1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 175 California Services

At the end of April 1851, Liang Yao was ready to set off for the eastern United States.

Universal's fleet is anchored at the expanded San Francisco port, waiting for Liang Yao to set off.

If it were not for accompanying Vanderbilt and others on their inspection tour in California, Liang Yao could have left directly in mid-April.

Vanderbilt originally wanted to go to the Nevada area to investigate, but the roads leading to Nevada, whether highways or railways, had not been repaired, and there were only a few trails opened by gold prospectors.

Vanderbilt still insisted on going to Nevada to investigate. It was not until a letter from Texas Governor Bell arrived in San Francisco that Vanderbilt gave up the idea.

In the letter, Mr. Bell confided that the Texas government's finances were about to go bankrupt, and urged the California authorities in a very urgent and violent tone to deliver the $5 million in debt owed to Texas to Texas as soon as possible in the form of gold.

Liang Yaoye knew that the matter could no longer be delayed and told Vanderbilt that if he wanted to inspect the Nevada area, he would not be able to accompany him because he would leave for Texas immediately.

Moreover, the only large-scale gold mining area discovered in Nevada is the one discovered by Martin.

Vanderbilt thought for a while and decided to go to Texas with Liang Yao to meet his old friend Mr. Bell again.

Vanderbilt was very excited about the railway plan from California to Texas that Liang Yao proposed to him. If this railway was built, the Nicaragua route would no longer be so important to him.

He would no longer have to continue the price war with Aspinwall's Pacific Mail Line, his pressure would be reduced, and his economic losses would also be reduced.

It's just that Vanderbilt has reservations about Liang Yao's ability to solve the problem of the California-Texas railway line needing to pass through part of the Mexican territory.

After several days of inspection, Vanderbilt and others decided to increase investment in California. Vanderbilt and Jeremiah made the decision to continue to transfer the shipyard's production capacity to San Francisco and officially established it in San Francisco.

Divide into tribes.

Needless to say, Theodore, California has a huge demand for steam engines, and the gap is also huge. Steam engines are needed for water pumps in mining areas, machinery in factories, power cabins on steamships, train locomotives, etc.

The steam engines he produced have gained a reputation in California and are currently one of the most popular steam engine manufacturers in California. Theodore's steam engine business profits in California have exceeded those in New York State.

Theodore also likes to do business in California. Apart from Liang Yao, his most important customers in California are the mine owners in the mining areas. These people are very happy to give money and are easier to serve than the picky customers in New York State.

Much.

California's current economy is showing a booming scene. They are very optimistic about California and believe that California will become the most economically developed state in the western United States in the future, and it contains unlimited business opportunities.

Liang Yao welcomed Vanderbilt and others' increased investment in California and sold them a small piece of industrial land in the San Francisco Industrial Zone at a very favorable price.

In addition, California also has a policy that is quite attractive, that is, the California government provides tax reduction and exemption policies for local industrial and mining companies other than gold mining. This policy also applies to these industrial and mining companies settled in other states.

They have also visited the San Francisco Industrial Zone. The roads are complete, transportation is convenient, and there are ready-made water resources for use. There are also Liang Yao's steel plants and coal warehouses nearby. It is very convenient to obtain production raw materials and fuel, directly in the industrial zone.

It can be solved within.

This is much better than those cities in the east that have not been systematically planned and have allowed their cities to develop freely.

Not only that, the California Department of Industry and Commerce also has offices in the San Francisco Industrial Zone to provide assistance to all factories and companies in the industrial zone.

The San Francisco Industrial Zone planned by Liang Yao is almost tailor-made for their industrial entrepreneurs and factory owners.

California's high administrative efficiency left a deep impression on Vanderbilt and others.

In New York State, Vanderbilt never expected the state government to provide him with much help. As long as the state government did not interfere with the state's economic behavior and commercial activities, everything would be fine.

In California, factories and businesses can truly appreciate the help the government provides them.

"I have to admit that California has the best business environment among all the states I have visited. In California, you can feel the meticulous care of the California government."

On the way to the port of San Francisco, Vanderbilt sighed and wondered at the same time whether these services were provided by the California government or by Liang Yao.

"Because we are building a service-oriented government, the California government is willing to serve all aspiring entrepreneurs and factory owners who invest and set up factories in California. Whether these entrepreneurs are from California or other states, the state government will treat them equally." Liang Yao smiled.

He explained.

California needs industry to provide more manufacturing jobs and more industrial workers.

Industry is the future of California, and this is the development policy that has been written into California’s five-year plan.

Only if California's business environment is good enough and its policies are favorable enough that entrepreneurs and factory owners in the east think it is profitable to set up factories in California, will they be willing to come to California.

"Service-oriented government, I like this kind of government. If all state governments in the United States can be like the California state government, there is no need for America's industry to surpass France and catch up with the United Kingdom." Jeremiah said with emotion.

Although Jeremiah said this, he knew that California was just a special case, and other state governments could not imitate California.

Because California is not only rich in money, it is also far away from the eastern part of the United States. There are no other surrounding states bordering California, and there is not much interference from external factors.

There is only one state in the United States with such geographical location conditions.

"You all have made a lot of money in California, but I haven't made much money in California. It seems that I have to stick to my small grocery store for the rest of my life."

Fan Daze, who runs a grocery store, couldn't help but laugh at himself.

