A small 96-page book entitled "What you need to know to spend less on electricity", published in a circulation of 18,000 copies by engineer Aleksandrov in 1912, was a real revelation for me. We have all heard about the "bast shoe Russia" that lived by candlelight and torches and that the Russians got into electricity only after the revolution and that all sorts of hair dryers, washing machines, electric samovars, electric heaters, electric irons, various electric motors, lifts, electric haircutters electrofits in theaters, luminous advertising with creeping lines, all kinds of lamps and lamps with a power of 1.0 and 1.5 watt bulbs (one-watt dim in 12 candles, brightest in 800 candles. 1.5 watt - from 2 to 1500 candles. And old coal - up to 3100 candles), an electric device for eliminating wrinkles,an electric garland for decorating a Christmas tree and much, much more.
Even then, there were counters, receipts for payment and the price of 4 kopecks per hectowatt hour or 40 kopecks per kilowatt hour. And even then, the population and industry were paying at different rates.
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In the book itself, the date of its publication is not indicated, but VA Aleksandrov published several books on the subject of electricity, for example "Practical calculation of wires and stations" dated 1909-1912. It was this specific brochure that could have been republished in 1914, judging by the fact that the introduction of military tariffs associated with the outbreak of the 1st World War is mentioned. The brochure “What you need to know to spend less on electricity” was first printed in 1912 and was reprinted four times until 1918. Then we were told about the electrification of the entire country and the "Ilyich's Lamp" …
Of course, the workers and peasants could not afford electricity and the electrification of the whole country was really carried out by the Bolsheviks, but this should not negate the very fact that electricity in Russia was used in everyday life and before the revolution, not to mention the devices that used electricity and many of they were first invented in Russia.
Download the book: "What you need to know to spend less on electricity"