The Electrical Supply Company

The Electrical Supply Company.

The rapid development of the electrical trade in this country has been the marvel of the age, and the position occupied by the West as compared with other sections of the country gives evidence of its enterprise and business sagacity. It is undoubtedly true that the electrical industries have done more for the West in developing it, and attracting the attention of energetic and enterprising men, and bringing capital to it than any other agency, and it is equally true that electrical industries owe much to this section. It has provided an excellent field for exploiters of electrical enterprises, and its wide-awake towns have seized every opportunity to advance their claims for public favor. The new towns and cities, which during the last ten years have been springing up in different parts of the West, have been certainly boomed. There has been much rivalry both as to population and natural resources of the surrounding country. In localities where water power is available, and the prospect for building up a manufacturing center is promising, electrical enterprises have been particularly favored. It has become a recognized fact in the West that a complete system of arc and incandescent lighting, motor service, street railways and a telephone exchange are quite as necessary as the "general store" of an Eastern village. Not many years ago small towns in the East considered themselves greatly favored if a telegraph line passed through their corporate limits, and they were given communication with the outside world, but Western push and enterprise have long since passed these landmarks of Eastern conservatism, and nothing short of a thorough equipment of all departments of electrical industries will satisfy the energetic Western investor. The enterprise thus displayed is truly commendable. Many Western cities, it is true, are scarcely more, in point of population, than Eastern villages, yet they have all the conveniences of the larger Eastern cities. There is not a town that does not aim to be a city in a short time, and when hardly out of their swaddling clothes they appropriate to themselves telephone service, electric lighting, and many of them have taken the lead among their older brethren in the introduction of' electric street railway service.

This extensive adoption of commercial electricity has, as a natural result, compelled the establishment of electrical supply houses in the large Western commercial centers. The delay occasioned in the earlier days by sending to the Eastern factories for supplies was not in keeping with Western enterprise. As a result, electrical supply companies of more or less magnitude form a chain at present across the continent, and each one, in its endeavor to secure its share of business, has of course increased the competition until the West is the most hotly contested field in this line of business at present in the United States.

This is especially true of electrical supply companies that make a specialty of furnishing material for electric light and electric railway construction, and these are more particularly the outcome of the past ten years. Previous to that period, for fifteen years perhaps, companies dealing in electrical goods had been in existence, but their articles of merchandise consisted principally of telegraph and battery material, and a little later, of telephone supplies.

Electrical Supply Company — Randolph Street Store, Chicago.

Among the largest of the electrical supply houses at present dealing in almost all classes of electrical goods, is the Electrical Supply company of Ansonia and Chicago. This company was organized in 1880, and the intention was at the time of its inception, to deal mostly in electric light supplies, which were then just about coming into general use, and particularly to manufacture and introduce insulated wires, this company being a pioneer in this branch of the business. In the early days of the Electrical Supply Company, then located at Ansonia, Conn., and before it had assumed its present magnitude, the only line wire used was copper wire, double braided and paraffined.

Electrical Supply Company's Factory at Ansonia, Conn.

As will be remembered by many, the line construction prior to 1880 was of a very low grade, and wires would be strung up in the crudest manner possible, often crossing one another in such a way that the insulation would frequently ignite, and the paraffine being inflammable, the fire would run along the wire for several feet. Owing to the occurrence of many of these accidents a fireproof line wire was suggested, and placed upon the market with the sole intention of resisting and obviating conflagration, that being the only qualification that was taken into consideration.

This new departure resulted in the introduction of Underwriters' wire, which at that time was insulated with asbestos paint. As far as is known, none except fire-resisting tests were made, and the necessity for a weather-proof wire, much less a moisture-proof, was not at the time considered. The Electrical Supply company was one of the earliest manufacturers to place upon the market a weather-proof wire. It met with such success in the introduction of this first production that it was encouraged to continue its operations in this direction.

It soon became necessary to increase its facilities for manufacturing weatherproof wire, and so extensive did the business become that important changes and additions to the factory were found necessary. Other wires were from time to time added to their line, and found a ready market on account of their general excellence and the care with which they were made.

Weatherproof wire has now been largely succeeded by moisture-proof wire, as the latter, though more expensive in first cost, has repeatedly proved its economy in the long run. The celebrated Shield Brand Moisture proof wire has now become one of the regularly established specialties of the Electrical Supply company.

