Imperial Valley press., 1931-12-03
CHAMBER HEARS
INSPIRING TALK
ON ELECTRICITY

1.-THE contribution of electricity to
modern living" was the subject of
a talk given at the El Centre Cham
Der of Commerce luncheon meet
ing Yesterday by H. e. Gates, MAN.
ager of the General Electric COM
pany, of Los Angeles. Gates des-
cribed living conditions at the time
when Edison developed the first
electric lighting, With sweat shops,
bustles, corsets, coal and wood cock
ing stoves, kerosene lamps, no tel
epllones, horses and horse cars. The
per capita consumption of petrol
cum at that time was IA gallons
per person per year, just about
enough to produce enough gasoline
for modern car for one day.
In 1876 Edison moved to Menlo
Park, according to the speaker, ana
there organized the Edison Electr.c
Light Co. and preparations were
made to introduce electric lighting
in offices, auditoriums, etc. At this
time only a few wealthy persons in
New York City had electric lights
in their homes. Shortly after this
time the Edison company became
the Edison General Electric CON-
pany and the growth of this COM
pany was shown by the fact that
$500 worth of stock at that time II
subsidiary COMPARES taken into the
General Electric company is new
worth $4,000.
In contrast with conditions in the
sos, Gates told of electrical deyel-
opments today, with 10000 miles of
railway transportation operated elec-
trically, highways ablaze with lights
and 100000 homes in the United
States electrically lighted. The
opportunities in The development
and sales of electrical equipment
were pointed out by the fact that
there are still 100000 homes in
this country not electrically wired,
which, when electrified will make a
market for millions of dollars worth
of electrical equipment. The de-
velopment of electrical telescopes.
of value to science; and electrical
tubes for medical use, was pointed
out by the speaker, who stated
that electricity would bee IN
cheaper in the future as it has is
the past, dropping from Is cents to
20 cents per EiloWat, to about SIX
cents. Gates concluded his talk
with Owen d. Youngs statement
that electricity is the measure of
civilization, having put a premium
on brain rather than Drawn.
Glenn d. Willaman, manager of
the California Real Estate Associa-
ton, told of the efforts of that Or
ganization to limit the amount Of
taxes which can be raised on real
property. In order to decrease the
land tax of the state the California
Real Estate association has resolved
that the functions of elementary
and high school education be taken
over by the state government and
that, as costs are taken over by
the state, corr esponding reductions
shall be made in the amount of
common property tax. A second
item on the associations tax relief
program is the special assessment
bill. recently enacted, whereby It
will be impossible to assess property
for special improvements for more
than SO per cent Of its value.
Willaman pointed out that is per
cent of the taxes of the state fell
on property, although only % per
cent of the income is received
through real estate. The real es-
tate association would promote
more equitable distribution of taxes
through sales, consumption and lux
ury taxes.
Other guests at the chamber
luncheon were Assemblyman S. E.
Robinson, Mrs. Willaman, D. D.
Watson, of San Francisco. pres
ident Of the California State Real
Estate association and sales man
ager for California Lands, Inc;
Kenneth II. Smitten, of San Fran
cisco, director of the state asSo-
citation: Wallace Woodworth, chair
man of the highway committee of
the state chamber of commerce; M.
Luther, of the state chamber staff
and r. L. Annable, president and
general manager of the San Diego
and Arizona railroad.