Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-16


Webb Howard, of the Spring Valley Water
Company. Howard and the two Liver
mores soon disagreed as to the policy of the
company, which disagreement finally ter
minated in the two Livermores withdraw
ing from the Natoma Water and Mining
Company. They, however, held on to
their water right, end organized what is
now known as the Folsom Water Power
Company. The water right includes the
dam opposite the prison grounds and the
proposed canal thence to the town of Fol-
som, some two miles. As they own the
land on both sides of the river for that dis
tance, and also have the bed of the
river covered with Government mining
patents, no question of riparian rights
can intervene to prevent the carrying out
of the long cherished plan of the first Mr.
Liyermore, !. e., the completion of the dam
and building the canal to the town of Fol-
som, and the putting up at the latter place
of large factories of various kinds, to be
operated by the almost unlimited power to
be obtained from thirty-foot canal six
feet deep, with seventy-two-foot fall, at
Folsom. During the past ten days, the
Livermores having settled all prelimina-
ries, have again decided to begin work on
the dam and canal and
PUSH IT TO A SPEEDY COMPLETION.
The rapidly increasing population of the
State, the high price of fuel and the excel
lent opportunity offered for manufactures
of various kinds has rendered the water
very valuable. As the Supreme Court has
already decided in favor of the Livermores
they have within the last week submitted
propositions to increase the capacity of the
canal from thirty to forty feet, as far as the
State Prison Fall, or about 400 yards, and
to give the State six-foot fall instead of
five feet, as called for in the original con-
tract. In return it is asked that the State
complete the dam and canal as far as the
Prison Fall, the Livermores furnishing all
free labor necessary, such as engineers
foremen, boss stonemasons, etc. The foun-
dation of the dam is already completed
and many thousand feet of dimension
stone is lying upon the ground ready.
They have already expended some $40, 600
in putting in this foundation, and it is
estimated that it will take some 60 600 days'
convict labor TO complete the dam and
canal to the Prison fall, 400 yards. Now
let us see what are
THE BENEFITS
The State can derive from the completion
of the canal. First, it is to be borne in
mind that the State has 483 acres of land,
including valuable quarries, for which it
has not paid dollar in money and only
IL 900 days labor. As the original con-
tracts were settled by the decisions of the
Courts, this comes in the shape of an en-
tirely new proposition. Six feet fall from
a forty foot canal with the improved appli-
ances in handling water power is equal to
more than 500.horse power. The State
will also have the right to divert one fourth
of the canal at that point to the river,
giving fall of thirty feet, which will give
from one to two hundred horse power
more, making it safely 600-horse power;
not for day or year, but
FOR ALL TIME.
As an economic business proposition
water power is worth the sum that the ssy-
ing of fuel over steam power will pay in
terest upon. The best and safest calcula-
tions made by engineers is that each horse
power consumes fifteen cents worth of fuel
in day of ten hours, figuring coal st 81
per ton, hence 600 horsepower would con-
sumo 500 worth OF fuel each day of ten
hours, or about $4,000 per annum. That
amount would be interest at per cent. per
annum on $500,0O0, which latter sum
would be the intrinsic value of this mag
nificent power to the State as soon as COM
pleted. A large size irrigating pump would
throw water enough to irrigate every por-
ton of the prison tract. The prison could
be lighted by electricity with only the cost
of the plant. By the use of improved ma
chlnery stone can be quarried and dressed
in large quantities and at nominal cost.
On the South Fork of the American river
lie immense bodies of sugar pine that
could be logged down the stream in suffi-
clent quantities to run large-sized door
and sash factory, or if the policy of the
State is to work our prisons solely in the
manufacture of iute goods there is power
enough here to run 200 looms. The in
creased cost of freight on the raw jute
would be more than counter balanced
by the central location of the fac
tory when it comes to supplying the farm
ing community with bags. In addition to
the benefits to be derived by the State.
when The canal is completed to Folsom,
NEW LIFE
VIII be put into this section of the State,
From Rip Van Wrinkle village Folsom
will at once become leading manufactur-
ing city of the State. Nor will the benefits
stop here; after the water has been used
there to turn many thousands of spindles,
it will be carried along to the plains and be
used to irrigate the large tracts of fine lands
lying south and east of Sacramento CITY,
As the proposition of the Folsom Water
Power Company only involves the ques-
ton of few thousands days convict labor.
more or less, and as they are already en-
titled to the larger share Of the labor under
existing contracts, and the advantages to
accrue to the State are so vast, il would
seem that the Governor and Board of Di-
rectors would be justified in closing an
equitable contract that would bring about
such desirable results. No proposition has
been advanced for years that is fraught
with SO much interest to the people of Sac
ramento city and county. Amongst other
advantages, wire conveying power to
light the city of Sacramento could be sue
cessfully operated from Folsom so cheaply
that incandescent lights could be placed in
every business house in the city and most
of the dwellings, while the problem of fur
nishing electric power for small motors
now asked for in Sacramento, would be
solved, thus enabling a great number of
small machines to be run in offices. small
factories and households, not now possible.
EXAMINATION By THE GOVERNOR.
As already stated Governor Waterman.