The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-22

engine trains for outlying routes. Ii
water and fuel stations were distributed
along the way ana the enterprise handled
Systematically, a good thing for the in
vestors and shippers might result. The
Best Company also make 50-horse- power
blowing engines which are capable of pull
ing sixteen to twenty-five 10-inch gang
plows at a speed of three miles an hour.
These wholesale plows break up forty-five to
seventy acres day, being governed by the
character of the soil, of course. Gigantic
machines called combined harvesters'
are also made at the Best shops. BY these
machines the grain is cut separated-the
foul from the good-threshed and put into
sacks. Daniel Best, who is always con-
irving and improving, has worked out an
improvement on the gasoline engines, so
much used now for all light power, by in
venting a gas generator by which crude
petroleum can be used.
This engine gets better results through
the use of domestic coal oil, which is gen.
Grated into gas, than from the more expen-
sive refined oils. For ten hours run one
of these engines requires sixteen gallons of
crude oil which has an asphaltum base,
which sells for 3 cents per gallon. At the
end of the ten hours run an over-product
of seven gallons of asphaltum is left. This
in turn sells for cents per gallon. If
crude oil with a paraffine base is used it
requires thirteen gallons for ten hours run
which costs cents gallon. The paraf-
fine base oil leaves an product of good
lubricating oil, which brings four times
the original cost of the crude oil. So this
gas generation, which is the latest inven-
ton of Mr.. Best, can be run at minimum
cost. These engines are made of three,
five and twelve horsepower and can be
utilized for almost any purpose. The
engines are becoming popular for dis
tributing water, for irrigating wells,
ward and orchard lands. They are so
simple that a woman or child can manage
them.
Mr. Best is the inventor of everything
made in these extensive shops, which en-
ploy about seventy-fve men. The plant is
sufficiently large, however, to employ 200,
but the general depression has caused
slack work.
H. II. Hopper has good shops here, Of
which he has the personal supervision,
where agricultural wagons, good driving
wagons and buggies are made. Mr..
Hopper of the Central Agricultural Works
is making a speciality of fruit wagons,
with very deep latticed beds.
The San Leandro Planning Mill is hum
ming. All kinds of house furnishings and
fine lumber is got out by F. Dahl, the pro-
prietor.
A small pickle works is located here.
John Ravekes Jr. makes sauces, picalilli,
horseraddish stuffed peppers and all sorts
of pickles. They are rot made in large
quantities, SO that they have a delicious
homemade flavor. Mr.. Ravekes is an
energetic young man, who personally
looks after his own market. When a stock
OF goods is made up he takes a load and
drives into the interior and mountain
towns, where he leaves his goods by the
wholesale. Some day San Leandro may
have, as a result Of this untiring industry,
an establishment equal TO Crosse & Black
well of London.
The business street, down which the cleo
trio road passes, has some very good, we'll
stocked stores. The San Leandro Bank
of which Socrates Huff IS president, is an
attractive corner.
The fruit throughout this entire district