Thomas Edison's Pearl Street Station inaugurated electric service in 1882. Just thirty years later, in 1912, electrification of the home was underway.
The National Electric Light Association, NELA, was the predecessor to the Edison Electric Institute of our day. NELA published a book that year describing the must-have appliances for every room.
Targeting the affluent household particularly, it said:
"The home that is completely wired has at hand a tireless electric servant-of-all-work; for the past few years have seen the invention and perfection of devices for doing household labor of practically every description.
The importance and practical economy of such devices is apparent when we remember the difficulties in procuring competent and satisfied domestic help."
In other words, electricity wasn't just for lighting your living room, library, laundry, large closets and other grand spaces. Electric appliances for cleaning, cooking, etc. were great substitutes for the servants.
NELA's book recommends electric appliances for every room plus the porch, garage and stable. Some recommendations fit the times well but would out of place now.
Nursery milk warmers? Cigar lighters ("most appropriate for the library or den")? Neither are found in many homes of today.
Nor corn poppers, foot warmers, shaving mugs.
Nor ice-making machines, to run ten hours daily, to make ten pounds of ice. Nor a motor to run a boy's lathe.
Nor a sweating blanket. In 1912, they were considered "very efficacious in cases of pleurisy, pneumonia, rheumatism and kindred diseases."
For your carriage room and stable, a motor-driven emery wheel was recommended. It was to grind the toe calks on the horse shoes in icy weather. Suggested as sell were electric groomers and clippers for a gentleman's horses.
Kettles for frying "French fried potatoes, crullers, doughnuts, etc." in oil or lard were mentioned. As were sewing machines for "the woman whose sewing is done at home."
Also touted were washing machines, that wash and wring clothes thoroughly, in which "the most delicate laces can be cleaned without injury."
Three years later, in 1915, the parent company of Public Utilities Fortnightly was founded to track and educate all those interested about trends in utility regulation.
Steve Mitnick, Editor-in-Chief, Public Utilities Fortnightly
E-mail me: mitnick@fortnightly.com
