The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1896-04-03
THE uses OF ELECTRICITY.
It is Rapidly Displacing Steam Power in
Sacramento.
Users Experience a Great Saving-Will
be Cheaper Than Oil for Resi-
dence Lighting.


the generating plant at Folsom, it was
determined to provide two separate
lines for transmission, thus insuring a
steady power at the terminal, even
though one line became disabled. There
was erected, accordingly, two rows OF
parallel poles, carrying ten copper
wires, over which the entire amount of
power generated, it was thought,
might be transmitted.
From the powerhouse at Sixth and
H streets it was to be distributed
throughout the city to any point where
needed. The idea was carried to COM
pletion, and q similar arrangement was
perfected in the power-house, so that
should one wire become disabled, the
current might be switched to another,
with scarcely a moments delay. The
precaution was also taken to make
each dynamo detachable from the main
system, which reduces danger from any
breakage to a minimum. The currents
will very shortly be made never-failing
ones, and all the promoters will have
to do is to say, LET there be light
and there will be light" and plenty of
power to spare to set every wheel in
Tie CITY III ulOtlOI.
The company is extending it's lines at
a rapid rate, and local industries, see
ing a great saving over the old steam
process, are rapidly falling into line,
and it is expected that in a short time
electricity will be the motor power for
every mandatory in the city.
Nor does the company stop there.
They realize that the cost of lighting
residences may be reduced to a mini
mum, and have formed a new schedule
which will bring the electric light
within the reach of everyone, and com
pared to which the cost, even of oil,
would appear enormous The charges
per lamp for lighting residences will
be per month, for dining room, sitting
room and hall, 80 cents each; kitchen,
- cents; and for parlor, bedroom, pan
try and bathroom, 10 cents each.
Thus it may be seen that at a very
small cost every residence in the city
may be supplied throughout with the
best artificial light in the world
The power generated at Folsom and
transmitted to this city will be more
than sufficient to light every residence
and turn every wheel in the city, bar
the head.
Preparations are under way to
double the power now conducted. or
which may be conducted over the pres
ent number of wires into the city, the
source being inexhaustible and the
power incalculable. 1t is only mat
ter of short time, under the present
impetus until such an enlargement
will become necessary, as contracts are
being daily entered into with local
firms, and it is estimated that 5000
horsepower will be amply sufficient to
meet every need for the present At
present. the plant is capable of trans
hitting 1000 horsepower
Steam has been a good servant to
mankind, yet as every good servant
will, it has seen its day in Sacramento.
The city has been cautious in adopting
the electric power, and, like a wise
man, has waited for results. But even
the most dyspeptic skeptic is being
convinced that electricity is the power
for the people, and that it has come to
stay. The electric plant is being tried
in the balance, and up to date has been
found not wanting. 1t has gone
come through the hands of corporation
and private experts with it's splendor
untarnished The promises made by
the company are being redeemed, and
the venture" is a venture no longer,
but one of the most solidly established
facts in the State.
Several establishments in the city
are now using the electric motor in
stead of the steam engine and have
become satisfied that there is not only
a big saving, but that better satisfac-
ton is given by the former than the
latter
In order to show what some of the
parties who are using the motors
think of that power, as compared to
steam, they were asked to write state
ments over their signatures for the
benefit of the readers of the Record
Union" Here are few of them:
j. NJ. Anderson, Pacific Printing
House: In 1889 we had in our Office
an engine of three-horse-p power and
used coal, that with paying engineers
salary cost us from $50 to $50 per
month. In 1891 we rented of the gas
company a three horse power electric
motor, paying $50 per month for same.
After the fire we purchased our own
motor and hired electricity from the
Capital Gas Company Our bills ran
then from $50 as high as $40 per
month. Since the Sacramento Electric
Power and Light Company have con-
nected with us our bills have run from
SO to SO per month. Thus we save
- per cent. over the old company. and
upward of 80 per cent over COAL
Mr.. Anderson could not speak highly
enough of the system, stating that he
was afraid the company had made a
mistake in its charges for the first
month, and that the cost for power
amounted to almost nothing.
S. Bell can say that the use of the
ten horsepower motor in my shop
proves to be a saving of 80 per cent.
in my fuel bills, and does away entirely
with the labor formerly consumed in
keeping up steam. The service of the
motor is a great benefit to my business.
Mr.. Bell said he could not realize how
he had lived and kept his machine
shop running under the old power svs-
tenn. and was vastly pleased with his
investment.
Probably the most emphatic indorse-
ment of electricity as a motor power
comes from George NJ. Mott. manager
of the II. S. Croker Company. 1t is as
follows:
G. NJ. Mott-For many years we used
steam as our motive power. We kept
careful account of all the items of cost,
and believe that we were economical.
Some eight years ago we obtained from
the gas company five-years' contract
for gas (for motive power) at special