Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-27
LIGHT FOR EVERYBODY.
THE GAS coMPANYs NEW ELECTRIC
LIGHT PLANT.
1t VIII be in Running Order About the
LIST of September-Large and
Costly Works.

Since the new intersection electric lights
were introduced, a few nights since, Sscra-
mento has been one of the est-lighted
cities in the State, if not the best. This
statement applies to her street system: but
when the Capital Gas land electric) Com
pany gets its new electric plant in opera
ton, Sacramento will have few equals in
the Union as regards lighting facilities.
A RECORD UNION reporter yesterday WIS.,
tied the premises of the company, in the
block between T and U streets and Front
street and the river, where the company is
now erecting its electric-light station. The
company has purchased the entire block
surrounding the gas works, which. with its
new works, will occupy large proportion
of the space included within these limits.
A large force of men are engaged in the
work of erecting the new building. 1t is
123x68 feet in size, and will consist of
basement fourteen feet in hight and one
story above that.
The foundation was most carefully laid.
1t consists of solid bed of concrete several
feet in depth, the walls being 81 inches
thick. The foundation for the larger of
the engines Ia Corliss) is of concrete, 23x6
feet at the base. and l6xS on the top. the
latter, of course reaching the main floor.
The foundation for the main line of shaft
ing is also of concrete, los feet long and 6
feet wide on the top.
The boiler house is similarly constructed.
The large boilers are three in number, and
are being put in their places at an elevation
of % feet above the floor of the basement,
These are of the Babcock & Wilcox make.
known as the tubular boilers, and. al.
though generally used in the East, there
are few on this coast. There will also be
five other tubular boilers of smaller size
the whole being capable of operating en-
gines furnishing 500 horsepower. The
floor of the boiler house is of concrete, car
ried on steel eye-beams. There will be a
roof of corrugated iron over the engine
house, supported by iron rafters.
Five large engines will be required to
run the dynamos. The largest will be q
vertical triple-expansion engine, now in
course of construction by the San Fran
cisco Tool Company. There will be three
others of the Arlington & Sims pattern,
and one large Corliss engine. These five
powerful motors will be capable of furnish
ing S00-horse power. Provision has been
made for using the river water for con-
densing purposes.
Adjoining the boiler-house is the smoke.
stack, brick chimney now under way,
and which will rise to a hight of l27 feet.
The foundation of this great shaft of brick
consists of u feet of solid concrete resting
upon 100 piles. The latter are driven close
together and cut off below the low-water
mark. The base of the chimney is Is feet
square. The inside diameter is 81 feet at
the base, and feet at the top. Outside,
the base will be square, the middle octagon.
and the top finished off in circular shape.
The main floor of the engine house and
dynamo-room will be laid with three-inch
plank. making it very solid. The roof will
be fiat, and will also be constructed of
three.inch plank, covered with tar-and-
gravel roofing.
Pressed brick will be used in the con-
struction of the front of the building. which.
when completed, will present very hand
some appearance. An elevated tramway
has been constructed from the top of the
leyee on the river bank to the top of the
basement walls, by which building mate
rails and machinery are carried from the
railroad to the building. This will be
maintained permanently.
The main floor of the building will be
on level with the street at the foot of
Front and K, and will therefore be above
Inc nigh. water mark.
George Murray has the contract for all
~ brickwork, and the rest of the labor is
being done on the day system, the company
employing its own men. James G. Pier
son, the company's Superintendent, drew
the plans for the building. and all the work
is being done under his supervision and d.
rection.
The work was commenced on the struct.
ure in April last, and the company expect
to have it completed by the LIST of next Sep
TENDER, when it will be prepared to supply
electric power to all parties desiring it for
motive purposes. The company has now
on hand sixteen dynamos and provision is
being made for twenty. When these shall
be in operation the company will also be
ready to introduce its incandescent system
for lighting stores, residences and other
buildings. The cost of the new improve.
ments is estimated at about $4,000.
Yesterday the company finished the work
OF dismantling all the street lamps in the
city, as it is not at all likely that the,muni-
cipality will ever again return to the use of
gas for street-lighting. Still, the posts will
be allowed 10 remain, and the lamps can
readily be replaced should it ever become
necessary.
As an evidence of the growth of the city,
the officers of the company state that the
demand Tor gas has been steadily on the
increase despite the introduction of cleo.
tricity. Even now the company is putting
in additional gas retorts, having recently
received fifty new ones from the East; also
1,5o0 large blocks of thing from Jersey
City, n. j., to be used in setting up the re-
torts. When the incandescent system shall
be ready for ntroduction-which will be
as soon as the new electric station is com.
pieted-there may. and doubtless will be,
for a time, decreased demand for gas, but
as the city grows the company intends to
be prepared to furnish either gas or cleo
tricity Tor both) to all that may demand
them.