The San Francisco call., 1896-02-14

mote development of the agricultural,
horticultural, MINING and other resources
of Central and Northern California. 1t is
proposed to procure a site and erect suit
able building for the use of the chamber,
and it is claimed that the building Will be
a model of architectural beauty and hnlsh.
The chamber has standing committees
on commerce, manufactures, immigration
and lands, mines and mining, ways ana
means. statistics and library, laws and
legislation, hotels, parks and public lm-
provements, exhibits, reception and county
and municipal affairs. The members
forming these committees are sterling husl-
ness men of the city and county, who have
been carefully selected for their individual
aptitude for performing the duties en-
tailed upon them.
The president of the chamber, Hon. Jo-
seph Steffans, has long been identified
with every enterprise which has been, in
| troduced looking to the promotion of the
growth and prosperity of this city and
has always been foremost among the lead
ers. Formerly president of the Sacra-
mento Board of Trade he has accom- plished
great work in the development of not
only this city, but also of Central and
| Northern California;; a thoroughly in
formed and far-seeing financier he has al
ways been foremost in contributing to the
welfare of the community at large.
One OF the leading attributes to the
!
niticent electric power, which affords facili-
ties for manufacturing not exceeded in
any city in the United States. This power
is generated at Folsom, some twenty miles
distant and is transmitted to this city over
a system of copper wires to an immense
power house lately constructed. where it
is received and distributed to any part
of the city where it may be needed.
In preparing their plans for the intro
ductlon of this power into Sacramento the
promoters of the scheme foresaw the neces-
slty of guarding against any possible stop
page OF the plant under any and all cir
cumstances. To attain this object thev
provided for two lines of transmission,
each entirely distinctive from the other.
These consist of ten lines of copper wire
erected on separate rows of poles, and
either line possessing carrying capacity
sufficient to transmit the entire product of
the plant situated at Folsom to the Sacra-
mento terminus. BY this precaution,
should one line become disabled the cur
rent can be instantly switched on to the
other system without moments cessa-
ton OF the main plant, and the same
amount of precaution has been displayed
In the arrangement of the various genera
tors and dynamos within the interior of
the power-house, every one being so ar
ranged that should breakage occur IN any
one n achine it can be instantly detached
from the main plant without stoppage
| through these precautions steady, never
failing source of generation has been as
sured, and the chance of stoppage to the
machinery driven by this power has been
reduced to a minimum.
AT the presen time this great plant has
a capacity of 1000 horsepower, although as
yet but one-fourth of that amount is being
used. But the CONF pSny is rapidly extend
ing its facilities of Introduction, and every
day. new contracts are being made with
various local industries.
The draw in the new bridge which spans
the Sacra mento River at this point will be
operated by a motor connected by wire
with the power-house, as will be the large
fruit elevator of the Southern Pacific Com
pany. Negotiations are under way look
ing to the Introduction of the power into
the immense shop plant of the Southern
Pacific Company, and it will be 4 matter
OF but few months until the mysterious
fluid entirely supersedes steam in the ope-
ratlons OF this vast mechanical plant. In
all parts of the business portion of the
city the interior of the stores are lighted
by incandescent lights furnished from this
source, and as the huge plant is operated
night and day light is obtainable at all
hours.
At the present time the company has
over 1000 incandescent lights in operation
and are also lighting the streets of the city
with a system of 229 arc lights. There are
also so commercial arc lights IN constant
use in various business houses, and it is
the intention of the managers to extend
their system of residence lighting as rap
idly as possible.
Over thirty local business and manu-
featuring firms are now using motors ope-
rated py this power and there are numer-
GUS applications on file from other enter
prises for power facilities which will be
furnished as rapidly as the necessary mo-
tors can be manufactured. This power
can be positively obtained in steady
and sufficient volume and at price rate
that will reimburse Eastern enterprise suf-
ficiently to warrant the abandonment of
old-time plans and locations. The present
ratio OF prices adopted by the electric com
pany has been based on the standard of
power prices in Kansas City, conceded by
all authorities on the subject to be the
cheapest attainable power in the United
States. This ratio ranges from $40 per
month for single horsepower to IS per
month, depending altogether upon the
amount required; and as a further induce
ment the company is prepared to offer
reduction of 10 per cent on these rates for
the introduction of new industries, thus
placing the power at such low figure as
to be a temptation not to be slighted by
any manufacturing enterprise large or
small.
Another great inducement to investment
of Eastern capital already employed in
localities where only expensive power can
be secured is the action which has been
taken by the Citizens Industrial Improve
ment Association, with the hearty co-ope-
ration of the property-owners of the city,
in formulating fund by an assessmen of
u of l per cent on all taxable property,
sad fund to be used in assisting to defray
the expenses consequent upon the re-