos. A long shaft extended throughout the entire length of the plant. To this shaft engines and water wheels were connected by rope belts and the dvTiamos also received their power from it by rope drive. The construc- tion, would, of course, look very crude compared to our present direct-connected prime movers. Another thing for which the Tri-Cities can claim to be one of the first, if not actually the first, was the inter-connection of power plants. The Davis brothers early extended lines between plants and interchanged power. Some people talk of Super Power as if it were a brand- new idea. Here we had Super Power in the Tri-Cities at the very beginning of electricity. The early pioneers tried many things. They had to in order to make a success of the use of electricity. In the Davenport substation was installed a rotary converter used to convert alternating current to direct current, which was the largest machine of its kind in the United States when it was installed, and it was one of ihc first Electric Street Car iti Moline Oct. 17, 1SS9 Tri-Cities Among the First in Man If Things The First Large Rotary Converter Page Strrn View of River- ^^l^ side Plant and Transmission Line ■f^ Street Car Plant in Rock Island Moline Plant Destroyed by Fire Deere and Bengston Pioneers Alternating Current and the Incandescent Lamp FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENX, rotary converters to be put into practical use. This machine made it possible to operate street cars from the steam and water-power plant in Moline. The early electric street cars in Rock Island received current from a plant built by the Holmes syndicate where the pre- sent Rock Island substation stands, just west of the Rock Island waterworks. This plant was built by Thomas Cowling. How rapidly things happened in those first days! We have been talking of a period of httle more than six years. The early builders were busy men and recall many times when they worked night and day for several days at a time to keep their equipment going. The buildings were not of concrete and steel at that time and on September 26, 1892, the electric station at Fourth street, Moline, was entirely destroyed by fire. The fire was caused by the heavy load required to furnish current for street cars up Fifteenth street hill. The electricity jumped the gap on an old wood switch panel and the fire broke out at once. Old-timers say this seemed like the end of the world, but then as now, they rose to emergencies and there was no great gap in the service. Among the early pioneers, John Bengston and C. H. Deere of Moline should not be over- looked. With his own eight-light machine, C. H. Deere had the first manufacturing plant in the Tri-Cities to be lighted by electricity. By means of a two-light water power outfit, John Bengston succeeded in having the first electric-lighted store. About the time that the alternaters were in- troduced, the incandescent lamp began to come into general use and made electricity avail- able for homes as well as for stores, streets and factories. Electricity was now well launched on its course of remarkable development. Page Eight ITV 5^^:: EARS OF DEVELOP.N ^^ In 1893 the Davis brothers organized the Peoples Power Comi)any, and the Rock Island County Brush Electric Lijiht Company as well as the gas companies were taken over by it. It would be too long a story to tell of the organization and changes in ownership of the many street railway companies which were formed in the early period of development. The street railway business has had many ups and downs. In 1895 the Davenport Gas, Electric Light and Steam Heating Company was organized by five Walsh Brothers, which acquired the elec- tric plant situated at the gas works of the Dav- enport Gas Light Company. The company later changed its name to the Davenport Gas & Electric Company. In 1898 the Davis Brothers took over the direction of the Moline Water Power Com- pany and bought the water power at Sears, Illinois. They still operate these water powers. In 1906 the J. G. White Engineering and Construction Company acquired all of the local electric, gas and street railway properties. This company had been building some of the world's largest electrical systems. The coming of this company into Tri-City affairs marked the beginning of one of the most rapid and one of the greatest periods of financ- ing, building, improvement and growth of busi- ness that has taken place in this community. The company possessed great financial resources and brought to the community men of wide ex- perience and proven ability in the development of public utilities. Mr. J. F. Porter, now recognized as one of the leading public utility men of the country, was appointed to take over the general man- agement of the business. Mr. Porter entered wholeheartedly into local affairs with a view to Peoples Power Co. Organized in 1893 Coming of J. G. White Co. in 1906 Opened Period of Rapid Growth J. F. Porter, Manager Pcfe Nin* Construction View of River- side Plant New Machinery Installed United Light Buys Properties in 1912 ORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT developing, not only the public utilities, but the community as a whole, and will be remem- bered as one of the leading citizens of the com- munity during the years he was here. In 1908, the J. G. White Engineering and Construction Company began immediately to install machinery and equipment of the latest and most improved design. Gas, electric and street railway lines were extended on a large scale. Rapid strides were made in the devel- opment of new uses for electricity and the devel- opment of the business increased at a very rapid rate. The boiler rooms in the Moline plant were rebuilt. The first turbo generators were installed. Greater efficiency in management and operation and economies secured from the use of improved machinery and equipment led to reduction in rates, which further stim- ulated an increased business. All this required much new capital and the J. G. WTiite company invested many millions of dollars here. With Mr. Porter came a number of men who had been associated with him at Alton, Ilhnois, all of whom took an active part in the develop- ment of the utilities here. Some of these men still arc known in this community and are active, well-known citizens. The growth and expansion of the business was again accelerated in 1912 when the prop- erties were sold to a company then just start- ing in its growth, which was destined to become one of the largest public utility operating com- panies in the United States. This was the United Light and Railways Company, of which our local companies are still subsidiaries. These subsidiaries, which include such well-known companies as the Peoples Light Company, Peoples Power Company, Clinton, Davenport and Muscatine Railway Company and the Tri- City Railway Companies of Illinois and Iowa, Page Ten )T DEVELOPMENT have never lost their identity ;us local institu- tions, operated by local men and "tied-up" with all j)hiLses of local activity. In fact, these companies have bei-ome more :iii«l more :i part of the community. The purpose of the utility company to devel- op it.s business for the best interests of the com- munity and the problems met in attaining this end are becoming better understood by the people of the community. The widespread ownership of shares in the company is creating a community of interest among customers, employees and the managers of the business. The people of the community have seen every year the evidence of the company's confidence in the community. The United Light has spent at least $1,000,000.00 here every year to improve and enlarge the community's utility systems. The company has been constantly on the alert to keep pace with the latest im- provements in machinery and equipment in order to