18 



T II i: ( r i; A i; i: \ i :; w 



Molasses and Return runijis, Central "Toledi 



at that date of inueli lower nmchinery costs the electric installaiioii re(|uiretl for the 

 operation of tlie mills of Central "Araistad" cost some $50,00( ).< k i. This had to l>e 

 purchased l)y the company with which Sr. Vazquez was connected, and, of course, 

 wouH be accepted and paid for by Sr. G6niez Mena only if it proved successful. 

 The courage shown liy Sr. Vazquez is further indicated by the fact that he entered 

 into a contract with Sr. G6mez Mena to remove that portion of the steam machinery 

 by which the mills were being driven, install the electric motors required, make the 

 necessary connections with the mills, make the test of operation with the electric 

 motors, and if this should prove unsuccessful, remove the electric motors and within 

 a week from the commencement of the trial deliver the mills to Sr. Gomez Mena 

 ready again for operation with the steam plant. 



From the photographs which accompany this article the general manner of mak- 

 ing the installation of the electric motors without removing the steam engines can 

 be noted. The installation, of course, was not compact, and did not compare in the 

 least with that made the following year when the steam engines were removed 

 entirely, Imt the important point is that the motors proved to be capable of all that 

 was required of them, the mills were operated without friction or hitch of any 

 character, and it was demon.strated to the world that except for the operation of 

 the electric generators and the need of a certain quantity of exhaust steam for 

 furnishing heat for evaporation, etc., the steam engine has no place around the 

 sugar mills. 



The results of the work were that at Central "Amistad" the old steam machinery 

 was removed for the crop of 1914. and electric motors were definitely installed in 

 their places. Central "San Antonio" was also completely electrified; and two new 

 electrically driven mills were installed at Central "Gomez Mena." Furthermore 

 Central "Toledo" has been completely electrified, and "Cunagua," doubtless the 

 most up-to-date mill in the Island, is also electrified from mills to centrifugals. Vfe 

 understand that the duplicate of this mill, contract for the construction of which 



