Editing Commonwealth Edison (section)

===Chicago Edison===
In March, 1887, John M. Clark (president of Western Edison), [[Robert Todd Lincoln]], and John B. Drake obtained a [[Government-granted monopoly|franchise]] from Chicago to distribute electricity in the downtown area, bounded by North Avenue, 39th Street, and Ashland Avenue. They then formed the '''Chicago Edison Company''', which took over all of Western Edison's business on July 2, 1887.<ref>Hogan, p. 19.</ref> Chicago Edison's first central generating station, designed by chief engineer [[Frederick Sargent]], opened at 139 (later 120) West Adams Street in August, 1888.<ref>Hogan, pp. 21–24.</ref> This first station was intended to serve an area bounded by Harrison Street, Market Street and Water Street (both now [[Wacker Drive]]), and [[Michigan Avenue (Chicago)|Michigan Avenue]], and served this area with an Edison-patented [[direct current]] system until it closed in 1914 or 1915.<ref>Hogan, pp. 22, 26–27.</ref>