provide service at the lowest possible cost. The result has been that in the Tri-Cities there is one of the most up-to-date and ef!icient gas, electric and street railway systems to be found in the United States. In fact, these utilities have been vi.sited frequently by stu- dents of the public utility busine.ss as models of present day utility development. The com- pany has co-operated with the manufacturing industries of the community to make gas and electricity available for the larger uses which have been .so important in bringing about our great industrial growth and expansion. Many new appliances increasing comfort and reduc- ing drudgery in the home have been introduced. Since lin2 the amount of electrical energy generated in the Tri-Cities has increased five times. While the cost of labor and materials VUw o/SUm* in BoiUr Room of RimeriiiU FUiHl Problems Better Understood />// ///(' Public An Vp-to-I)ate System Pag* EU9tn Page Twelve 9^-«_ EARS OF DEVELOPMENT Aw«^ went "sky-high" during the stress of war-times and (luring the adjustment period following, electricity remained at pre-war j)rices or even lower. During tiie world-war when practically every community in the country was running on curtailed consumption of electrical power, when lightless nights and coalless days were the rule, the Chicago and Tri-City districts were the only ones where a sufficient amount of electrical energy was available to meet abnor- mal demands without restrictions. In addi- tion to handling the heavy load placed upon it at that time by private industries, the company supplied the arsenal with a great extra amount of energy for use in carrying on its war work at top speed. Mr. Frank Hulswit and Mr. Richard Schad- delee, the founders of the United Light, have always taken a great interest in the growth of the Tri-City community. A number of men came to this community about the time when the United Light acquired the properties here and they have become leading citizens, taking an active part in all civic affairs. The I'nited Light as a holding company has made available for the developnent of utilities here, almost unlimited financial resources. Xew money at favorable interest rates has been available because of the great, prosperous and diversified business which now extends to 289 communities in nine great states. The United Light has the advantage of combined purchas- ing power in the buying of huge supplies of coal, oil, machinery, wire, poles, etc. Com- bined operations makes possible a stalf of skill- ed engineers, the best the country affords. The crowning event in the history of the de- velopment of the utilities here is the open- ing of the Riverside power plant, which we are now celebrating. 1-- \ '^flJ^S Vinr o/ Rirertide from Wing Dam in thr Misgisaippi Meets Stress oj War Times Without Increasing Rates Hulswit and Schaddelee Founders of United Light Serving 289 Communities in Nine States The Crowning Event Page ThirUtn FORTY YEARS OF DEVEl-OPM.Ei«IT_ Financing Entrance Riverside Power Plant Four or Five Dollars Capital jor Every Dollar Earned Different from Manufacturing and Merchandising Large Permanent Properties IT is often asked why public-utility compa- nies constantly seek new capital — why there is need of more and more money for investment when manufacturing or mercantile concerns doing a large gross business every year rarely increase their capital investments. This is one of the fundamental differences be- tween the public-utility industry and the manu- facturing or merchandising of goods. A public-service enterprise requires the per- manent investment of from four to five dollars in order to be able to collect one dollar in gross earnings annually. In other words, the value of its investment in the facilities for giving serv- ice is from four to five times the sum that can be collected in any one year by rendering service at a reasonable rate which is fixed and established by law. The merchants and manufacturers of mer- chandise, on the other hand, are able to turn their capital several times every year. A manu- facturing enterprise requiring an investment of, say, $100,000.00 in plant and facilities, may produce goods which sell for $500,000.00 or more. Such a manufacturer would be turning his capital five times during the year. The census figures for 1923 showed the capi- talization of electric light and power companies to be $4,465,015,691 and gross revenue $1,072,- 119,883, indicating that the capital is turned over only once in 4.46 years. The money secured from the sale of securities is not used to pay operating expenses. It is in- vested in permanent property, much of which is buried in the ground never to come out until worn out; in poles and wires which carry the cur- rent for lighting homes and the power for facto- ries, or for added equipment in the power plant. Page Fourteen With the rates which are esUibiished by law, the money that is collected for service goes to pay for materials, wa^es, taxes, insurance, de- preciation and oilier operating' expenses and the interest on savings invested in the perma- nent properties of the business. There is no sun>lus available for the upbuilding of new and additit)nal permanent physical properties. Money for this purpose must come from in- vestors who are putting new capital into the business. It will be appreciated from these conditions that financing is one of the most important features uf the utility business. The completed Riverside plant represents an investment in this community amounting to about $3,(K)0,O0().O0, and, in addition, there have been many additions and extensions to the various parts of the system, as in other years, requiring additional millions of dollars. It was long ago found impossible to finance the public-utility business out of the savings of a few individual investors. The business is now owned by thousands of shareholders. The prac- tice of selling shares in the business to employ- ees and customers has come as a result of the constant need for new money, and also because it has been found that the company, the com- munity, customers, employees and everybody benefit as the ownership of the public service company becomes more deeply rooted and more widespread among the people. A fine record has been made in this commu- nity in the development of customer ownership. The Prior Preferred shares .sold to customers and employees are owned by 8,861 shareholders. The savings invested by Tri-City customers and employees during the last few years have been almost suflicient to build the Riverside power station. Thousands of customers are taking advantage of this unusual opportunity for safe JQL.«^ v."^* ('imUiinitii/ Oiridrnd ( 'Hrrk$ MaiUd to I'rior Pttirrrrd Share- holdeT$ Etrru Month $3,000,000 for Riverside Plant Financing Impossible hij Few Investors Customer Ownership Pag* Fi/I*rn FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT L East Side o/ Plant on Which Future Exten- sions Will Be Built A Trust to Have Service Ready Serving the Interest of the Community The Public's Greatest Interest '•% Constant Investment of New Capital profitable investment and are making a regular habit of investing savings in Prior Preferred shares. The community grows, new homes go up, fac- tories expand and new industries are attracted, new uses for electricity are constantly adding to comfort and efficiency ; also, they are increasing demands for electrical energy. It is an obliga- tion of the company, a trust that the people have placed in it to have the service ready when the demand comes. The community cannot grow without ade- quate utility service. In assisting the company to take care of its financial requirements, the public are serving their own interests. The public have a far greater interest in the utility company than that of whether they pay a little more or