The record-union., 1895-07-15
THE ELECTRIC POWER.

On Saturday morning, as the dawn was
breaking, the announcement was made
that the experiment of transmitting cleo
trical energy from the great works at
Folsom erected by the Sacramento Elec-
trio Power and Light Company was sue
cessful. Thus that for which Sacramento
has long looked was made certainty,
and the last doubt concerning the feasi-
bility of the scheme was put at rest.
One day last week there appeared in
these columns sketch of the claim made
by Professor Haupt, Chief Engineer of
an Eastern compressed air company, to
the effect that the economic transmission
of electricity for power purposes could
not be achieved beyond five-mile limit.
That claim was published as news, and
that both sides of the controversy con-
corning transmission of power long dis
tances might be presented. We then
said that it was not thinkable that capital
would invest so largely as it has in the
electric transmission business except on
the well-grounded faith that long carriage
of energy was possible, and at cost to
justify the displacement of steam.
In the face of the claim of Professor
Haupt we have now the demonstration of
the opposing claim of the electricians
The power is at present coming to Sacra-
hn i,,or Of
Folsom, and is in use in running street
cars in this city. The distance over which
this transmission is effected is twenty
two miles, and it is therefore the longest
power stretch in the world. The en-
gineers state that the loss in such trans
mission is about 10 per cent. rather be-
low than above that figure probably;
that the delivery of such power can be
effected in this city at greatly lessened
cost from the steam basis, reduction,
we are told, that will be almost cut in
two Of old prices. When it is considered
that power has been costing as high as
Sl20 to 500 year per horsepower, the
significance of the claim will be better
understood.
On all sides Sacramento is now the re-
cipient of congratulations as the pioneer
city in this new scheme of low priced
power and the utilization of WATERPROOF er
to turn the wheels of industry through
the agency of transmitted electrical en-
ergy. But we must keep in mind that
these congratulations will be repeated for
other cities and towns which secure SIM
liar advantages by similar means. Thus,
within three months electrical power
transmitted twenty eight miles will be
introduced into Fresno. and that place
will then boaHt of the longest distance OF
transmission in the world.
These facts serve to emphasize
what the RECORD UNION has SO often
said. that when opportunity offers the
towns and cities which embrace it are
most likely to come into the lead in trade,
manufacturing and the development OF
the resources Of the State. Interests are
becoming fixed just now that have long
been fiuctuating. Next year and the next
are to determine what are to be the large
and prosperous centers in this State.
Those cities and towns that are not to the
forefront within that period will be likely
TO remain far in the rear for many years.
1t therefore behooves Sacramento to
lose not moment of progressive activ-
tiles of all kinds, in order that large in
terests may be concentrated here, and
our resources developed as speedily as
possible. We have already pointed out
that very considerable number of lines
of manufacture are open to US to supply
home demands that are now met by
Eastern enterprise, operating in several
cases upon raw material which we send
East to be returned to Us in manufactured
forms, The RECoRD-UNIoN has also in
dicated several lines Of industry new to
MS that can be safely inaugurated here to
meet coast demand that is now supplied
from the East out of raw material not
produced here as yet for such purposes,
but which we have in quantity-the
manufacture of wall paper, for instance.
But aside from these things Sacramento
must bend ber energies to local improve