As an illustration of the development of the supply business and the close competition of the present day, it may be stated that before the introduction of weatherproof wire as a specialty the company had introduced as its principal specialty the Wallace diamond carbon for arc lamps. The Wallace carbons at that time sold for eighty dollars a thousand, which, as may be inferred, left a fair margin of profit. Some idea of the growth and dissemination of electric lighting may be inferred from the fact, that but ten years ago the Wallace carbons found a ready market at eighty dollars a thousand, while sharp competition is now necessary to introduce arc light carbons at any price.

The company's business has kept pace with the progress of the application of the art to commercial affairs. Its factories at Ansonia, Conn., which are herewith illustrated, have been enlarged several times, and are thoroughly equipped and arranged with excellent judgment. All kinds of electrical devices are manufactured by the company, and a small army of operators are employed.

The establishment of a branch at Chicago was one of the most important steps in the history of the company. Seven years ago F. S. Terry, who, at that time had charge of the office and books of the present company at Ansonia was entrusted with the mission of establishing a Western house. That he has succeeded is shown by the excellent business which he has built up in the West. The company's original warehouse at 175 Lake street, soon became inadequate to the demands of the trade, and the present location, 171 Randolph street, was secured. This building, which is now occupied as salesrooms, offices and storehouse of the company is shown in the accompanying cut. Additional storeroom, however, has recently been secured. The offices, salesroom and shipping room of the company are on the street floor and present a busy scene. A visitor will find an unusually attractive display of fine testing instruments of modern design and standard make; all kinds of electrical devices in fact are displayed. The storerooms are filled with all kinds of novelties and standard supplies, and an extensive line of wire is always on hand.

The large business which resulted immediately upon the establishment of the Chicago branch in November, 1884, has compelled the addition of many new facilities at the factory at Ansonia.

The methods employed by the Electrical Supply company in caring for orders are unique in conception, and are designed to avoid delay in shipping. To better attain the desired end, the management has within the last few years, gradually evolved a departmentary system, which, besides affording the most expeditious manner of conducting the business, possesses the additional merit of confining each class of goods to its own particular department.

The advantage of this method of office organization is apparent. Each department handles and transacts its business only with those customers and with that class of goods with which it is most familiar, and customers very soon realize the fact that any order they send in receives careful and personal attention from those in charge of the departments.

The growth of electricity in its different branches has necessitated the formation of a department for each line of business, and the electric railway department, the electric light and power department, house goods department, city department, retail department, engineering department, advertising department and accounting department, are now thoroughly organized in such a manner as to dovetail, as it were, into each other in perfect harmony, and with the least possible delay. Each department may be said to be complete in itself, and not dependent in any way upon another, except in such cases as would naturally occur in special instances. At the head of each department is some one with special qualifications or experience in that particular line. Mr. Terry, as manager, assumes personal supervision over the entire establishment. He has been particularly fortunate in the selection of employes, and he has surrounded himself with an excellent corps of assistants. From being a comparatively small concern at the time of its organization, the Electrical Supply company occupies a leading position in the front ranks of supply houses to-day, and while this is, of course, largely due to the unprecedented growth of electrical industries, too much credit cannot be given to the management for the perfect organization which it has attained.

From time to time this company has placed upon the market new articles of merit which have been suggested by the exigencies of the times. It cannot, of course, be said that there have been no failures, for all business concerns learn to their cost that they are many and constant, but with every set-back this company has risen to the occasion with renewed determination to attain the desired success, and the position it occupies to-day amply attests that the coveted position has been gained.

As manufacturers of magnet wire the Electrical Supply company is one of the most extensive in the country, and constantly supplies the largest manufacturing companies with a large part of what they use of this class of wire. The sale of the Shield brand moisture-proof line wire has increased monthly since it was first placed upon the market, and customers are now confident that it is all that its manufacturers claim.

The factories at Ansonia, Conn., are constantly engaged in experimenting in the line of compound insulations, and the careful study that is devoted to this branch of the business is bearing fruit in the high quality of line wire made. Within the last year this company, which is constantly on the alert in the endeavor to keep ahead of the times, has secured the sole Western agency for the celebrated Habirshaw rubber covered wires, cables and cores. In this the Electrical Supply company made a valuable acquisition to their already extensive line of general supplies. The Habirshaw wires are the production of only the purest para rubber, combined with the most perfect machinery and appliances ever adapted for insulating purposes. The claim is frequently made that one rubber wire is as good as another, but this claim is unsubstantiated by direct proof. A large part of the so-called rubber wires find their genesis in discarded rubber boots, leaky hose and pickings of the scrap heap. The manufacturers of Habirshaw wire take pride in the fact that only the purest of rubber is used in the insulation of this wire. The matter of profit does not absorb the entire attention of the company; on the contrary, the first thought is the quality of the goods turned out from the factory. The electrical fraternity is now becoming thoroughly satisfied of this fact.

