STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
Offices and factory of the Royal Furniture Co. on the east side of Mexicali burned Saturday afternoon with loss estimated at $160,000.
Calexico firemen were called to assist in fighting the tremendous blaze which entirely destroyed the factory which was loaded with unfinished furniture, lumber, varnishes, paints, thinner and other highly flammable items.
It was the second disastrous fire for the company in four months. The company’s main showroom in the downtown Mexicali area burned last Jan. 21 with a loss of $320,000.
An electrical short circuit was reported to have been responsible for Saturday’s fire. An estimated 40 persons were left jobless by the latest blaze, it was reported.
40 years ago
Southern California Edison Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Mono Power Company, Union Oil Company of California and Southern Pacific Land Company have signed an agreement under which the three companies will explore lands near the southern tip of the Salton Sea for geothermal energy, the three companies announced today.
Under the agreement, Union has received a 50 percent interest in the lands and will be operator of the resource production phase of the project on behalf of the venture.
During the next two years, the group will drill and test four new geothermal wells to determine the best technique to extract, handle and re-inject the geothermal fluids. The research phase of the project is expected to cost $9 million, spokesmen for the three companies said.
30 years ago
Michael Kennedy, son of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy, was in the Valley Friday for talks with the Imperial Irrigation District regarding the possibility of a partnership with his non-profit energy company.
“There is a possibility of selling electricity from Mexico,” but several trips would have to be made to the Valley before the deal is finalized, Kennedy said.
Both he and Charles Shreves, IID general manager, reiterated that nothing is final yet. “This is just an idea we’ve talked about,” said Kennedy.
“We have promised nothing,” said Shreves. “We will have our own evaluation soon,” he added.
However, since IID’s recent arrangement with Mexico to buy emergency power, Citizens Energy Corp. (CEC) — Kennedy’s company — contacted the IID about a joint venture.
A lawyer with the federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C., had suggested the idea to him, Kennedy said. This is his second trip to the Valley for discussions and he will be returning in June, he added.
Shreves said the IID would “use some of their (CEC’s) expertise with foreign governments in dealing with Mexico.”
20 years ago
IMPERIAL — The possibility of moving more of the Dahlia Canal underground in the vicinity of Ben Hulse Elementary School here came closer to reality at a joint meeting of the Imperial Unified School District and the Imperial City Council.
“It’s become a concern of our school district that we look into undergrounding it,” said school board member Chuck Jernigan.
Also on hand were Imperial Irrigation District Division 1 Director Bill Condit and Division 2 Director Bruce Kuhn, District 3 county Supervisor Dean Shores and county Director of Public Works Tim Jones, as well as staff members.
“I don’t think there’s any problem other than money, and the money’s there over time,” said Condit. “I think we can work this court.”
Kuhn, emphasizing he does not speak for the IID board, said, “As an individual, I support this 100 percent. I think the (Imperial Irrigation) District should do whatever it can to alleviate the problem.”