less for kilowatt hours of energy or cubic feet of gas or street-car rides. Their greatest interest is that the company may continue to develop and expand so that it can meet all the demands for service that the public may make upon it. This is absolutely necessary for the success of the public in their business and for their comfort in their homes and social lives. The public's interest is best served when they can be sure they will be able to get all the kilowatt hours of energy, cubic feet of gas or street-car rides that they require. This means that plants, transmission lines, gas mains and distribution equipment must be built not only to keep pace with, but to antici- pate the growth of the community. The entire system must be constantly expanded, requiring the constant investment of new capital. Page Sixteen S OF DEVEl Planning and Building FOLLOWIXCi is an excerpt from an address made before the Rotary Club of Daven- port on March 30, 1925, by Mr. B. J. Denman, Vice-President of The United Light and Power Company. Mr. Denman and Mr. R. B. Mac- Donald, Vice President ot the Tri-City Com- panies, have given much time and personal at- tention to the planning and engineering for the new Riverside plant: "Certain capital expenditures are somewhat in accordance with increased revenue. This applies particularly to the taking on of addi- tional business on existing mains and services, or short extensions of existing gas and electric lines, but as a certain section develops, there always comes a period when feeders must be extended back to gas works, power plants and sub-stations, and these, in turn, necessitate ad- ditional apparatus in the plant. Major expendi- tures of this kind must be large enough to pro- vide for a considerable future growth. Such expenditures require very careful study. "There comes a time, also, when existing plants have been expanded until it is not eco- nomical to increase their size any further, and the building of new plants becomes necessary, involving the addition of large generator units. k' Viev of Plant Site Taken in 19tS Remarks on Planning by B. J. Denman New Additions Requiring Millions ©.SeTpRIOR PREFERRED STOCK UNITED LIGHT tt RAILWAYS OQ 1 I A /ii7r Sign in Davenport Adrertiting Prior Prtferrred Shares Page Seventeen FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT ^^ 60,000 H. P. Plant, Fourth Street, Moline Additional Section Necessary in Short Time Deciding the Location Considered Plant at Mine Mouth the cost of which ordinarily runs into several million dollars. It is necessary in both the gas and electric business to have sufficient reserve equipment, so that any unit can be out of use without affecting the continuity of the service. The size of a unit to be selected must bear some relation to the prospective demand, and in the case of the new Riverside station, taking all fac- tors into account, we decided to install a 25,000 kilowatt unit. "Were business conditions in the community better, we would probably have installed two units. As a matter of fact, we might have got- ten along for a little while without this unit, but when business increases, we would be found without adequate capacity, and we thought we owed it to the community not to take any chances. We believe, however, that it is a question of only a relatively short time before a second section of the building and a second unit will be necessary. "Having determined the size of the unit to be installed, the next question was the location of the plant. We carefully considered the possi- bility of adding it to the present station in Mo- line, but, on account of inadequate room, found this impossible. "Finally, after making detailed investiga- tions of several plant sites on both the Illinois and Iowa side of the river, and after taking all factors into consideration, it was decided that a new station six miles above Davenport and op- posite East Moline, could serve this growing community most economically and efficiently. "In view of the talk about location of plants at the mine mouth, it might be of interest to know that we investigated the possibility of lo- cating a plant at the mines in Fulton county, but, owing to inadequate water for condensing purposes, found this entirely impracticable. In Page Eighteen the location of a modern steam plant, adequati- condensing water is of first importance, and greatly increiuscd haul of coal is warranted if better water conditions can be obtained." Months and years of planning, study and in- vestigations took place before any malt'rials were purchiustnl or designs were decided upon. Realizing that before long it would be neces- sary to add additional units, it was decided to construct the Riverside plant on the unit i)rin- ciple. It will be noticed that the eiust side is a wall with no windows made of unfinished brick which can be easily removed when another .sec- tion is added. The present unit is 35. 000 liorse- p>ower capacity. It is contemplated that the plant may in the future be enlarged to include six generator units, making a combined capacity of more than 200,000 horse power. The new plant has been built not to replace, but to supplement the present plant in Moline, which ha.s a capacity of about (iO.OOO horse power. These two plants, together with the water-power plants at Sears and Moline. give a total generator capacity for the Tri-Cities amounting to 105,000 horse power. The fact that the Riverside plant is situated on the Mi.ssi.ssippi river may have given the first impression that this is a water-power .station. As previously mentioned, an ample supply of water is neces.sary for the economical operation .secured by large modern steam stations. A large water-power .station in the Tri-Cities would neither be practicable or for the best in- terests of the community. The problem of building water-power plants here is different from that which exists where there is a rapid fall of water; or, in other words, where there is a high head, such as exists at Niagara Falls and in mountain regions. Intrnor V'trw oj \loUnr Ptnm I'lanl Months and Years oJ Planning Not to Replace but to Supplement Moline Plant Limitations oj Water Power Pogt NintUrn FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT ^ Electricity Used for Power and Light in Plant of Rock Island Manufacturing Company G.T. Shoemaker in Charge The Engineering and Construction Department The energy available from water power varies to a large extent over the several seasons of the year, and the output of water-power plants is subject to reductions due to high water, low water and ice. This reduction in output, in order to meet the demand for service, must be supplied by steam-generating plants. A water- power plant is not worth what it will do at a maximum or at an average, but at a minimum. It will be seen, then, that if a large investment were made for the development of water power here, it would be necessary to install and main- tain steam-generating equipment of the same capacity as the water-power plant, and, there- fore, two investments would have to be made for the same capacity. The development of a water-power plant here, on account of the low head, is very expensive, and the fixed charges on such a development are more than the coal costs in the steam-power plant. The United Light has its own engineering and construction department, and at the head of the department is a well-known Tri-City man, Mr. G. T. Shoemaker. This department, which was responsible for the designing and building of the Riverside plant, has been uninterruptedly en- gaged for many years in the construction of power plants in the various communities served by United Light. Experienced men and special machines are transferred from one project to another. In the engineering and construction depart- ment, there are specialists along various lines who