Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-04-04

Ano Ahous Is IN receipt from Con-
gresham Gest of the official letter from
the secretary of war including the reports
OF Gen. Benet. chief of ordnance, and o.
Coi. Whittemore, comman dant at Rock
Island arsenal, concerning the arsenal and
the estimates and plans for the establish
ment of gun factory there The report
OF Col. Whittemore, which is accompa.
MED by great deal of descriptive mat.
ter, maps, plates and diagrams, is as fol-
lows:
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL. Feb. IL
SIR:-l have the honor to submit a report
accompanied by plans and estimates for
transmltt the power to be developed
In the water wheels in the new dam Gin
whole OF in part) by electricity.
The object of this report is to show the
advantage and economy in transmitting
the above mentioned power by electricity.
instead OF by wire rope and rigid shaft
ing.
The latter plan was decided upon by
the department about sixteen years ago,
and about one-tenth of it has already
been developed at cost of 5000.
To complete this system for transmit.
ting the whole power of the dam by wire
| rope and rigid shafting combined, will
cost as follows. viz. $3.50, 099 50.
To begin and complete this system BY
electricity will cost S123, 100 so.
Loss of power by friction in transmitting the
whole 1000 horse power by wire rope and rigid
shafting.
Horsepower.
For the north row of shops. .....-... ss0
Loss from generator, resistance in wire and
| motor by electricity.
For the south row o, .,oD. Horsepower sogg
| For the north row of shops. 300
The difference IN running the two
shops by wire rope and rigid shafting is
due to the difference in distance from
the source of the power requiring more
| rope and more towers for carrying the
rope. 1t will be seen at first sight that
| there is go horsepower in favor of the
wire rope and rigid shafting. assuming
| that 80 per cent is lost by electricity, al
| though some of the firms who deal in
electrical apparatus claim that 80 per
cent is not lost in transmission. Assum,
ing that the whole system Of wire rope
snd rigid shafting combined has been
| completed, and it is desired to run shops
A and b at the west ends of each row,
before starting the machinery in shop A
800 horsepower of resistance in wire
rope and rigid shaf:ing has to be over
come. Before starting shop B 900 horse
power IF resistance has to be overcome
How is it by electricity?
| The water wheels being connected in
sets of four with generators. each gener-
ater will be able to transmit its electrical
energy through copper wire to any one
motor At any one time al any one shop at
a maximum loss of 60 horsepower out
of 200 giving 40 effective horsepower
30 do the work.
With the wire rope and rigid shafting
transmission this 200 horsepower would
not suffice even to move the shaft for do
ing any work in shops A and B.
With a capacity OF 700 horse-power.
which is all that would be available un
der the present condition of the water
power pool, $40 horsepower would be
lost in friction, and 100 left to do the
work.
In electrical transmission 2l0 horse
power would be lost, leaving 400 horse
power available for work, or a surplus of
800 horsepower in favor of electricity.
So far as the practicsbiiity of this sys-
tenn o. transmission by electricity is con
lcerned, there are reliable firms ready to
contract for the work and guarantee its
success.
| Comparative cost in transmitting 1900 horse
lpower by wire rope and rigid shafting as origin
ally contemplated, and by electricity as proposed
By wire rope and rigid shafting as fol ows, viz.
Two underground shafts. complete 3 IS, LEI. OF
Wire rope, pulleys and shafts. ........ 13,2l7.7,