The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-16
The Largest Borax Refinery in
the, World and Its
Products.
4 THIRTY. FIVE. TON CABLE.
Interesting News from the Big
Coast CenterS of Pro-
duction.

finery in the world.
There are, no doubt, very many people
| IN the State unaware of the fact that there
are but two borax refnerles worthy the
name in the United States. The other one
is located in New York City, and is part
OF a general chemical works. There is con-
sumed in the United States about 140, 600
tons of borax year.
The Alameda works supplies half OF this,
and not an inconsiderable amount OF the
remainder is imported from England, not
withstanding a duty of cents pound.
The Pacific Coast contains all the borax
deposits yet discovered in the United
States. Nevada for years furnished the
crude supply, but Just now it is being
drawn from Southern California. The
mines are about ten miles from Calico, and
the crude borax is hauled out by twenty
mule teams, picture of one of which is to
be found on every package of refined
boraX.
The use of borax has greatly increased OF
late years. Not very long ago it was used
only as a drug. Now it is used in the
manufacture of soaps for toilet purposes,
as a disinfectant and curative, and very
largely for preserving meats, IN the latter
supplanting saltpeter, and to some extent
taking the place of salt Its price for years
forbade its use in large quantities in COM
mon manufactures, but owing to improved
methods of refining the price has greatly
declined.
T. M. Smith is the owner of the Alameda
works (the Pacific Coast Borax Company,
and is also owner of or controls all the
other accessible deposits on the Pacific
Coast. He has greatly enlarged the in
duStry and stimulated the market for the
product. The company has recently de-
vlsed new compound called "Boraxald,
which it is now manufacturing extensively.
1t is of the same nature as Gold Dust
Washing Powder and other compounds.
The works gives employment to large
number of men, and is one of the perma-
nent and important industries of the State.
The Pacific works of the Washburn &
Moen Manufacturing Company has just
delivered to the upper Howard-street cable
road 35-ton cable. They report their
| works, formerly the California Wire Works,
as running up to full capacity. They have
| large orders from South America, and re-
| port great improvement in general trade.
| They have advices from the East of an ad-
vance Of 81 80 per ton on material for the
manufacture of fine wire, caused by the
| general Improvement IN trade throughout
| the United States.
| NJ. O'Bren. the San Francisco mill
builder, is building tftyDarreI fourmill
| at Gardnerville, New, and hftyb barrel
| mill at Durham, Cal; also 25-ton barley
| and feed plant for Miller Il Butler of Oak
| land, and one OF the same size for Irwin
| Bros. of Orange, and a cornmeal plant for
| Moore & Sons of Santa Ana, besides filling
orders for his perfection barley-rolls for
| the following first-class mills of this City ::
| Capital Mills, Delmonte Mills, Yosemite
| Mills, II. r. Robbins, one for the Capital
| Mills of Los Angeles, and for Groat & Viii
Hams of Portland, Or. He is also putting
in grain-cleaners and elevators for Eppin-
| ger q Goa 600-ton separator and 1S0-ton
smutter-the two largest grain-cleaners in
| the State; also grain-cleaners and eleva-
| tors for the Farmers Union and Ware
house Company of Stockton, and barley
mill for Riverside company.
The National Base Ore Reduction Com
pany's works near Shell Mound is about
completed. The big mill for grinding and
amalgamating the ore after it has passed
through the furnace will be in place in a
few days, and then the plant will be started
up full blast. Several carloads of ore are
now on the way for treatment by this COM
pany, which is done by the embarrassing
process, and it anticipates being able to
operate it's plant constantly up to its full
capacity.
The Pacific Coast Cooperative Cigar
Company reports gratifying increase in
trade. The inquiry for home made
cigars is more constant than ever be-
fore, and seems to have been greatly stlmu-
lated by the recent agitation IN favor OF
home made goods.
Murrv Bros Machine Works is manu-
featuring one of their patent friction drums
for the Albion Lumber Company OF Men
docino County, which with a single wire
rope is capable of raising an entire car of
lumber at single lift. They are also con-
structing one for Palmer & Rey of this
City, to be used for mining purposes.
ha ii Enuinp CnmnanU has
just closed a contract for two 20-horse-
power engines for the Piper, Alden, Goodall
Company, the schooner Piute to operate
twin screws. They also have orders for
several smaller launch engines, as we'll as
three stationary engines for lrrlgatlng pur-
poses.
The Pelton Waterwheel Company has
recently furnished the Preston School of
Industry at lone with plant of 400
horsepower capacity, consisting OF i've
wheels with accompanying TRANSMISSION
machinery, this being for the purpose OF
supplying the institution with light and
power The plant was designed by W. r.
Eckart, consulting engineer of the State,
and is one of the most complete 1nstalla-
tons of the kind in the country, rejecting
great credit on all concerned. This COM
pany has also recently furnished 600
horsepower plant for the Petropolis
Electric Light Power Company in Brazil.
he L eTklnS uIl y anu LII BIZ YIN pe'hy
has lust closed a contract with the town of
Newman, Cal, for two engines and a
pumping plant for water terer works This is
other interior points during the past week
and one to the rock quarry in the Potrero
District, this City.
A steam-power elevator of modern de-
sign has inst been completed by the Cali
fornia Machine Works for an Oakland
canning company.
The Union Proto-engraving Company re-
ports May as the banner month since the
revival OF trade began. They have large
orders for the new departure in n hali-tone
work in colors, the Invention OF which
process and It's practical application for
ordinary printing is success with them.
1t cheapens very materially the heretofore
more expensive and limited use OF litho
for many purposes.
The American Condensed Milk Com
pany. the only condensed milk company
west of the Rocky Mountains, reports
gratifying increase in the use of the
product of it's factory, and believes that the