are constantly devoting their time and effort to the study and solution of problems re- lating to special work. It is evident that there is a great amount of knowledge and experience thus accumulated which is a great advantage in the building of utility properties. Page Twenty -V- YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT The following Tri-City men have taken a leading part in the lines indicated: Ed. Lerch . Architectural L. E. Baggs. Structural H. H. Mangels Construction Supt. E. H. ThnK'kmorton .,, , . , ,j . ,,, . Mechanical H. A. Kleinman , E. H. Geissinger Conveyor Equipment M.E.Strom James Bahen }-Electrical W.H. Snider J E. T. Williamson Transmission Line Many other loyal employees have given their undivided interest and effort to make this plant a reality. The operating departments gave their whole-hearted co-operation in working out many problems, in making final tests and, at last, in putting the plant into operation. Years before the purchase of the site on No- vember 18, 1923, study and planning had begun to determine exactly the size and general design of the plant to be built. Many other new power houses of the latest design were visited and closely studied. The machinery and equipment produced by various manufacturers were com- pared and analyzed with reference to the parti- cular needs of a plant for this community. It was decided to build a plant of the very latest design and to install some new features which might be considered in the pioneering stage, the aim being to .secure every ounce of power possible from every pound of coal con- sumed. The construction of a plant along these lines meant that it should be designed to operate in conjunction with the plant in Moline under a fairly constant high load. In other words, it should be operated at a high-load factor. When operated in this manner, the plant finally de- signed will produce, with coal containing 11,000 Fag€ Twentti-On4 I'laring Steel iiirder at Riverside Tri-City Men in Construction and Engineering Work Designed for High Load Factor FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Erecting Walls Over Steel Frame l^^i> Turbine Contract Placed J an. 9, 1923 Many Things to Decide First Shovel of Dirt Dec. 19, 1923 Over a Thousand Cars oj Material B. T. U. per pound, a kilowatt hour of elec- tricity from 1,4 pounds of coal. How far ahead the general design was planned and decided upon is indicated by the fact that the contract for the turbine was placed with the Westinghouse Company on January 9, 1923. So intricate and so large is this machine, that orders must be placed years in advance of deliv- ery. Long before the first shovel of dirt was dug for the foundations, it was necessary to decide upon many things. The type, size and make of large costly apparatus must be determined, in- cluding boilers, condenser, motor drive and mo- tor control, electric switching apparatus, turbo- generator, pumps, etc. The boilers were ordered in July, 1923. The first shovel of dirt for the foundations was finally dug on December 19, 1923. In the construction of the plant many emergencies arose, and it was necessary for our engineers to be constantly on the alert to meet the unex- pected. The size of the project is indicated in an in- teresting way by the record of carloads of mate- rials received at the plant. This record is as follows: Cars Received at Riverside Power Plant Cars Sand, Gravel, Cement, Lime 482 Tile and Brick 57 Structural Steel, Reinforcing Steel, Orna- mental and Miscellaneous Iron 75 Lumber, Nails and Wire 15 Electrical Equipment (which includes Con- duit, Cable, Switches, etc.) 27 Steam Turbine 18 Page Twenty-Two Page Tweyity-Thrrt FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPME _—> .--^s ..t Tieing Steel Re- inforcing Rods for Concrete Foundation Walls Special Cars Carry Turho- Generator Many Orders for Local Concerns Equipment (includes Boilers, Stokers, Coal- Handling Equipment, Super-heaters, Pumps, Fans, Cranes, Heaters, Pipe, Fittings, etc.) 110 Contractors' Equipment 20 Track Work (includes Ties, Rails, Cinders and Rock Fill) 249 Coal and Coke used during construction ... 27 Total Cars 1080 The turbo-generator was the largest ma- chine ever purchased in the Tri-Cities. This machine was so large that a fleet of spe- cially constructed railroad flat cars were re- quired to carry the huge parts from the West- inghouse factory to the Tri-Cities. One part alone, weighed eighty tons. The Tri-City community had the benefit of many large orders for equipment and materials placed with the following local concerns: John Benedict Company. Bettendorf Hydrogen & Oxygen Co. Bettendorf Lumber Co. Builders Lime & Cement Co. Builders Sand & Gravel Co. Carlson Bros. Cassini Mosaic & Tile Co. Cement Products Co. Crane Co. Crescent Electric Company. Davenport Machine & Foundry Co. Dimock & Gould. Thos. Dunn Company. Frank's Foundry. Louis Hanssen's Sons Co. A. J. Lerch Co. Martin Tile Works. Pai;e Twenty-Four ■S OF D) lENT Montgomery Elevator Company. Mueller Lumber Co. N. 0. Nelson Mfg. Co. Nichols Sheet Iron & Wire Co. Northwest Davenport Cement Block Co. Pittsburp:h Plate Class Co Republic Electric Company. Republic Iron & Steel Co. Re>molds & Balch Company. Rock Island Bridge & Iron Works. H. 0. Seiffert Lumber Co. Sieg Iron Co. Western Electric Company. Western Structural Co. ^^^lite Yard. Beder Wood's Sons Co. The building of the plant provided work for as many as 350 men, most of whom were men making their homes in this community. Many experts were detailed by manufacturers fur- nishing equipment. The payrolls at times were as high as $10,000.00 a week. To one not familiar with greater achieve- ments in some other parts of the country, one of the most interesting features of the River- side project is the spanning of the Mississippi River with six great cables. The span is 1800 feet long and the towers on each side of the Mississippi are 200 feet high. Permission to erect the towers on govern- ment property was obtained by the company under an act of congress passed March 4, 1911, which empowers the .secretary of war to grant easement rights for a period not exceeding lifL\' years to electric power companies and other similar utilities where the o])eration of such is not incompatible with public interests. Cuiistruclion View, Ground in Fore- ground is Now Under Wattr Spanning the Mississippi Per miss iott to Erect Toicers on Government Propertii Page Twenty-Five Typical Steel Tower of 66,000 Volt Transmis- sion Line Power Valuable to Government Sub-Station in Moline First Fires April 13, 1925 Fires 37 Years Old FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT^ When the company made its apphcation for right of way across the island, government in- vestigation disclosed that not only would it not be against public interest to have such a trans- mission line operated there, but that the prox- imity of so much electrical power would, in time of need, be of inestimable value to the government. An important part of the project is the out- side sub-station at the Moline plant where there are installed large transformers for re- ducing the current from 66,000 volts to be dis- tributed o\^er the existing lines from Moline. On April 13, 1925, the first fires placed under the boilers of the New Riverside plant were transferred from the plant in Moline. A fur- nace containing live coals was transported from the Moline station. As he witnessed this epoch-making event, E. L. Cameron, superintendent of the Moline and Riverside plants, was moved to "reminisce" interestingly of times past and startling devel- opments which have taken place in his years of service. While the fires were glowing for the first time in the huge combustion chamber, larger than most living rooms, he remarked that the fires being placed there were at least 37 years old. "I