In 1880, Thomas Edison founded the Edison Electric Illuminating Company to provide electric lighting to New York City, marking a pivotal moment in the history of electricity and urban infrastructure. This company played a crucial role in the widespread adoption of electric lighting, transforming public spaces and private homes. Edison's innovations not only revolutionized the way people lived and worked but also laid the groundwork for the modern electric utility industry.

The founding of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company transformed urban life, inspiring poets like Ezra Pound to explore the implications of electricity on modernity. This shift in daily life and literary settings prompted reflections on progress and the human experience in bustling cities.