Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-11-01
Transmission of caney Fork Water
Power.
Office of RAE & HEALY,
Electricians & Electrical Engineers,
New YORK. Jan. 5. 1884.

Gentlemen Some weeks ago we
received from Mr.. G. F. Mathews
letter enclosing one from your firm,
regarding the water power of the
Caney Fork River. Mr.. Mathews
refers your letter to us with the re-
quest that we write you our views
upon the probability of transmit
ting the power to Nashville, electri-
cally.
We have read your communica-
ton and the enclosed report of the
engineer who examined the falls,
with care; and if the site which he
reports as feasible for mill building
can be used for erection of Dynamo
station, there can be no difficulty be-
You'd one Of labor and expense, in
transmitting whatever amount of
power can beapplied to the dynamOs
by means of turbines located at that
point-when we say "whatever pow
en-" it is of course meant less loss in
transmission required to get an eco
nOmical efficiency. BY calculation
we find this efficiency to be from 40
to 45 per cent.-or with 5000 h. p. at
the falls we can deliver |, 200 to 1900
Ii. p. at a distance Of 100 miles. While
it is possible to deliver a much greater
proportion Of this energy, it would
necessitate very much larger and
expensive conductor, involving an
outlay which would hardly be enter
tanned, but with the figures as above,
that is to say, a calculation based up
on delivering for useful work, from
40 to IS per cent. of the power sup
piled by the turbines can be transfer
red with economy and supplied to
pay a good profit upon the invest
ment.
AS your visit at the Southern Expo
sition has undoubtedly given you
some knowledge of the Edison light,
we have made some figures upon this
power, used for lighting by the Edi-
son system. With the 5000 h. p. at
the turbines and 200 hip. at the ter
minus of the line, we can produce
1900 Edison ga" lamps of IL candle
power each. This light is equivalent
to 10,S00 four foot gas burners, or gas
consumption of 43, 200 Gu. #. per hour
assuming an average daily con-
sumption Of 4 hours per day, would
be 1922 800 Gu. #. per day of hours.
Surprising gas to cost 81 per M it.
this would be equal to S34j.6O per day
of 4 hours, or $124.416 per year of 800
days. This amount represents 10 per
cent. interest on 81 pa ,160.
twill be noticed that this is upon
a basis Of but 4 hours work per day
whereas the power is available a
hours. We can deliver the energy
in such form that it may be used for
lighting as above, for the arc sys-
tenn, and for motive power of any de-
sired h. p. our plans embracing a de-
livery station by which the total
power may be sub-divided for any
use and in any quantities.
In attempting to estimate upon the
cost of construction, equipment etc.,
for this work, many details would be
necessary that could be had only by
further correspondence such as, route
for conductors, either above or below
ground, buildings for dynamo and re-
Ceiving stations, manner of placing
turbines, and many others that will
suggest themselves to you. The con-
ductOr will cost in the neighborhoOd
of $4,000, Dynamos $4,000 to $20,1
600, motors and receiving station con-
nectiOns, etc, $4,000; these figures
are based upon not very careful calcu-
lations, but are approximately cor
rect.
Our knowledge of the country is so
meagre that we can suggest very little
regarding utilization of this energy at
some point nearer than Nashville but
it might, ewould suppose, be adj
yantageously employed in cotton
manufactures and other industries
much nearer the falls. For instance,
if therail facilities were some miles
distant, a mill might be run and a rail
road connecting it with the main line,
operated, while portion could be ia
ken to Nashville at less cost for con-
ductor for the greater distance.
The electrical transmission of pow
er has not received the attention in
this country that it has in Europe
probably the largest experiment be.
ing the railway at Louisville, built
and operated by the writers. Enough
has been done, however, to enable Us