Long Ago in Spoleto: the city’s electrical system comes into operation

May 28, 2021 News, Offerte, Visore Home No comments

When did the city’s electrical system go into operation in Spoleto? How long has the city been able to boast of such a revolutionary technological innovation, a cornerstone of modernity? Judging by the public notices kept in the Spoleto City Library, the memorable event took place on Saturday 7 January 1899, at the cost of great battles, major sacrifices and in any case later than the other towns in Umbria.
Here is a brief selection, in strict chronological order, of town notices and posters that recount the extraordinary adventure of a laborious conquest, a great political and collective effort to keep pace with progress and technological civilisation.

November 1894, a competition is announced, to design an electrical system for the city of Spoleto to ensure ‘electric lighting and possible use of motive power […] Both steam and hydraulic motive power projects will be considered’.

In November 1896, faced with an epochal choice and responsibility, the City Council decides to call a by-election: it is necessary to choose a list of “enlightened” (pun intended) candidates, to help the current administration to carry out a project considered decisive for the future development of the city: to bring the electric energy from Marmore to Spoleto and to take on the task, however burdensome and expensive it might be, of the direct operation of the electric plant by the City, a decisive step for the social and industrial development of the city. To choose the candidates, a committee was formed to identify a shortlist: Among these were Giuseppe Sordini and Ugo Ojetti, convinced supporters of a project that was decisive for the fate of the city itself, all of whom were motivated by “the great importance for the future of Spoleto of providing it with that motive power, which it alone lacks in comparison to neighbouring cities, and which in the not too distant future will also constitute a conspicuous income for the city reasury, that will help solving other very serious problems”.

An article in the ‘Giovane Umbria‘ of 5 December 1897 reported that on the 9th of that month ‘work will begin on the installation of circuits in the town’.
In May 1898, Mayor Sinibaldi announced the approval of regulations for the concession of electric light to private individuals, stating that the work would be carried out following the chronological order of applications and specifying that those who hastened to submit an application, especially before the inauguration of the new system, would enjoy special economic benefits.

The electrical system in Spoleto came into operation, as mentioned above, on January 7, 1899: the public notice, issued on the eve of the event and signed by the councillor G. Morichelli, is curious and cautionary in tone, citizens are warned “not to establish any communication on the primary line from Marmore to Spoleto, as well as in the interior of the city, not in the interest of public service, but mainly for their personal safety. Contact with the secondary lines is also dangerous. The danger is serious and permanent also in daylight hours“.

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