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Santa Clara St. looking west.

In 1881, San Jose had the luminous distinction of being the only electrified city west of the Rocky Mountains.

Gas company employees were less than pleased. (Gas lamps were installed in San Jose in 1861.)

The following pages describe the birth, life, and death of the San Jose Electric Tower.

Primary Sources:
Clyde Arbuckle
Ralph Rambo
Harry Farell
Linda Larson
Paul Bernal
Patricia Loomis
Clippings found in the California Room, San Jose Library

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