The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1895-01-05


At intervals for months past cleo
trio light wires have been laid un-
foreground aud it has Just been an
nouuced that the company intends
expanding in the very near future
from 100000 to S2j0,O00 in similar
work, says the San Francisco Chrou-
icle. As the result Of inquiry at the
Office of the Edison Light and Power
Company it was learned that it was
measure OF economy to place the
wires underground.
One OF the officers OF the company
when Intercepted upon the subject
said: This laying OF the wires un-
foreground is, as a matter OF course,
an expensive operation; that is to
say, the first cost is considerably
greater than that OF stringing the
wires overhead, but in the long run
it is far more economical and we are
placing the wires underground as
fast as we feel warranted in making
the outlay. The simplest proof
which | can offer OF the assertion |
make is to be found in comparison
of the rates OF current charged for
by the overhead service as compared
with those for underground service.
"The company has been for years
past steadily reducing the price OF
current. These reductions are due
to many causes which may be sum.
med up" said the officer, ain general
terms as the cheapening OF produc
ton. In addition to the advantages
of laying the wires underground
many other improvements have been
made in the plant Of the company
and question il there is any con.
Germ in this city which has so assdu
ously adopted every valuable inven.
ton Tor the advancement of its bust.
ness and the economic production
OF its manufacture as the Edison
Light and Power Company. In the
matter Of condensing water the com
pany has in the past year built at
large expense a concrete tunnel,
which, running out into the bay,
conveys salt water to the condensers
and so saves the cost OF fresh water
The boilers are OF the latest and
most economical type, and have re-
Gently been fitted with automatic
coal feeders. The engines OF the
company are the most modern in
the United States for the purpose
They are Of the regular marine type,
and are constructed on a most econo.
mical plan.
THE best results are obtained
when the engines are run at an even
speed developing au even amount oil
power night and day. The neare,
we can keep our mains at their full
est carrying capacity the cheaper
we can sell current, and as conse.
quence the more our patronage il
increased the cheaper will be not
only the cost Of production to u,
but OF consumption to the user. L
is to our interest to make reduction,
whenever practicable, as the cheaper
we can sell current the larger tn,
number OF our clients will be.
"In February, lS9 we made 8
general reduction OF 10 per cent
which was the fifth reduction in a.
many years, and we are now prepar
ing schedule OF rates to 60 into
effect January |, 1895, which viii
give our customers further reduc
ton Of 10 per cent,
Another feature OF the business
which should not be lost sight of il
the wiring Of buildings. Prior Il
February, 1898, wiring was done in
discriminatory, and often by IRE
sponsible parties. The result wa
that when current was turned OF
for lighting the wiring would no
stand. Generally the electric light
ing company was blamed for poo
service so that our company in Feb
ruary, 1893, announced that there
after it would do all incandescen
wiring, where current was to be sup
piled from its mains, at actual cost
and since then we have done thou
sands OF dollars worth of wiring a
cost, and often at a loss, but the enc
justified the means, and now w
rarely have complaint on accoun
OF poor wiring.
"Reductions will be made in COS
as fast as we can see our way /,
making them and when it is remem
bered that all the cuts in price
have been made voluntarily ald an
tirely OF our own motion | thin
that San Francisco consumers O
electric light will admit that the