have been plant superintend- ent since 1897," said Mr. Cameron, "and to my knowledge the fires from which electricity is generated have been burning without a single interruption since 1888. I guess we can put our fires about next to the sun for continuous energy. "It seems not many years ago when we were handling coal for the boilers with wheelbarrows and shovels. We are turning out about ten times as much electric energy now as in 1900 and it would take a regular army of men to handle the coal under old methods. Page Twenty-Six Page Twenty-Seren 1 1 FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Aeroplane View of Plant Under Construction Remembers Coal at 50 Cents a Ton Generators First Turned July 6 In Regular Operation September 1 "I can remember times," said Mr. Cameron, "when screenings were so plentiful as a by- product from other sizes of coal, that we got them for nothing if we would unload the coal and release the cars for other use. Fifty cents a ton was considered a fair price for coal in those days. With the present demand for electric energy, screenings are no longer a by-product. They come at the high price of any other size of coal. It takes a lot of efficiency and econ- omy to make up for the difference in the price of coal." On July 6th when the line had been complet- ed from the Riverside plant to the plant in Moline, the generator was turned over for the first time. This was done slowly at first in order that the great machine could work in properly and that equipment might be tested. On September 1st the plant was put in reg- ular operation, beginning its many years of service for this community. The plant now stands, a thing of beauty and grandeur in its giant proportions. It is a monument to local enterprise of which the people of the Tri-City community may well feel proud. It is gen- erally recognized by leading authorities as one of the most up-to-date power plants in design and construction, in the country. From Left to Right: Outdoor Sub-station, Switch House, Power Plant and Breaker House Page Twenty-Eight Some Interesting Facts About Riverside A LIST of all the alternating plants in the United States published in 1891 shows the total combined capacity of all i)lants in ex- istence at that time less than one-fourth greater than the capacity of the one generating unit now in operation at the Riverside power plant. The first electric plant in the Tri-Cities built by the Rock Island County Brush Elec- tric Company was a 22-light machine. If all the capacity of the new generator were used for lights as was done with the first 22-light ma- chine, the Riverside plant could light 500,000 50-watt lamps. If the entire capacity were used for washing machines, it would operate 120,000 machines; if for vacuum cleaners, it would operate 250,000. If the entire capacity were used for home con- sumption, it would provide enough electricity for 100,000 homes. The Riverside station has an initial installa- tion of one 35,000 horse power turbo-generator unit with its auxiliaries and complement of four boilers and a building to house this equip- ment. The installation is made on the unit basis so that as the industrial growth increases, the necessary capacity can be added. The lay- out is made with the view of ultimately having a capacity of at least 200,000 horse power. The building stands 135 feet high, as high as the highest office building in the Tri-Cities. An automatic elevator is provided for the use of operators in going from floor to floor. The rock on the property is close to grade level, eliminating the need of costly foundations and is as near ideal for modem power plant con- ilHI' ■^ t; ' g— » liuilt-r liuum Kiverside I'otcer Station Electricity for 500,000 Lamps Initial Unit 35,000 H. P. Building os High as Highest Office Building in Tri-Cities Rock 175 Feet Deep Pag* Tvenly-Nim FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Co7idenser Foundations Rise 32 Feet High Pressure and Temperature ' Outdoor Sub-station struction as it is possible to find. Engineers drilled 175 feet deep and still found limestone. The turbo-generator unit rests on a concrete foundation reinforced with steel and anchored to bed rock. This foundation rises 32 feet above the ground and will hold the giant tur- bine under the stress of thousands of horse power. The pressure of the steam from the boilers is 425 pounds. It is super-heated 250 degrees. The total temperature of the steam is 725 degrees Fahrenheit. The huge turbine and generator weighing hundreds of tons, operate at a speed of 1800 revolutions per minute. The machine is so perfectly balanced that there is not so much as a ripple in a glass of water placed on it. If the section of the turbine of largest diameter were rolling on the ground like a wagon wheel, it would travel at the rate of 570 miles an hour. High steam pressure and steam tempera- ture are important features of large modern stations, resulting in great efficiency and econ- omy. This plant will operate at the highest pressure and temperature found anywhere between Chicago and the Pacific coast. The turbo-generator alone weighs 788,000 pounds, and cost approximately $350,000.00. The generator furnishes electricity at 13,200 volts Two 15,000 KVA transformers in the outdoor sub-station step up the voltage to 66,000 volts for transmission to distant points. Switching equipment in a plant of this char- acter has an important function to perform and has been very carefully selected and installed. At time of short circuit on the generator these switches are required to open the circuits at a load of approximately 400,000 horse power. Page Thirty Page Thirty-One FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Looking Down Belt Conveyor from Plant to Breaker House 66,000 Volt Transmission Line Long Span Construction The River Span The Cables --7^$^:^, One of the most interesting features of the Riverside project is the 66,000 volt double circuit transmission line between the Riverside station and the plant at the foot of Fourth Street, Moline. The new line, which with one exception, is the largest between Chicago and the Rocky mountains is required to transmit all energy generated at the new plant to the Moline sta- tion from which it will be distributed over the existing transmission lines to Davenport, Rock Island and East Moline. This energy is gen- erated at 13,000 volts, three-phase, sixty-cycle and is stepped up to 66,000 volts through two 15,000 kilowatt, three-phase transformers. An interesting feature of the transmission line is the long span construction that is being carried throughout its entire length. Begin- ning at the Riverside station, the line follows along the right of way of the Clinton, Daven- port and Muscatine interurban railway to a point just west of Fifth Street, Bettendorf. The spans between towers on the C. D. & M. are approximately 1,000 feet. From the point at West Fifth Street, the line crosses the river with a span of approximately 1800 feet from the Iowa shore to a tower on Benhum's island. These two river crossing towers are 200 feet high and the conductors which cross, clear the water at the time of maximum sag by sixty-five feet, required by the government as a clearance of all navigable rivers. The minimum sag of the conductors is approximately ninety-five feet. There is a total of 30 towers in the line, four of which are on Arsenal island. The four towers on the island are 127 feet high. The conductors are made up of 30 strands of aluminum with a steel core of seven strands and the total diameter is 74/100 of an Page Thirty-Two FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT inch. The cable has an ultimate strength of 16,200 pounds and weighs 2,788 pounds per mile. A total of approximately 92,000 pounds of this cable was required for the two circuits of the line. Coal is