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It may not look like, but this is a mix of sounds and lights,
it started in a waterfall:
Marmelos' in Paraibuna's river, at the beginning of Serra da Mantiqueira.
In 1887 it was common the use of gas lamp and kerosene
in small and big cities just like Rio de Janeiro.
But an unknown man mas about to change all
the history about the public illumination in our country...
Pioneer and well succeded in the textile industry in Minas Gerais in Curvelo
Bernardo Mascarenhas wish to install his textile industry in the ancient
Saint Antony of Paraibuna village.
The advantages were considerable, the city was connected by the railroad
to the Court and by the Union and Industry highway to Petropolis
that would make it easier the drainage of the products.
To assure the good functioning of a factory it was necessary
necessary an intensive waterfall.
It had on Paraibuna's river Marmelo's waterfall
Established on the Union Industry couch, waterfall had a swamp ground,
where the aquatic birds were close to the water, clouds of flies buzzed by sunset
and the grass flourished high and strong.
In 1886, Bernardo uncharged his friend Batista de Oliveira to do an acquisition
of 145.400meters square nearby Marmelos waterfall.
The possession of the drop waters wouldn't serve him only to put in action the factory
but also to use it in the transmission of energy and public illumination of the city.
The possession of the waterfall's ground and of the rights of implantation
illumination authorized by the municipal chamber on March 3rd, 1887.
Bernardo gets a six months time to study to gain information
about the use of energetic energy.
Dedicating himself to his electric systems studies,
commanding forms to several Europe manufacturers and to U.S.A.
Bernardo Mascarenhas formed in this time a society to explore
the service of public illumination.
The Mineira Eletricity Company on January 07th, 1888.
On May 14th, 1888 was inaugurated a textile factory of Bernardo,
which had the name of Mascarenhas textile factory next to Paraibuna's river.
Finished the studies about the illumination, Bernardo Mascarenhas sends the plant of the
city and the purposes to the installation, Max Northman Company on February 1888.
The instructions had a complete plan showing all the power
about the scientifics and techniques about electricity.
The responsibility of the deliver of the machinery was with Westinghouse
on February 1889.
The equipments arrives and two American technicist responsible
for its mounting.
The months passed by and the adjusted time for the delivery of the works
were on August 31st.
A Little or nothing had been done.
The technicists were incapable to finish the services engendering distrust
The sent materials, besides being insufficient,
they didn't correspond to the discriminated requests of the order.
As if it were not enough the several problems, Bernardo Mascarenhas
sends some explanations to the newspaper "Diario de Minas"
about the negative repercussion of the electric energy use.
"(�)It's well known that electricity with high pressure can cause the death to those
who touch the conductors cables especially when they are uncovered, but when these are placed in a sufficient height and out of
of reach of the pedestrians, I don't see in them greater danger than on the railway
or trolley tracks or in any edge(�).
Due to the difficulties and the critics of the newspapers about the implantation
of electricity. Mascarenhas dedicate himself to the equipments studies, looking
for solutions and improvisation to the functioning on the predicted date of the inauguration.
The telegram editorial section of the newspaper "Gazeta de Noticias"
of the crown communicates the anxiety of the people about the experience of electriclight in Juiz de Fora.
It shall realize tomorrow the first experience to the
illumination of the electric light this city.
"It's a great anxiety".
August 22nd, 1889 - 9:00 p.m.
Long live Bernardo!
Same newspaper "Gazeta de Not�cias" of the court on August 23rd, 1889.
The column telegrams talks about the celebration of the people about the arrival of eletricity.
"�Great crowd followed by music bands passes by the streets
of the city. To Mr. Bernardo Mascarenhas was made
a noisy manifestation".
It was the first public illumination of South America.
The official grand-openning of the hidrelectric plant took place on september 5th, 1889.
The Hydroelectric plant of Marmelos was inaugurated seven years after the
Hydroelectric plant of Appleton (Wisconsin - USA), installed in 1882.
On Monday, September 09th, 1899.
On October 09th, 1899 at 8:00 p.m. after another exhausted work day,
Bernardo Mascarenhas is found in his work table
victim of a cardiac syncope at the age of 52.
He rested not to wake up anymore.
Bernardo Mascarenhas as the president of the Mineira Eletricity Company MEC -
helped by the engineers Carlos Alberto Hargreaves and Parker,
inaugurated the public illumination in Belo Horizonte one day before
capital of the State of Minas Gerais on December 11th, 1897.
"White mineral coal: common designation to the waterfalls or drop waters
as hydraulics power to the production of electric energy".
The beginning.