THE CUBA REVIEW 



13 



'(Jomez Alena" Switchboard 



THE ELECTRIFICATION OF SUGAR MILLS 



H. O. Nei-UIe 



It has been only a very few years since electricity as motive power has been 

 applied to the sugar industry. Of course, for many years previous to the first ap- 

 plication electric installations had been made in all moderate sized and large mills 

 for the purpose of furnishing light to the mill and surroundings, but this was the 

 extent to which it had been employed. 



Gradually, however, it was used for the operation of all of the subsidiary units 

 of the sugar mill, such as pumps for various purposes, the crystallizers, the cane 

 and bagasse carriers, return pumps, etc., etc. We believe that the first mill at which 

 all the accessories of this character were completely electrified was Central "Guanica" 

 of Porto Rico in the crop of 1S9S-1899. 



The economic conditions of the sugar planters and mill owners of Cuba from 

 the beginning of the 20th century until about 1912 were such as to prohibit con- 

 sideration of the installation of new machinery or changes from the old system to a 

 new involving considerable expense. In 1905 the representatives of the General 

 Electric Co. prepared an estimate for the complete electrification, with the excep- 

 tion of the mills, of Central "Caracas," then owned by Sr. Emilio Terry, but it hap- 

 pened that Sr. Terry had just previously installed a considerable quantity of new 

 and up-to-date steam driven machinery, so that notwithstanding the fact that the 

 advantages of the electrification were recognized, the necessity of pratically scrap- 

 ping the only recently installed new machinery and consequent double expense of 

 electrification, prevented action being taken. 



In 1907 an extensive installation was made at "Santa Teresa" for the purpose 

 of lighting the factory and surroundings, and also for the operation of a few pumps. 

 This Installation was furnished by the General Electric Co., one of their generators 



