Imperial Valley Press

CHAMBER HEARS INSPIRING TALK ON ELECTRICITY

"The contribution of electricity to modern living" was the subject of a talk given at the El Centro Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting yesterday by H. E. Gates, manager of the General Electric company, of Los Angeles. Gates described living conditions at the time when Edison developed the first electric lighting, with sweat shops, bustles, corsets, coal and wood cooking stoves, kerosene lamps, no telephones, horses and horse cars. The per capita consumption of petroleum at that time was 14 gallons per person per year, just about enough to produce enough gasoline for a modern car for one day.

In 1876 Edison moved to Menlo Park, according to the speaker, and there organized the Edison Electric 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 company and the growth of this company was shown by the fact that $500 worth of stock at that time in subsidiary companies taken into the General Electric company is now worth $50,000.

In contrast with conditions in the 80's, Gates told of electrical developments today, with 20,000 miles of railway transportation operated electrically, highways ablaze with lights and 19,000,000 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 10,000,000 homes in this country not electrically wired which, when electrified will make a market for millions of dollars worth of electrical equipment. The development of electrical telescopes of value to science; and electrical tubes for medical use, was pointed out by the speaker, who stated that electricity would become cheaper in the future as it has in the past, dropping from 15 cents to 20 cents per kilowatt, to about six cents. Gates concluded his talk with Owen D. Young's statement that electricity is the measure of civilization, having put a premium on brain rather than brawn.

Glenn D. Willaman, manager of the California Real Estate Association, told of the efforts of that organization 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, corresponding reductions shall be made in the amount of common property tax. A second item on the association's tax relief program is the special assessment bill, recently enacted, whereby it will be impossible to assess property for special improvements for more than 50 per cent of its value.

Willaman pointed out that 76 per cent of the taxes of the state fell on property, although only 28 per cent of the income is received through real estate. The real estate association would promote a more equitable distribution of taxes through sales, consumption and luxury taxes.

Other guests at the chamber luncheon were Assemblyman S. E. Robinson, Mrs. Willaman, D. D. Watson, of San Francisco, president of the California State Real Estate association and sales manager for California Lands, Inc.; Kenneth H. Smitten, of San Francisco, director of the state association; Wallace Woodworth, chairman of the highway committee of the state chamber of commerce; M. Luther, of the state chamber staff and F. L. Annable, president and general manager of the San Diego and Arizona railroad.