The specifications issued by the navy department of the United States government are exceptionally severe and stringent, and in the isolated plants installed on its marine service during the past few years, Habirshaw has been almost entirely adopted, by reason of its high insulating qualities as compared with other rubber wires submitted to government tests. The company carries a very large stock of Habirshaw wire at all times, and for all ordinary sizes can fill orders on demand.

The Electrical Supply company, with its usual far-sightedness, has seen the possibilities that lie within the province of incandescent electric lighting, and the strides which this branch of the business will make in the near future. With this end in view it has secured the exclusive right for the sale of the Sunbeam incandescent lamp. This lamp is one of the many that has made its appearance in the electrical field in the last year, but merits more than a passing notice by reason of its desirability both on account of its brilliance and economy. The Sunbeam lamp factory is located in the West, right in the midst of competing concerns, and must place its output in a field which is far from fallow so far as incandescent lamps go.

The particular characteristics of the Sunbeam, however, have placed it in the front ranks of incandescent lamps, and electric lighting companies are rapidly coming to the conclusion that first cost is not the only factor in the purchase of lamps, but that other considerations enter so largely into purchases of this character that what maybe apparently the most expensive at first is really the most economical in the end. The cost of current for the supply of lamps amounts to many times their first cost, and the lamp that gives the most light for a fixed expenditure in current is of more value than a lamp that costs less in the beginning without giving adequate compensation in light.

Realizing the growth that will attend the electric railway work during the coming years, and foreseeing that this department will rapidly forge to the front, the company have equipped their electric railway department with all the facilities necessary for the transaction of this particular branch of the business, and have added to its line of electric railway supplies all the latest improvements which have been patented and placed upon the market up to date.

Among the principal of this class of their supplies may be mentioned the Hercules trolley wire. This wire, by its special process of manufacture, is specially adapted for carrying heavy currents. This wire is electrically welded and can be made in any required continuous length.

Although the electric railway department has been organized but a short time, large orders for supplies have already been booked, and Hercules trolley wire is already well and favorably known among roads already constructing or those expecting to begin operations in the early spring.

The Electrical Supply company is also devoting a great deal of time and attention to perfecting the line of goods designed for domestic electricity, such as bells, batteries, annunciators, burglar alarms, etc. From the constant complaints that have been received from those unaccustomed to charging and caring for ordinary solution batteries, it was led to believe that a dry battery suitably prepared to meet the necessary conditions, would find a ready market. Acting upon this impression the company manufactured and introduced to the public some months ago a dry battery that has since become well known among all the electrical companies in every part of the United States — the Ajax dry battery. This particular form has been subjected at various times to severe tests of efficiency by those who have professed themselves skeptical as to the lasting qualities of a dry cell. In all cases where it has been given a comparative test with other so-called dry batteries at present upon the market, it has sustained its reputation for strength of current, long life and rapid recuperation, to a most marked degree. It is claimed that three cells of the Ajax have closed, by means of clockwork, an electrical circuit for three seconds every five minutes for a period of time now covering nine months, and that at present the Ajax cells are in apparently as good condition as when placed on the circuit. They have also been used of late by lecturers to illustrate electrolytic principles, and have been put to the severe test of operating small incandescent lamps for illustrative purposes.

This company has also lately added to its line the Midget storage battery, which, from all present indications, is destined to become extremely popular and enjoy a large sale. The Midget storage battery is a small secondary cell possessing an e. m. f. of about 2 1-5 volts, and, although a 20-ampere-hour cell, it will on short circuit discharge instantaneously about 75 amperes.

The Midget battery is put up in batteries composed of two, three and four cells, either in polished oak cases, or simply with the glass jar, as may be desired. One cell will operate a physician's cautery or dental lamp very satisfactorily, and four cells can be used advantageously on 1-12 and 1/8-horse power motors.

The Midget battery is the smallest and lowest priced storage cell at present made, and already a large demand has been created among those who desire this type of cell, and yet, for various reasons find it impracticable to purchase larger and more expensive batteries.

The Electrical Supply company have reason to congratulate themselves upon the quality of the Specialties they handle, and also upon the appreciation in which they are held by the electrical public, and the resultant increasing sales.