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New Zealand Tablet, 18 September 1913, Page 43

Several appliances actuated by solar power are in operation in Californian pumping water and performing other work (says a writer in Chamber's Journal). In one case a pipe-line was driven below the surface to a point where underground springs were known to exist. To this piping was attached the sun-driven motor. In appearance the motor resembles a huge disc of glass, and at a distance might be taken for a windmill ; but this apparent disc is really a reflector 33ft 6in in diameter on the top and 15ft on the bottom. The inner surface is made up of 1788 small mirrors, all arranged so that they can concentrate the sun upon the central or focal point. They transmit the heat to a boiler, which is 13ft 6in in length, and holds 100 gallons of water, and the temperature produced is sufficient to generate steam power for pumping.