I See by the Papers...

"Juice" was common slang for everything electrical - even the Petaluma & Santa Rosa Electric Railway was called the "juice line." Repeated use of "juice" along with the other slang ("not fill the bill," "on tap" etc.) makes this news item read like it was a rather inept posting to a 1904-era blog.

CITY IN DARKNESS
Lighting Company Had Troubles of its Own on Thursday

Santa Rosa was practically in darkness, or to say the least of it, was dimly lighted on Thursday night. The lighting company had troubles of its own on Thursday practically all day.

Soon after seven o'clock on Thursday morning the juice was cut off owing to the burning of a cross arm and about six feet of a pole between here and Petaluma. When this damage was repaired the juice came on for a time. At a quarter to five o'clock Thursday afternoon the juice disappeared again and was off all night. This was caused by the breaking of a wire in the hills between Napa and Petaluma according to the report received here. The auxillary plant was used but this could not fill the bill. Where gas was on tap it was used. Where it was not, principally in the residence portion, candles and lamps were pressed into service. Quite a display of candles were in commission at a number of places on Fourth Street. At the Novelty theatre candles were used to add to the illumination of the stage. It was an ill wind Thursday.

- Press Democrat news item, February 5, 1904

A lady walking along Fourth street yesterday morning nearly had a serious fall as the result of slipping upon a piece of orange peel on the sidewalk. In at least a dozen places on Fourth street orange peel was noticed yesterday and almost any day the same thing can be seen. There is an ordinance providing punishment for the offense, and it is the intention of the police to enforce the same.

- Press Democrat news item, April 16, 1904

Mr. and Mrs. M.L. McDonald Jr. have purchased Colonel and Mrs. Oates' pretty home on Tenth street. Colonel Oates intends erecting a handsome residence on his property on Healdsburg avenue.

- Press Democrat "Local Brevities," March 6, 1904