The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1912-01-26
HOT Fight is
ON FOR STEAM
HEAT BUSINESS
Three Big Companies Want to
Supply Hotels and Down
town Apartments
Great Western Now a Rival of
Equitable and Pacific
Corporations


heating business is being waged in
San Francisco The struggle, which
has been in progress for the last year.
has been complicated by the entrance
OF a third factor in the field Three
big companies are actively competing
for business and just a energetically
cutting into on another's territory.
The contest was originally between
the Equitable Light and Power COM
pany ana the Pacific Gas and. Electric.
Now. the Great western, through its
subsidiary, the City Electric, has taken
a hand in the game.
The steam heat and hot water in
dustry WAS introduced into San Fran
cisco little more than a year ago
as a public utility by combination of
companies. financed by William S.
Tevis and generally understood to be
part of the holdings of the United
Properties. OF these the Equita bic
Light and Power company proved to be
the most important. Allied companies
are the United Light and Power. the
Southside Light and Power. and the
Consumers Light and Power.
Idea From Chicago
Introducing an idea from Chicago.
Tevis decided 10 engage in the busi-
ness of selling steam to the big build
ings and apartment houses down town
for heating purposes. The Equitable
Light and Power company was organ
lied with F. G. Cartwright and Tim
Sullivan ostensibly in control. Leases
were quickly signed for the power
plants in the Easements of the large
buildings in the downtown section.
From these buildings it was arranged
10 distribute the steam to the CON.
sumers. 4 pipe system was laid with
expedition and was completed just be-
fore the new state law, requiring q
franchise. went into effect
The Equitable had signed a number
of contracts and began to supply the
steam at the rate of three cents per
month per square foot of radiator
surface. All was well until the Equit-
able began also to sell electricity at
three cents and to cut into the business
of the Pacific Gas and Electric.
Thereupon the Pacific Gas and EIec-
tric determined to meet its new COM
petitor half way and established steam
department. Basement plants in the
downtown district were leased and
steam was offered to customers at the
same rate as the Equitable.
Rate Now 6 Cents
1t soon developed that the three cent
rate for steam was unremunerative.
While still in vigorous competition,
both companies raised their rates until
the figure reached six cents. During
the process of raising its rates, the
Equitable ran across many long term
contracts, over which disputes are said
to be raging. In the meantime Cart
wright has been succeeded by Charles
Murphy in the management of the
Equitable.
Within the last few days. the City
electric has begun to lease building
easements to reach for a slice of the
steam trade.
The Equitable has been reinforced in
its fight by the Southside Light and
Power company, which has a plant
south of Market street. It is owned by
the interests identical with those in
control of the Equitable The South
side has run its lines 10 Market street
and is reaching for the trade about
Union square.
The triangular controversy continues
undated. 1t has occasioned some sur
prise that the United Properties and
the Pacific Gas and Electric should be
ranged on opposite sides of so import
ant a matter. The Tevis interests in
both are known to be heavy. It is un-
derstood that Tevis, as a director of the
United Properties, decided to go into
the steam business without consulting
Tevis' associates in the Pacific Gas and
Electric company.