The purpose of this study is to trace the early economic development of the electric light industry in Kansas City. The study is concerned with the period of electric light company development in this city from 1881 to 1900. The early electric companies were faced with problems of engineering, management, finance, competition, regulation, and public relations. The early electric light companies in Kansas City successfully coped with these problems. By the turn of the century the general public saw that a monopoly in a particular class of utility was the natural thing to have. Throughout the study an attempt was made to keep three objectives in mind: 1) To point out and explain all the significant developments connected with the origin and growth of the early electric light companies ; 2) to show the relation of the firms to their economic and social environment; and 3) to show the economic and social consequences of the early public attitude toward this new branch of public utilities. The companies early history and general development in the electric light industry have been expanded on at some length. This history was written in cooperation with the Kansas City Power & Light Company. That is the only satisfactory method. Company records of this early period were utilized, as were books, articles, magazines, newspapers and personal interviews.

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