Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-24
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
The Works Completed aud the Lights ~
nected IN no Ready IN n Few DAYS.

Tho Works Completed aud the Lights Nv
pccted 20 be Ready In Few DAYS.
After much talk on the subject both
branches of the City Council in July
last adopted a resolution apprOpriating
$500 to put electric lights on Main
and Broad streets and in the parks in
the city. This resolution was approved
by the Mayor July 10th, and about the
lst Of September, after consideration
Of the oilers made by several
companies, the Committee on Light,
with the approval Of the Council, award
ed the contract to the Schuyler Com
pany, Of New York. 1t was then
hoped that possibly the lights could be
put into operation by the time Of the
Fair, bat many things hindered the
progress Of the work, and it could
not be done. Work was begun on the
5th of September, and has been push
ed forward with all due haste.
The delay in great measure has
been due to the cold weather. The
company's water-ppes have burst
twice, and their wheel.pit has been
flooded by the bursting of the water
pipe in the alley, just in the rear of
their works.
The plant is located in large two
story building on the south side of Ba-
sin bank. between Tenth and Eleventh
streets.
On the lower floor is all Of the ma
chinery, consisting of two l50-horse-
power engines. four l00-horse-power
boilers, one Barogwath steam-j Jacket
heater for heating the water by the ex-
haust steam. a Dean pump, and two
inectors for supplying the boilers with
water; five 40-light dynamOs, with
their automatic regulators; a large
switchboard, to which are connected
the terminals Of the dynamo machines
and the outside circuits.
The machinery is so arranged that 1t
can be added to at pleasure. The
,treet-lamps are now hung on testing
lines in the works. Alter they are
tested they will be hung in their proper
positions on the poles and adjusted to
the outside circuit.
On the second floor Of the building is
the shafting, workshop, store-room, and
the superintendent office. The works
were erected under the supervision of
Mr.. Il. F. orion. The work of placing
the machinery in position has been COM
pletcd and the fires were kindled Friday
to heat the water in the boilers. The
machinery was started, but slight de-
feet was discovered in the working of the
driving pulley on the main shaft which
caused the main belt to run of. Had
it not been for this difficulty some Of
the lamps would be lighted tomorrow
night. A change was made in the pull
legs yesterday by which it is probable
this trouble will be remedied. AS it is
the lights are expected to be in opera
ton in few days.
There will be 10 street-lamps in
Richmond Of the kind known as divided
arc ratio. each at l,200-candle power.
These lights will be on Main street from
beyond Monroe Park to Twenty-eighth,
on Twenty-ffth street from Main to
Church-llill avenue, on Church-Hill
avenue, on Broad from Twenty-ffth to
Shafer, on Seventeenth between Main
and Broad, on north Sixth and south
Third streets, and in the Capitol
Square, Monroe, Gamble 's-IIill, Mar
shall, and Chimborazo Parks.
Contracts have been made to furnish
the light to a few manufacturers. The
price has not been arranged, but it is
not expected to exceed that Of gas,
while the light will be much stronger.