Electric Power Plants in 

 California 



HE following estimates for the income and expense of electric 

 power plants in California are taken from Bulletin 5 of the De- 

 partment of Commerce and Labor. These figures are the most 

 accurate yet computed. Electrical development has increased 

 since the compilation of these statistics, but they illustrate the 

 proportion between income and expense. The Bulletin covers 

 conditions up to 1903. 



There were 3620 central electric stations operating in the United 

 States. Their construction and equipment amounted to $504,740,352. 

 Gross income for the year was reported at $85,700,605; expense at 

 $68,081,375. These stations furnished employment to 23,330 wage-earn- 

 ers, who received $14,983,112 as wages during the year. The power plant 

 equipment consisted of 5930 steam engines, with 1,379,941 indicated 

 horse-power and 1390 water wheels with a stated horse-power of 438,472. 

 The generating plants consisted of 12,484 dynamos of every description, 

 with a stated horse-power of 1 ,624,980. A noteworthy feature of the devel- 

 opment of this industry has been the installation of plants operated under 

 a control of municipalities. There were 815 of these plants in operation. 

 The cost of their construction and equipment was reported at $22,020,473. 

 They gave employment to 2467 wage-earners and $1,422,341 in wages. 



While in the totaled figures for the entire United States there are 2805 

 private stations, as against 815 municipal stations, or about 3 1-2 to 1, in 

 California there are 105 private as against 10 municipal stations, which in- 

 terpreted means some 10 1-2 to 1. While the first private station construct- 

 ed in California was built in 1882, it was two years later that the first muni- 

 cipal plant was constructed. While in no single year were there more than 

 three municipal plants built, in 1899 there were fourteen plants put up by 

 private individuals. 



The cost of construction and equipment of the 115 California plants 

 was $36,547,474. The gross income for the year 1902 was $5,066,417. 

 The total expense for the same period was $3,918,975. The number of 

 wage-earners employed in these plants was 1009, receiving wages which 

 amounted to $781,154. In California the power plant equipment during 

 1902 consisted of 150 steam engines, with 64,225 indicated horse-power, 

 and 133 water wheels with a stated horse-power of 72,933. The generating 

 plants consisted of 400 dynamos of all descriptions, having a stated horse- 

 power of 1 1 2,354. 



ESTIMATE OF THE ELECTRIC POVER IN CALIFORNIA 



DEVELOPED BY FALLING WATER 



This is a very conservative estimate of the electric power developed by 

 falling water in California, based upon the above thirteen companies. At 

 the present time new companies are in course of construction and old ones 

 are installing new units which, it is estimated, will bring this power to an 

 excess of at least 25,000 horse-power over the above figures. 



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