The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-11-15

A Mammoth Engine.
During the recent visit 10 Friedeusvill 2,
Lshigh county, the writer, through tho
courtesty and Kind attention OF Captain John
Eudy the superintendent Of the zinc mines,
was afforded an opportunity tn closely in
spect the mammoth engine president"
the largest engine in the world and speci-
mer Of mechanical construction that calls
forth the admiration Of all who see it The
"President" is Of 8 900 horse power as now
run, with sixteen boilers. With double the
number Of boilers the capacity would be
10000 Morse power. There is no pumping
engine in the world that eau be compared
With this monster. At every revolution Of
its ponderous wheels it throws out Il little
river. The number of gallons of water
raised every minute is 10000. The engine
works with a smoothness that is aston
ishing and there is not the slightest jar
observable in any of Its parts or in the
building. Previous to March last il had
been idle for period Of seven and a half
years. There were misgyings IN the minds
oi some that there would be difficulty in
restarting the engine after so long rest,
but Captain Eudy knew what he was about
ana at once dispeled all doubt that had
previously existed on the subjsct lie had
all the parts thoroughly oyerhaued, started
the fires under the boilers and when all
was in readiness he put few men at the
crab winch (aso the largest apd most
powerful in the world), and after q few
revolutions had been made and everything
worked satisfactorily y steam was turned on,
and the magnificent engine began to move
more rapidly. Since March it has been
run day and night without hitch. Twenty
eight tons Of buckwheat coal ARE consumed
by the boilers every day. The engine as it
is generally run makes seven revolutions
per minute, but the speed can be increased
to fourteen revolutions.
The driving wheels are thirty We feet 10
diameter and weigh forty tons each. The
sweep.rod is forty feet long. The cylinder
is 10 inches in diameter, while the piston
rod is eighteen inches in diameter and
makes ten-foot stroke. The engine has a
ballast box capsule of holding sixty tons
and solid chunks of iron weighing several
tons apiece are placed in the box as the
depth of the shaft increases. On the engine
president" is also the largest nut in the
world. It is hexagonal in shape and weigh:
| 600 pounds. To tighten or loosen this
nut twenty men are required, while the
wrench that fits it is twenty feet long
From the nose or end OF the walking beam
800 feet. The engine is in charge of Mr.
John Henry, an intelligent mechanic, who
has been in the service of the company in
various capacities for eight ears, and who
takes great pride in the monster that i:
entrusted 10 his keeping. All parts of the
machinery are scrupulously clean and
bright, and the engine house is in perfect
order, evidence that Mr.. Henry is atten tive
to his duties and worthily discharges the
trust reposed in him.
To properly support the weight of so
great an engine the reader will readily ad
init that it was necessary that the founda.
ton go down deep and be Of the soidcs
character. The masonry extends down tc
a depth of $50 feet, all solid Many of the
stones weighing as much as five tons
while those weighing ton arc numerous
A q eat number of the rocks in the iounda.
tion were brought all the way from Naza.
reth and vicinity. The foundation cos
nearly as much as the engines. The shaft
as has been before said, is 500 feet deep anC
twenty six by thirty feet in the cea-. Al
the shaft sets (.he tlmbering) are of tn,
best Florida pine. There are four pump
three Of which are thirty inches IN diam
eter and the other twenty two inches. Al
these discharge their water IN one adit o,
drift, whence it flows out in a powerful
stream. The water is clear and cold ano
as good for drinking purposes as any W,
ever !usted.--EE.