Background
Samuel Insull was born on November 11, 1859, in London, the son of Samuel Insull, a tradesman and lay preacher who was active in the Temperance movement, and Emma Short.
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Central-Station Electric Service; Its Commercial Development And Economic Significance
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Central Station Electric Service - Scholar's Choice Edition
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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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Central-Station Electric Service: Its Commercial Development and Economic Significance as Set Forth in the Public Addresses (1897-1914) (Classic Reprint)
(Excerpt from Central-Station Electric Service: Its Commer...)
Excerpt from Central-Station Electric Service: Its Commercial Development and Economic Significance as Set Forth in the Public Addresses (1897-1914) Some of the addresses given on the following pages have been printed in pamphlet form. Several months ago, when the question arose of reprinting such of these as were out of print, I decided to go a step farther and to print in a book, for private circulation, a collection Of speeches that I have deliv ered on subjects bearing on central-station Electric Service. The present volume is the result of that determination. It is my hope that some of the material in these addresses is worthy of preservation in a permanent record, and that the studies which I have made in connection with my own work in the conduct of central-station enterprises may, if placed at the disposal of students and younger men coming into the industry, help these future managers and executives to solve the many problems with which they will have to deal. I also venture to express the belief that some of the addresses may be of use to the future historians of the industry, my connec tion with which I cherish with what I trust will be considered a pardonable pride. The careful reader may find some divergences of Opinion in the text of this volume. It should be borne in mind that the industry is the development of but a few years, relatively, and that to a large extent those engaged in it, certainly on the commercial side, have had to blaze their own trails. Thus, if different statements in my addresses appear contradictory, the cause may be found in the changes of opinion which greater experience often brings. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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Production And Distribution Of Electric Energy In The Central Portion Of The Mississippi Valley...
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ Production And Distribution Of Electric Energy In The Central Portion Of The Mississippi Valley Samuel Insull S.l., 1921 Technology & Engineering; Power Resources; General; Electric engineering; Electrical engineering; Energy development; Technology & Engineering / Electrical; Technology & Engineering / Power Resources / General
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The Memoirs of Samuel Insull : An Autobiography
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Samuel Insull
Edit ProfileEducation
He attended school until the age of 14, when he became an apprentice clerk.
Career
After several jobs he was employed by the London manager for Thomas Edison. When he turned 21, Insull went to the United States, where he worked as Edison's secretary. Edison liked Insull's stamina and audaciousness, and when the Edison General Electric Company was organized in 1899, Insull was made second vice president in charge of manufacturing and sales. Insull's biggest opportunity came when he took over the Chicago Edison Company, which had at least six competitors in the city. Slowly Insull combined the concerns into Commonwealth-Edison, using business methods which his critics called unfair. However, Insull's success was not due to manipulation alone; he also insisted on improved equipment such as the Curtis turbine, which allowed a wider distribution of electricity. Operating on his own, he expanded his interests into surface and elevated transit lines. In 1912 Insull organized a conglomerate that became the symbol of "Insullism"-Middle West Utilities. With assets over $2 million, this maze of holding companies served at least 1, 718, 000 customers from 324 steam plants, 196 hydroelectric generating plants, and 328 ice plants. During the 1920s Insull continued his pattern of using holding companies to control assets. By 1930 the empire consisted of five systems with assets over $2. 5 billion that produced almost one-eighth of the total electric power in the United States. Insull was recognized as one of the nation's important business leaders and received honorary degrees from several universities. The French government awarded him a knighthood in the Legion of Honor. In politics he supported both major parties as it suited his interests. His most notable philanthropic activities included support for the $20 million Chicago Civic Opera House and a donation of $160, 000 to establish the London Temperance Hospital. Insull's empire was in financial trouble in 1929, when the stock market crash and ensuing Depression sealed its doom. In June 1932 he was removed as executive officer of his companies and left for Paris virtually destitute. He was indicted on charges of fraud and embezzlement but fled to Greece, where he fought extradition. Finally returning to the United States for trial, he was acquitted. He fell into obscurity and died in Paris on July 16, 1938.
Achievements
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He was an innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. Insull was notable for purchasing utilities and railroads using holding companies. He was also responsible for the building of the Chicago Civic Opera House in 1929.
Works
book
-
Central-Station Electric Service: Its Commercial Development and Economic Significance as Set Forth in the Public Addresses (1897-1914) (Classic Reprint)
(Excerpt from Central-Station Electric Service: Its Commer...)
-
Central-Station Electric Service; Its Commercial Development And Economic Significance
(Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating bac...)
-
Central Station Electric Service - Scholar's Choice Edition
( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
-
Production And Distribution Of Electric Energy In The Central Portion Of The Mississippi Valley...
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
- The Memoirs of Samuel Insull : An Autobiography
-
Central-Station Electric Service: Its Commercial Development and Economic Significance as Set Forth in the Public Addresses (1897-1914) (Classic Reprint)
Views
Quotations:
"Aim for the top. There is plenty of room there. There are so few at the top it is almost lonely there. "
"What I did, when I did it, was honest; now, through changed conditions, what I did may or may not be called honest. Politics demand, therefore, that I be brought to trial; but what is really being brought to trial is the system I represented. "
Interests
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Both husband and wife were patrons of the arts; because of this Insull was instrumental in the building of Chicago's Civic Opera House, which opened November 4, 1929, with Aida; the opera and its cast were chosen by Insull himself. Samuel Insull was also known for his charitable works in other areas; donating large sums of money to local hospitals and then calling on others with similar resources to do the same. He donated freely to African-American charities in Chicago, asking the wealthy to follow his example. At the time the US entered World War I, Insull was named head of the Illinois Defense Council by President Woodrow Wilson; his efforts sold over a million dollars of War Bonds.
Connections
On May 22, 1899, Samuel Insull married a "tiny, exquisitely beautiful and clever" Broadway ingénue actress whose stage name was (Alis) Gladys Wallis. Her real name was Margaret Anna Bird.
References
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Born
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Died
July 16, 1938 (aged 79) -
Resting place
Putney Vale Cemetery, London, England, United Kingdom -
Nationality
American