The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-05
Electricity and Light for the
Factories and Towns From
MADEIRA to Fowler.
PLANS OF THE NEW COMPANY.
They Include the Construction o.
Electric Freight Lines Through
a Rich Farming District.

company 10 utlllZe the 1mlneuse "aUeA
power of the San Joaquin River and trans
nit it by electricity to all points IN the
valley. The capital of the new organiza-
ton is $500, 900, all of which has been SUBJ
scribed.
Such a scheme as has now been success
fully started has been under discussion for
many years, and the value of the unused
power of the San Joaquin has been fire.
quently pointed out by well-known en-
gineers.
The country between this city and the
river is very level, and consequently there
will be but little expense in putting up the
necessary lines of wire. The San Joaquin
issues from the foothills at point about
seventeen miles from Fresno, near the his
toric old town OF Millerton, once the County
seat, but now almost deserted. Here, in
all probability, the dam to contine the flow
of the stream will be located.
Above and below this point there is a
considerable fall, amply sufficient to give
power for additional wheels should there
be a demand for greater electrical energy.
It is intended to put in ten turbine wheels
of the latest pattern at the first dam con-
structed. Engineers who have made a
careful study of the river say that single
dam during the season when the flow of
water is least will be sufficient to supply
five times as much power as is now used
in the mills, etc., of this city.
Were it the intention of the projectors
to supply only this city one dam would
probably be sufficient for many years; but
power will also be furnished to MADEIRA,
Sanger, Selma, Fowler and other towns
lying within short distance of the works.
Already an order for the first plant has
been placed, and it is positively stated that
it will be ready for operation in three or
four months.
The only names that appear in the arti-
cles of incorporation are: John S. East
wood, John ]. Seymour, Harry Sherwood,
0. J. Woodward, James Porteous, NJ. r.
Madary and L. L. Cory. All are promi-
nent business men of this city. Mr..
Eastwood holds $797, 900 of the stock
of the company, but it is in reality
owned by Eastern capitalists, who are not
yet ready TO give their names. The pro-
jectors of the company tried to interest
California capitalists in the movement. but
believed that the owners are Chicago men,
a number of whom are heavily interested
in the local water company, which is one
of the largest users of power in the city.
The Investment in the water works has
been very profitable one and the Chicago
capitalists would be very ready to advance
the money necessary for furnishing electri-
cal power.
The local men who are pushing the or
ganization have a deep interest financially
in its success. Mr.. Sherwood is manager
of the Touring mills, the largest in this
part of the State; Mr.. Seymour is presi-
owns large agricultural manufacturing
works, and Mr.. Madary is proprietor of a
large planning mill.
Besides furnishing power for their own
establishments the projectors have in mind
the acquisition of the streetcar lines of this
city, which will be changed to electric lines
and the system will no doubt be extended.
The product to be removed from the
neighboring vineyards and orchards will
call for the construction of motor lines of
considerable length. The need of such
lines has been greatly felt by farmers, but
the heavy expense of building and operat-
ing steam lines has heretofore prevented
the carrying out of the enterprise.
There are thousands of acres of rich land
lying near the city that have not been
planted owing to the cost of transporting
the crops. By furnishing a practicable
means of opening these vast tracts the new
company add hundreds of thousands of
dollars to the wealth of the county. A
motor line to Hanford is considered one OF
the possibilities of the future.
With freight rates as high as they now
are the county would benefit but little by
the introduction of cheap power, but when
the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley
Railroad reaches this city there is strong
reason to believe that this will become an
important manufacturing center. Excel
lent coal is now being mined in the Sierra
Nevada, and immense deposits of iron have
been discovered in the Minarets. When
these mines are developed and the output
is laid down here at small cost, the in
dustries of the county will be. revolution
ICED.
1t has not been decided as yet what
charge will be made for power furnished
to the users outside of the new company,
but Mr.. Seymour, who is himself n prac-
teal engineer, says positively that electri-
cal power can be furnished at one-fourth of
the cost of steam power. The milling COM
pany alone consumed nearly $4,000 worth of
fuel during 1894, and their saving will con
sequently be very great.
Among other advantages to this city will
be the possibility of lighting the streets at
an almost nominal expense.
Conservative business men are enthus-
iastic over the project. Before the end of
the year the organizers say the company
will be ready to furnish all the power that
is needed to satisfy every demand. Every
one feels that powerful reaction from the
business depression has set in.
Recovered HIS Bagpipes.
FRESNO, CAL, April 4-James Sinclair,
whose historic bagpipes were taken from
this city by Professor" R. M. Munro, who