The record-union., 1896-11-17
EASTERN IGNORANCE OF CALI
EORNIA ACHIEVEMENT.


from Buffalo, n. Y, announcing that
on that night the lever would be pulled
that would open the longest electrical
transmission line in the world, namely,
from Niagara Falls to Buffalo. There
follows a long and glowing account Of
this wonderful achievement, and
story of how engineers Were on the
rack of anxiety as the hour of the test
approached, and the great question
was to be solved whether electrical en-
ergy could be carried over wires for
the distance between Niagara Falls
and the city of Buffalo, where it would
be used, if only it went, to propel
street cars.
The dispatch further said that mar
velous as had been the achievements
of science, all would fade before the
success of the pulling Of that lever
demonstrating that power can be
transmitted so far as from Niagara
to Buffalo, distance as the crow flies
of eighteen miles, and by rail twenty
miles, which the dispatches magnify
into twenty-five miles That may how
ever, be correct by taking into account
the turns of the line within the city
limits, to accommodate the application
of the power.
In yesterdays dispatches came the
sequel of all this In the announcement
that the lever was pulled at the ap-
pointed hour, the electrical current shot
over to Buffalo, and the power was
transmitted TO the sub-station, and the
great problem was solved and the be-
lief that electrical power can be made
commercially possible over twenty
two-nile wire was realized.
How the East can be ignorant Of the
fact that now nearly two years ago
electrical energy was transmitted from
Folsom to Sacramento, longer distance
than from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, is
inexplicable AT the time of the in
auguration of that industry here and
its application to the movement of cars
on the twenty-five miles of the street
railway system of this city all the
Eastern newspapers We're filed with
accounts of that achievement, which
was the longest distance covered by
transmitted electrical energy for indus
trial purposes in the world.
AT that time there was held in this
city an Electrical Carnival In honor of
the event, and it was conceded TO be
the most wonderful and brilliant cleo
trical exhibition in all history, for there
was then done, besides Illumination of
streets and buildings. what had not be-
fore been attempted. The current was
transmitted twenty-five and a half
miles and lighted immense floats with
a myriad OF electrical lamps, the floats
being moved at the same time by the
same electrical power over lines Of
street railway.
Either the news gatherers are
wofully forgetful of recent history, or
they meanly ignore the truth when
they declare that the transmission
from Niagara is the longest ever at
tempted. They likewise expose their
ignorance IN declaring that the
Niagara electrical engineers hope to
accomplish some time in the future the
transmission OF such power such a dis
lance with less than two thirds or half
loss of initial force. Here at sacra-
nento from the outset, as all the world
knows, the transmission of power and
lighting currents has been accom-
plished at loss Of less than 10 per
cent, and the fact has been repeatedly
heralded at the East. reported in all
the scientific journals. and has been
matter for extended comment and
expert debate for nearly two years
We do not cast doubt upon the be-
lief that electrical energy VIII be trans
mitted a great deal further than TWEEN
ty-two and a half miles. 1t may be
that it will be in economic use at an
early day as far distant as 100 or
200 miles from the seat Of generation.
The Sacramento company knows that