delivered to the plant from the Clin- ton, Davenport and Muscatine Railway, and provisions have also been made for unloading from barges when river transportation proves economical. Around the plant is a railroad yard where an electric switch engine receiving current from a third rail is in service. Near the point of take-off from the inter- urban line, a railroad track scale has been pro- vided so as to weigh all coal coming into the plant. Four main spurs facilitate the discharge of the coal into yard storage, for which there is a capacity of 80,000 tons at the present time. This storage can easily be increased at a later date, when it is necessary to increase the facili- ties. Coal for immediate use is dumped into a track hopper and is elevated by means of a belt conveyor 36 inches wide, to the breaker house, where the coal is crushed and then transferred by means of another conveyor to the bunkers located in the boiler room. The respective lengths of the two flights of belt conveyors are 160 feet and 320 feet. The Bradford breaker will crush 250 tons of coal per hour, so that the largest piece will pass through an opening 1-1 4 inches in diameter. It is possible to store a thousand tons of coal in the bunker located above the boilers, and in this way, it is only ne- cessary to unload coal for a few hours each day. There is a weighing lorry, and all coal is weighed as it goes to the boilers. There is a complete installation of meters, gauges and other Breaker Housi Under Con- struction, Show- ing Coal Hopper Ra ilroad Track Scale Coal Handling Machinery All Coal Is Weighed Page Thirty-Three Section of Con- denser, Showing Open Ends of Thousands of Tnbes 5,600 Tubes in Condenser '^dj Condensing Equipment Economizers FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT^ ^^ measuring apparatus in order that constant checks may be made to see that the plant is operating efficiently. The four great boilers rest on a foundation of concrete 28 feet above the level of the ground. Automatic under-feed stokers are used. The drums of the boilers alone weigh 15 tons, and the plates of the boilers are 1-1/4 inches in thick- ness. The boilers are constructed to withstand a pressure of 440 pounds. Air is heated before entering the combustion chamber. The stacks of the plant are 6-1/2 feet in diam- eter, and are in sections 60 feet in length. In order to get the maximum energy from the steam, it is desirable to maintain nearly a per- fect vacuum on the exhaust discharge. The condensing equipment creating this vacuum is a surface condenser equipped with 35,000 square feet of condensing surface. A great amount of cooling water is required to perform this work, which is supplied by means of two pumps, which furnish 32,000 gallons per minute. A total of 46,000,000 gallons of water per twenty- four hours is required, and is more than four times the total pumpage per day of waterworks in the Tri-Cities. This large amount of water is not consumed, but is simply pumped through the equipment and is warmed a few degrees, after which it is returned to the river. The condenser proper weighs 110 tons. It contains 5,600 tubes of 1-inch outside diameter. Each tube is 20 feet 4 inches long, and, if placed end to end, the tubes would extend a distance of 23 miles. In order to obtain from seven to eight per cent higher efficiency over ordinary straight condensing operation, provisions have been made to bleed as much steam as can be used to advantage and pass as little steam as possible to Page Thirty-Four Page Thirty-Five Auxiliary House Turbine Traveling Cranes Power 700 Times Greater Than First Unit in Tri-Cities FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT the condenser, as all heat entering the cooling water and passing to the river is lost for useful work in the plant. Stage heaters extract the steam from the main unit from four different points and in conjunction with a high pressure economizer supply water to the boilers at a tem- perature of approximately 350 degrees F. The economizers absorb heat from the waste gases, leaving the boilers, which heat is ordinarily lost . By this means the waste gases are reduced from 600 to 325 degrees. The economizers will ef- ect a saving in coal as high as 11.5 per cent. For operating motors and electrical equip- ment in the station itself, an auxiliary generator is installed having the capacity to serve the or- dinary needs of a community of 5,000 people. As permanent equipment for installing and repairing machinery, there are two great travel- ing cranes, one with 110 tons capacity and the other 35 tons. Just one interesting comparison will tend to show how great has been the span of develop- ment from the first street-lighting plant in Rock Island to this great central station. The first plant in Rock Island contained an old- fashioned walking beam steam engine. If the old engine could be placed alongside of the new steam turbine in the Riverside plant, one would never guess the tremendous difference in power. The power developed by the turbine is about 700 times greater. Imagine, if possible, a big cumbersome walking beam engine 700 times the size of the one in the old Brush plant. Even in our present age of steel and concrete construc- tion, it would be impossible to construct a build- ing large enough to house it. The comparison indicates how great have been the scientific and engineering developments which have led to such an increase in efficiency and to such great economies in floor space and other items of cost. Page Thirty-Six '-l^'-rJt^ RTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT _rrzil: Transmission and Distribution O ^XE characteristic of electrical power wiiich has an interesting bearing on central-sta- tion enterprises is that it cannot be stored. This is not literally true, because you are famil- iar with dry batteries, but for power purposes batteries are not practical. The result is that when a customer of our company makes a "demand" upon us by turn- ing a switch, we must be prepared to supply this demand instantaneously and must likewise be prepared to supply all of the simultaneous demands of all customers. The service must never fail ; it must go on every minute and every hour — 24 hours of every day. Unfortunately, our generating stations can- not make up in advance enough electricity to supply all of our customers for a day or a week or a month, as a store stocks up with goods in advance of its customers' demands. This very fact requires that the generating stations, trans- mission and distribution system and sub-station equipment must be large enough to deliver huge amounts of electricity for the dark and busy days of December, even though during the month of June, when the days are long, a much smaller plant and distribution system costing very much less money might suffice. Similarly, plant and equipment must be large enough to take care of the heavy demands of the late afternoons of winter months, whereas, during the rest of the day and night only a small fraction of that amount of electricity would be demanded. The.se highest points of demand are called the "peak load", and it is this peak load that determines the amount of generating equip- ment and the capacity of the sub-stations and the transmission and distribution circuits. Span AcroKx Misaissippi Electricity Cannot Be Stored Service Every Hour — 2J^ Hours Every Day Must Be Ready for Peak Load Demands Pagi Thirty-Seren FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Outdoor Sub- station at Riverside Plant Power Must Be Adequately Controlled The Transmission and Distributioji System Sub-stations Every Precaution Taken to Protect Service The electricity which comes from the gen- erators is, of course, powerful, and it must be adequately controlled. This is accomplished by means of extensive and complicated switch- ing devices and other items of equipment. The equipment at the Riverside station which con- trols all of the generator switches and the switches of the outgoing circuits is located in a separate building. Transmission lines radiate from the generating stations and carry electricity to sub-stations at different centers of distribution, from which points, distribution circuits radiate to supply transformers that step the voltage of the elec- tricity down to a value where it can be used for general lighting and power purposes. The sub- stations in this community, from which distrib- ution circuits radiate, are located at the follow- ing places: Foot of 4th St., Moline. 