Transcript of the first two pages of a letter about installing electricity
On 16 March 1909, J H Holmes & Co wrote to John Bartholomew & Son about installing electricity at Duncan Street:
[page 1]
Dear Sirs,
We beg to thank you for the very courteous interview which your Mr Bartholomew gave to the writer yesterday, and we enclose herewith our estimate of cost of running in confirmation of those figures quoted you on Monday. The cost of gas is taken from figures which you gave the writer last year, and the oil and water has been estimated, as we did not get the exact figures from you. The output of your machines was estimated from the information which was available, but which we understand you will now check from your books so that the matter may not be one of estimate only. At the reduced rates which the corporation are now charging, viz one and a half pence, you will see that on the above outlay the actual cost of running would be cheaper than at present. We have not included in this cost of repairs or maintenance as this same has not been done in the case of the gas engine installation which would include repairs to engine, belt, shafting etcetera. If you were to equip the whole of your works electrically, we believe we could get very much better terms than these by private negotiations with the corporation, as we know of other works in Edinburgh that are getting power at about three quarters of a pence per unit. This is only conditional that the power is not taken during the hours of heavy load during the evening, and, we understand in your own particular case, that from practically the end of March until the end of October, you very seldom use artificial light. One works in Edinburgh, who, like yourselves, are compelled to run a portion of the year during heavy load, have two meters on their premises with a time switch, one of which records the energy consumed during the hours of daylight which is at the low rate, and the other registering the [page 2: ] Consumpt during lighting hours, which is charged at the higher rate. We are writing the corporation to get some exact figures from them.
We understand you are anxious that your present intention shall be considered confidential until your arrangements are made, and we of course are not mentioning to the corporation the name of your firm.
With reference to the attendance and supervision required on an installation with electric motors. We beg to state that our very long experience has shown us there is no necessity for any addition to the staff for this work. We have always found that the man who is capable of looking after a gas engine installation, such as your own, properly, is quite capable of keeping clean, and in adjustment, anything in connection with an electric installation such as you would have. We hope to be able to communicate with you again regarding cost of energy, and the writer, who is in Edinburgh every week, will be pleased to have figures regarding output whenever it is convenient for you to get these out.
In the meantime, we beg to thank you for the very careful hearing which you gave the writer yesterday.
Yours faithfully
J H Holmes & Co
