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their installations take advantage the economies of
scale. The Edison Illuminating Company
of New York was typical the Edison companies— 1886 was
enjoying steady increase earnings but saw its future in
supplying more customers with power and light. The company was
inundated with requests for service from customers uptown (from
the Pearl Street station), but was unable supply current to
meet demand. Although the new central
station dynamo had initially been designed reduce
manufacturing costs, soon filled the need equip the
second wave larger central stations, which aimed much
greater output for many more customers. Larger prime movers
were being introduced into power stations and the new
multipolar dynamo was found have twice much output per
pound weight than any other comparable dynamo. This very
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. They had used the technology developed the Pearl
Street station establish utility companies. This was barrier the growth both the
Illuminating Company and the electrical manufacturers; the
demand for lamps, motors, and fittings would not begin until
14
electricity was available uptown.
The West Orange laboratory developed the technology to
make this important transition from experimental prototype a
fully developed commercial system. This system had
proved its technological feasibility but not its commercial
worth; return the large initial investment could only come
with increased revenues— the profits lay extending the
system serve more customers