Not only can Van Daze's grocery store not compete with Liang Yao's grocery store, but his grocery store also has no clear advantage over other grocery stores in California.

Fan Daze made more money by supplying goods to Liang Yao wholesale than he did by opening a grocery store in California.

If it weren't for the fact that his grocery stores in California were not yet in a loss-making state and could barely make a little money, he would have planned to close these half-dead grocery stores.

"The threshold for opening a grocery store is very low. If you want to make big money from a grocery store, you must create a new business model, raise the entry threshold, provide customers with more convenient and considerate services, and seize the market of your peers to make big money."

Liang Yao said to Fan Daze.

The reason why Vanderbilt, Jeremiah, and Theodore were able to make a lot of money in California is also very simple.

The shipbuilding and steam engine manufacturing industries they are engaged in are high-end manufacturing industries of this era, and the entry threshold is very high.

At present, California can build ships, and the only one who manufactures steam engines is Liang Yao. Apart from Liang Yao, they have no other threatening competitors.

As for Van Daze's grocery business, he can do it as long as he has a purchasing channel.

It is not impossible to make a fortune in the grocery business. Brannan, the first millionaire in the West, started his business in groceries. However, Brannan monopolized all the supply of groceries in California and squatted at the port of San Francisco to receive goods.

During the business war with Brannan, Liang Yao also got involved in the grocery store business and defeated Brannan.

Later, Liang Yao also retained the grocery business, but Liang Yao did not choose to monopolize the grocery business in California.

This is not because he does not have the power to monopolize the grocery business in California, but that liberalizing the grocery business can provide more job opportunities for California and give more small store owners a way to survive.

More grocery stores can also further lower the prices of grocery products, lower the cost of living for gold diggers and California residents, and attract more people to California, rather than letting California's high prices scare away immigrants.

There are many ways for him to make money, and this is one of them. Monopolizing the grocery store business will do more harm than good to California.

Liang Yao still remembers the embarrassment of the gold diggers when Brannan monopolized their gold mining tools and daily necessities.

"New business model?"

Fan Daze's eyes lit up and he became interested instantly.

He has no doubt about Liang Yao's talent in business.

After returning east last year, he and Vanderbilt set up a sawmill in Chicago specializing in the production of modular lightweight building materials and made a lot of money.

Modular lightweight building materials are just one of Liang Yao’s many industries in California.

"I'll tell you when I get to New York, you guys, don't think I don't know that you copied my patent for modular lightweight building materials and set up a sawmill in Chicago. I haven't sued you for plagiarizing my patent yet.

Yeah." Liang Yao said.

Liang Yao actually knew what they were doing in Chicago, which surprised Fan Daze and hurriedly explained.

"We have consulted the Patent and Trademark Office of the Ministry of Commerce about this patent. This patent does belong to you, and we will pay you the patent fee on schedule."

"Actually, we want to register the patent for modular lightweight buildings before you do."

Vanderbilt was more magnanimous and spoke frankly.

"I just didn't expect that you had registered a patent before us. We are businessmen. As long as there is a business that can make money, businessmen are unscrupulous and cunning people. Now that you already know, we will pay you the patent fee on time in accordance with the law."

."

"My old friend, you are always like this, wouldn't you say it more tactfully?"

Van Daze scolded Vanderbilt with a pouted mouth, and then said to Liang Yao with a shy face.

"Mr. Liang, I can't wait to know the new model you are talking about. I beg you, please tell me now."

"We'll keep it secret for now. We'll talk about it after we get to New York."

Liang Yao said calmly.

Soon they walked to the San Francisco Pier and boarded the James Day of the Trans World Shipping Company.

This ship, Vanderbilt, was very familiar to them. Last summer, they took this ship to California.

I heard that Liang Yao was going to the eastern United States for inspection, and many Chinese businessmen from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce were also going with him.

They were also full of curiosity about the precious and precious places in the Eastern United States, and planned to go to the Eastern United States with Liang Yao to open their eyes and see the world.

There are also some Chinese businessmen who have done business with American businessmen, but their understanding of the country only comes from the words of some travelers, and it is difficult to get a full picture of the United States.

In addition to these Chinese businessmen, all students from Jinshan Middle School have also boarded the ship, preparing to go east to receive American secondary education and enter American institutions of higher learning.

After boarding the James Day, Liang Yao saw the enthusiastic crowds seeing him off at the port. Liang Yao waved goodbye to these enthusiastic San Francisco citizens.

Looking away from the crowd of farewells, Liang Yao saw the "Hope" being built in the dock of the shipyard.

Although these ships are similar in appearance to the Hope, they are not the Hope, but Loach-class armed patrol ships built based on the hull of the Hope.

The full-load displacement of the Loach-class armed patrol ship is slightly larger than the original Hope prototype ship, reaching 600 tons.

After completion, these small and fast armed patrol boats will be equipped with eight 3-inch cannons and delivered to the newly established California Coast Guard and the California Department of Revenue's maritime anti-smuggling team for use in California offshore patrols and anti-smuggling purposes.

Liang Yao originally wanted to install small-caliber rapid-fire cannons or even machine guns on these small boats, but unfortunately, there is no such gun yet. He can only consider this matter after he develops a rapid-fire cannon or a machine gun.

At the same time, the San Francisco Shipyard is also trying to build new ships with larger displacements. Small steamships with a displacement of five to six hundred tons are just a beginning for the San Francisco Shipyard, not the final goal.

(End of chapter)