Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-04-17

apex is copper shield or reflector, directly
over the lamps. which is designed to protect
them from the elements. The shield is five
feet and two inches in diameter. A little
underneath the reflector is also the appara-
tTls, consisting of pulleys, for raising and
lowering the carriage. The apparatus con-
sists of two pulleys, twenty-five inches in
diameter and two inches wide. On either
side of the mast is a ladder which answered
the purpose of guides for the carriage. and
which is also designed to provide means by
which to reach the top in case the apparatus
should get out of repair. Thirty feet from
the surface of the street is round balcony
made of wrought iron. seven feet in dame
ter with ratings twenty-four inches high
In the bottom IS a trap-door. The balcony
is reached by means of an iron ladder. The
balcony will be used in renewing the carbon
in the lamps The entire structure rests III
a foundation twelve feet deep by fifteen feet
in diameter, with a cast iron plate in the
bottom two inches thick. on which rests the
tower There are six wrought iron rods ex-
| tending from the bottom plate to a similar
plate little underneath the surface of the
street. The space between the upper and
| lower plates was filled with concrete, and
| the tower now sits in as firm foundation as
| could be made. One hundred feet Of the
| tower was joined together before it was
| brought TO the street. When that portion of
Ii had been raised into a perpendicular
| position the remaining sections were rlveted
! in, one at a time. The 100 feet were
| brought upon the street Thursday, January
| e. but owing to the unfayorabte weather,
| the last section was not rlyeted III until Sat
urday, February ,. This is the first tower
of TINS description ever erected The first
!
| in length. Then the second drawings We're
made, the length being fixed at 200 feet
Finally it was determined to make it 22O
feet IN length. The tower was made by
Messrs James Bardsley Il Co, of this city,
to whom the contract was awarded last Sep
| TENDER.
| The line of constructing wire IS made Of
copper, and extends from:the central engine
house to the large tower then back to the
engine house, thence to the college. and
| finally back to the engine-house. The wire
is 17-64ths of an inch in diameter, and
where it enters the engine house, and where
il passes up the masts. it is insulated. The
line, where it passes the guy on South How
ard street is also insulated, SO that the flow
of the current viii not uninterrupted. The
entire circuit is 9,11O feet, or 1.72 miles.
The length of the circuit from the engine
| mousse to the college IS 900 teeI, ana rom
the engine-house TO the large tower is 1,00U
feet. The circuit has been made just as
short as practicable in order to insure as
steady a flow of the electricity as possible
and to offer as little resistance. The line Is
carried directly through the courthouse
yard to Center street, thence to the college,
Then from the engine-house it is brought
directly to Howard street, thence to the iron
tower.
Each lamp is equal to 1000 candle power
or 16. 600 candle power for each mast anC
$4,000 candle power in all Then 1900
candle power is equal to 1000 gas burners
of ten candle power each, Each lamp i.
really a double lamp-that is, each lamp Ii
supplied with four carbons SO that whe1
two of the carbons burn out, the others vii
be switched in automatically, insuring con
Enuous light of sixteen hours.
What will the plant COST" an(
"What will be the expense per year OF run
ming the electric ight?" are questions fire
quently asked, and for the benefit of on
citizens and others we present herewith th'
nearest possible account of moneys ex
pended and to be expended III putting il
operation the new system: