Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.

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Industrialist and inventor of the compressed air brake George Westinghouse incorporated the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company in 1891. With its giant factory located in East Pittsburgh, Pa., the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company soon became the Edison General Electric Company's main rival in the contest to provide electricity to the United States. While Edison General Electric pioneered the generation and distribution of direct current (DC) electricity, Westinghouse put all of its efforts into the development of alternating current (AC) systems. AC systems were capable of transmitting significantly more electricity from more distant sites, thus enabling the supply of power to rural areas or smaller urban centers. Westinghouse supported the research of the great Serbian inventor Nikola Tesla, and purchased patent rights to his revolutionary polyphase AC system. Edison General Electric launched a high-profile public relations campaign against the "danger" of AC systems, but scientific and commercial reason was on Westinghouse's side. The next decade witnessed the wide adoption of AC systems around the country and overseas, with Westinghouse and Edison GE competing for markets in electrical goods, generators, turbines, and delivery systems.

From the description of Collection of Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company contracts, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1892-1901. (University of Pittsburgh). WorldCat record id: 55133092

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