Forgotten Pioneer: Leo Daft and the Excelsior Power Company [History]

Gold Street in lower Manhattan is a narrow passage laid out when horse traffic was the predominant mode of travel. Just south of Fulton Street, a large converted residential structure at #33-43 bears a plaque with the words Excelsior Power Co. and the date A.D. 1888 (Figure 1). While it may be a curiosity to the casual observer, it is the city's last remaining public sign from the pioneer days of electric power. Two short blocks west of Thomas Edison's famous Pearl Street station of 1882, the Excelsior Company was a pioneer in providing power for mechanical tasks, as opposed to simple lighting. It began with the provision of steam power and then adopted electric power as it was more efficient. The development of the Excelsior Company paralleled the career of inventor Leo Daft until mutual business interests brought them together.