23d St. and 2d Ave., Rock Island. Sears Water Power Plant, Rock Island. 825 15th Ave., East Moline. 3d St. and Pershing Ave., Davenport. 1125 W. 2d St., Davenport. These sub-stations are all connected with transmission lines called tie lines, and it is over these lines that the sub-stations are supplied with electricity. Electricity, which is gen- erated at the Moline plant is fed directly into this transmission system, but the electricity which is generated at the Riverside station is transmitted to Moline over the 66,000 volt line and is stepped down through transformers to 13,200 volts and fed into the transmission tie lines which are that voltage. As new units are added in Riverside station, other transmission lines will radiate from it to supply electricity directly to the East Moline and the Davenport sub-stations. These will be Page Thirty-Eight -^--:i^ YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT needed to supply the increased load and will provide duplicate service to these sub-stations that are already inter-connected to the generat- ing stations by tie lines. Duplicate tie lines are provided so that sub-stations have two means of receiving a supply of power. Each sub-station has from eight to twelve dis- tribution circuits radiating from it, and each circuit supplies a different territory. The dis- tribution circuits are of three different classes, and each has its particular characteristics which make it best suited to serve the kind of load that it does. Power circuits are 4800 volt, 2- phase. The circuits which supply commercial and residential lighting load are 2300 volt, single-phase. The street lighting is served by constant current series circuits, the voltage on which usually varies from 2000 to 5000 volts, depending on the number and size of the lamps in the circuit. These different voltages on the various classes of circuits are necessary, and their selection for the particular service for which they are used depends on the amouut of load that is to be earned on each circuit. The normal load per circuit varies from 250 KW on the 2300 volt circuits to 20,000 KW on the 66,- 000 volt circuits. Where large loads are to be carried, the voltage must be high enough to pre- vent too great a variation in voltage between the "peak load" and the light load due to volt- age drop caused by the resistance of the con- ductors and the electric current flowing through them. Also, when the voltage is high, the losses in the line are less with a given load than they would be if the voltage were lower. If lower Voltages were used, larger conductors would be necessary, but the cost would be i)r()- hibitive and the streets would be badly con- gested with pole lines. Transmission Line from Searn Water Power Plant Three Classes of Circuits Different Voltages Required Page Thirty-Sine Tf^^ FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Disconnecting Switches in Outdoor Sub-station at Moline Distance an Important Factor Territory Conditions Underground Circuits Costly The distance that energy is to be transmit- ted directly influences the selection of the volt- age to the same extent as the amount of the load to be carried. These facts had an important bearing on the selection of 66,000 volts as the voltage of the lines between Riverside and Moline. A study of the economies of different voltages was made when the project was being planned and 66,000 volts was selected because it would be most economical for a Tri-City transmission system. Lines at this voltage will be extended to serve nearby communities and to connect with lines of adjoining systems. When trunk lines are built to connect with other large power centers, these trunk lines will be designed for 132,000 volts. An important item that enters into the selec- tion of the voltage of distribution lines is the territory in which they are to be built and maintained. Lower voltage lines are less sub- ject to trouble from trees than the higher volt- age lines and the first cost of equipment varies as a direct proportion to the voltage so that the lower voltage lines are used to serve loads with- in urban territories wherever possible. As the demands for electricity increase within urban territories, it is necessary to build lines of higher voltages to supply these demands or increase the number of circuits and also add to the number of sub-stations. In some of the largest cities, the loads have become so dense that it has been found necessary to build distribution lines of higher voltages, such as the voltage of tie lines that we have between our sub-stations. Pole lines occupied jointly by electric lines and telephone lines are often desirable in cities in order to keep the number of pole lines to a minimum and wherever possible these joint lines are built. Underground circuits are used in certain commercial districts but the exten- Page Forty \RS or DEVELOPMENT sive or general use of underground lines would necessitate tremendous investments which would unduly increase the cost and charges for electric service. The distribution circuits which serve light- ing and power loads require transformers to step the voltage down to the service voltage, which is 115 volts in the case of lighting and 440 volts for power. These transformers must be designed to withstand all kinds of weather conditions since they are installed on the pole lines nearest the loads which they serve. Ever>' transformer installation must be pro- vided with fused switches to protect it from over load and with lightning arresters to protect it from bum-outs due to lightning. Such appa- rently small items as clearance from trees must be carefully observed in the construction and maintenance of overhead distribution circuits in order that the circuits will not be subject to interruption during storms. A great many im- provements have been made in equipment and protective devices so that at the present time ver\' few interruptions occur on well-main- tained transmission and distribution lines. Great and impressive as a large modern gen- erating station may be, there are far greater problems and a larger investment in the trans- mission and distribution systems. The cost of producing electricity at the plant is only one-fifth to one-half of its total cost de- livered at the customer's premises. The elec- tricity is u.seless without transformers, sub-sta- tions, transmission and distribution lines, me- ters and other distribution equipment. All this means investment charges, maintenance and depreciation. Trouble men must be ready at instant's notice to fight damage from wind and storm that your service may be continuous. (Jiiinl Trunt- (ormrr in Out- ,/,i..r ^utt-nUttiim Protecting Equipment Cost of Electricity at Station Only a Small Part Pagt Forty-Ont FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT Aeroplane View Over Mississippi at Tri-Cities A Humari Service More Than a Business The Social Side Responsibilities and Opportunities FOR those who hve in it, the four walls of a house do not make a home with all it stands for as a human institution. Neither do materials, machinery and equipment make electric service. Both are physical, material