The record-union., 1891-10-14
NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRIC
POWER.

The town or country possessing natural
advantages which may be availed of with
comparative ease that neglects or refuses
to do SO, with the certainty of resulting
benefit to flow from Improvement of the
offers of nature, deserves no sympathy if
1t languishes.
Sacramento cannot afford to be placed
In that attitude, nor will she be. She has
now approached so near to the date of
the extinction of her debt that she can
enter upon the contemplation of plans
and schemes to augment her manufact-
uring and other commercial investments.
The example of the lesser city of Stock
ton, south of US, cannot be ignored We
have here better prospects for abundant
supplies of natural gas than that city had
at the outset of her gas venture, which
has since met with such pronounced sue
cess.
The one and only hindrance to manu-
featuring here to the full limit of demand
Is the cost of fuel per horsepower. Re
duce that to a fair minimum and the
question is solved. It never can be with
wood prices and coal tonnage cost at
present rates. With cheap fuel we can
avail of the vast sugar-pine supplies now
opened to US through the new American
River waterway, and make manufactures
In wood here more advantageous than at
any other place.
Capital from two distinct sources is
waiting to establish manufacture in wool
at Sacramento if the horse power cost
problem can be solved. Present local
manufactures can and will quadruple
their investment and output if they can
be given fuel at reasonably low price.
such for instance as Stockton now eniovs
in natural gas.
1t is therefore the part of wisdom to
venture sufficient capital to follow up the
experiments already made and reduce to
demonstration the question whether or
not We have here natural gas supply
adapted to domestic heating purposes
and the creation of steam horsepower.
The well now down yields more and bet
ter gas than did any Stockton well at like
depth. 1t gives better results to date
than any experimental well in Indiana
or Ohio ever did at like depth, and in
both oflthose States the natural gas sup
ply has proved source of enormous
nd -
industry.
If accompany of citizens were sinking
for a.gold find and got one half the show
ing prospect that has been found in
the Sacramento gas well, capital would
How to the enterprise in great volume to
aid it, in the hope of striking it rich
little farther down.
1t is therefore to be hoped that the nat
ural gas venture win not cease. but that a
proper well will be at once sunk, and
with such speed that by next spring we
may realize the hope OF flow Of gas fit
for heat production that will completely
eliminate the now hampering and retard.
ing fuel question
The assurance is given that with the
completion of the water-power works at
Folsom electric power can be transmitted
to this city, and will be at such low cost
to consumers as to prove a wonderful
stimulus to manufacturing enterprise.
1t is claimed that the one-time objection
OF loss in transmission is now overcome.
and that here, as in Europe is now done,
mitted long distances.
Sacramento has had it dinned into her
ears for quarter of a century that in the
American River water-power she pos
sessed q source of enormous wealth and
the means for building up great city;
and it was simple truth. But before the
people could possibly avail of the prime
location for storing the power passed un-
DER State control, coupled with private
privilege to utilize the water-power. That
utilization is now nearly ready to be ap-
piled to the sale of power for distant
transmission, and to its local use in
manufacturing at or near Folsom. We
are not informed as to details or dates.
but it is given out that these accomplish
ments are set down for the near future.
Sacramento, therefore, with cheap cleo
trio creating power, with a probable
ample supply of natural gas, and the
prospective shaking off of that old man
OF the sea, debt, has before her the fairest
prospects. If we should fail in the one
source of power we will scarcely do so in
the other. Economy of expenditure for
power and heat will conserve industry,
reward capital, enlarge trade, augment
population and bring in their train the
manifold blessings of prosperity. We
ought, therefore, to put literally INTO the
experimental effort for the development
of natural gas supply, that there is
every reason to believe lies just beneath
our feet, and we ought to encourage as
well all other influences proposing to
cheaper fuel and power production.
With the end of indebtedness in sight,
our streets now handsomely improved,
new means of local transportation in