hough the central-station manager, aiming to give good
service, would naturally see that the dynamos were so operated as to
maintain as steadily as possible the normal potential and current. The
same loose methods applied to the early attempts to use electric motors
on arc-lighting circuits, and contracts were made based on the size of
the motor, the width of the connecting belt, or the amount of power the
customer thought he used--never on the measurement of the electrical
energy furnished him.

Here again Edison laid the foundation of standard practice. It is true
that even down to the present time the flat rate is applied to a great
deal of incandescent lighting, each lamp being charged for individually
according to its probable consumption during each month. This may
answer, perhaps, in a small place where the manager can gauge pretty
closely from actual observation what each customer does; but even then
there are elements of risk and waste; and obviously in a large city such
a method would soon be likely to result in financial disaster to the
plant. Edison held that the electricity sold must be measured just like
gas or water, and he proceeded to develop a meter. There was infinite
scepticism around him on the subject, and while other inventors were
also giving the subject their thought, the public took it for granted
that anything so utterly intangible as electricity, that could not be
seen or weighed, and only gave secondary evidence of itself at the exact
point of use, could not be brought to accurate registration. The general
attitude of doubt was exemplified by the incident in Mr. J. P. Morgan's
office, noted in the last chapter. Edison, however, had satisfied
himself that there were various ways of accomplishing the task, and had
determined that the current should be measured on the premises of
every consumer. His electrolytic meter was very successful, and was
of widespread use in America and in Europe until the perfection of
mechanical meters by Elihu Thomson and others brought that type into
general acceptance. Hence the Edison electrolytic meter is no longer
used, despite its excellent qualities. Houston & Kennelly in their
Electricity in Everyday Life sum the matter up as follows: "The Edison
chemical meter is capable of giving fair measurements of the amount of
current passing. By reason, however, of dissatisfaction caused from the
inability of customers to read the indications of the meter, it has in
l