necessities. The home is a human institution based on human ties, loyalty and a spirit of unity. A public utility is also a human institution. It requires men and women — loyal, dependable, self-sacrificing men and women who are willing to accept the responsibility of service and do their work thoroughly and faithfully. A public utility is more than a business. It is an organization chartered, franchised and maintained for the purpose of supplying a service which is necessary to the comfort, pros- perity and happiness of all the people. The affairs of a public utility must be con- ducted in a businesslike manner. The com- pany must prosper — if it is to be able to do its job in the best and most satisfactory manner — if the interests of the community are to be fostered and safeguarded by efficient, depend- able electric, gas and street railway service. But above and beyond the businesslike con- duct of the enterprise, a public utility must do its work with the truest and broadest spirit of serving the public interest first, last, and all the time. That is the rock-bottom doctrine of the electric utility industry today. People who even twenty years ago did not expect many of the comforts of life and certain- ly did not aspire to the luxuries, today use electric service as a regular part of their daily routine. They expect to have it just as much as they expect to have food and they have a Page Forty-Two rijiht to have it. a human riKhl. and an et-o- nomic ri^ht. It is because the public- utilities have reeo^nized this human ri^^ht. and the social service and the social value of their work, that they have made new records year by year in improved methods, larger machinery, higher voltage transmission, greater efficiencies and economies all along the line. All this to one purpose that the electric service might he most widely available, and most generally use- ful at the lowest possible price. Electricity is actually lengthening the lives of our wives and mothers through reducing the burdens of care and drudgery in the home. More than this, electricity is giving mothers a chance to put first things first, to devote more of their lives to children when care and attention mean most. When .John Deere moved from Clrand de Tour to Moline in 1847, power was an import- ant factor in causing him to decide to make this move, which has meant so much to the Tri-Cities. Today, when you say industry, you say power, and when you say power, you .say electricity. The future prosperity of this community depends on power electricity. Fu- ture supremacy among other communities de- pends on ample and certain supply of power — more and more power for bigger factories and new factories, always available, as and when needed. Stop the flow of electric energy and the wheels of our great factories cea.se turning, leaving idle thou.sands of men and women. Inventive genius, enterprise and the freedom of private initiative have made our great electric service possible and devised the many ways of apply- ing it to human tasks. Motor-driven machin- ery makes the worker's task easier and his i ■ r lirtUr Homt Lighting Swta Eyrfight and Heipx Miiki n A New and Better Hi.mf Life Fouer and Industry Page forly-Thret Page Forty-Four FORTY YXARS OF DEVELOPMFNT pay-check bi^^er because he produces more. It makes the manufacturer's expense lower, his factory output higher, and reduces prices on manufactured product.s. As previously mentioned, it nii^du have been possible to do without the building of the Riv'er- side plant for a short time, but the company felt it owed it to the community to have the power ready when the demand comes. The company also hius such great faith in the future of the community that plans are made and a lay-out provided for building extensions which will several times multiply the present capacity. The combined advantages, resources, manu- factures and population of all the cities making up the Tri-City community make it one of the greatest communities in the Middle West. In considering the development of only one of the cities of this great group, the importance of the community as a whole is sometimes overlooked. The Tri-City community has the greatest wealth, population and resources of any community be- tween Chicago and Omaha, and between Min- neapolis and St. Louis. The development of electricity as a regional service extending to all the cities of the Tri-City group extends back to 1888, almost the begin- ning of electricity, when the first transmission line was extended to Davenport from the Mo- line plant. Without the regional service, the present development of electricity in the Tri- Cities would not have been possible. As in the past, the electrical development of the Tri- Cities and the industrial growth as well will depend in the future upon the development of the Tri-City community as one great power and industrial center. The regional development of electric service is becoming wider and wider. Throughout the Thf WhiU Way, liock Is'.anJ Building with Faith i)i the Community Importance of the Tri-City Community Electricity a Regional Service Electrical Systems Page Forty-Fire Page Forty-Six entire country there are (ifVflopin^j electrical systems. To meet the electrical needs of today, and. still more ini|>(»rtant. the ntH:'ds of the fu- ture, greater sources of low cost power are required than individual i)lant.s and. in many c;ises. hi.eirer agencies than individual com- panies. The electrical .system is takinj^ the place of the individual electrical company. The.se may be formed of companies indepen- dently tiwntHJ, but lussociated to^'ether by operating agreement's for the interchange of power, or they may be grouj)s of companies under common ownership. The demand for electric service is not con- fined to cities. It comes from small communi- ties, villages and hamlets, and from farms as well as from factories. Transmission and dis- tribution lines are making a network covering whole states. This development of electrical systems is frequently called "Super-Power". In the ex- tension of Super-Power systems over wider areas, the early construction of large and very economical power stations and the maximum use of potential water powers are made pos- sible. In the Super- Power developments of the future, the Tri-City community is strate- gically l(x-ated to become a great power cen- ter. In maps of the Middle West made in connection with recent Super- Power surveys, the Tri-C'ity community is shown linked up with other power centers by trunk transmission lines, which are to carry great blocks of power at very high voltages. A map showing the.se contemplated power centers and trunk transmission lines is shown in this booklet It will be .seen from this map how important is the position of the Tri-Cities with reference to other centers such as Des Moines and Chicago. It al.so indicates how wide may Klrrtric f'tirnnrr at Ximmrrmun SUflPlanlAtMtr Hrtlrnd;rf Demand Outside Cities Super- Power Tin Tri-Cities a Power ( 'enter f'agt Furtn-Strrn View of Velie Automobile Plant, Showing Electric Motors and Lights What the Future Holds FORTY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT be the region served with electricity from Tri- City power stations. The opening of the Riverside Power Plant is the forerunner of probable developments greater than most of us can now imagine. As one of the most modern power stations in the country, it puts the Tri-Cities in an exceptionally strong position for becoming a greater trade and indus- trial center, and for the development of more and better homes. Whether the Tri-City community measures up to its fullest possibilities and opportunities, will depend on how well it pulls together as one great community to attract more and big- ger industries and greater trade, and to build more and better homes. Page Forty-Eight