The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-25
Salt Lake Has One of the Finest
Plants
IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES
The Prices Charged are Moderate and Much
Lower Than in Some Other
Cities.

WV DAohp anu pOWGF muse OF Inc Salt
Lake Power, Light and Heating company.
In dimensions it is 75xl65 feet is two
stories high, and covered with an iron
truss roof, the only one, by the way, in
Utah territory. Five smoke stacks tower
above the building ninety feet high and
1orty-four inches in diameter, the tallest
smoke stacks in the territory
In this building is one of the largest and
finest electric lighting plants in the coun-
try. 1t was the third public lighting
station built in the United States and
there are only half dozen plants that are
larger. 1t is complete in every particular,
and is the envy and admiration of all in
terested in electric lighting who visit Salt
Lake. The company was capitalized at
S25O,OOO and its plant is worth S50O,0OO.
The east end of the building is used as
boiler room and here are located the bau-
terry OF ten boilers, with combined horse
power Of 1900. Like the remainder of the
plant, this boiler room is complete in every
detail and has all the modern appliances
Tor economical heating and SAFETY.
Then comes the power and dynamo
room. On the south side is a Buckeye
engine of 225 horse power, which runs the
arc dynamos, twelve of which, each one
with capacity of forty lights, are driven
by this engine. These dynamos are belted
10 line shaft which has the t'Hill clutch,
SO That one machine can be run independ-
entity OF all others. In the west end stands
another 200 horse power engine which is a
reserve engine for the dynamos last men
toned.
Then comes compound Arlington &
Sims engine pulling a ,3O0-light aIternat-
ing lncsndescent and a forty light arc ma
chine. On the north side is an Arlington
y Sims compound engine which does the
same work as the last engine referred to
Next is an Ideal engine of 40 horse power
pulling two Edison machines of 800 lights
each. Next this are two Arlington &,
Sims standard engines pulling two ESQ.,
light Thompson 81 Houston alternating
machines. Near by is a Westinghouse
slxty-hVe horse power engine pulling two
1orty-iight arc machines. There is an Ideal
engine pulling two Edison machines of
I,5OO-lignt capacity. Two Arlington &
Sims engines of ninety-horse power each
stand east of the Ideal pulling two ESQ
light Thompson & Houston alternatinp
machines
In the east end of the building and on the
north side are two large Blake pumns
which supply the battery of boilers with
water, which passes through the immense
heaters. Here also are the gauges show
the city water works.
The switch boards are as perfect as mod
ern electrical science can produce. One
circuit or any number of circuits can ha
thrown on any machine, either arc or in
candescent, or all can be thrown on at
once. There are ampere meters which show
the number of lights on every circuit
There are volt meters which show the
voltage and which indicate the candle power
of the lights at the station, as also all over
the system.
A portion of the upper floor is used for a
store room, but so rapidly is the system
growing that the new dynamos VIII he
placed on that floor and the store room will
be removed. The stock carried Aggregates
about SIS, 600.
The company employ about flftv men
and have probably 500 miles of wire, which
carry the current in and around the citv
lighting the 500 arc lamps. and 5000 incan.
descent lamps on the system. The first
light was used here October
lst, 1890, and the 5000 lights now in use
show a remarkable rapidity of growth
and while the company made an appronria-
ton OF $500 to put the incandescent sys-
TEN in $40, 900 was expended in putting the
plant into shape.
A visit to the station will repay any one
and cordial invitation Is extended all IN
,all. To see the ponderous machinery in
notion, the immense fly wheels revolving
he flashes of light from the dynamos
everything working in harmony and mi
son is worth long journey, and when one
sees it and notes how noiseless it all noves
he stands appalled, at the wonder and mar.
rel Of mechanical science
Mention Of the electric lighting station
would be incomplete unless something was
aid about Mr.. Frank H. Dyer, the presi-
lent treasurer and manager of the com
'any. Next to his family, the electric
light plant is his pet. To his effort is due
is building up. He has personally seen
he placing of every machine, he planned
he buildings and he is familiar
With all the details of the immense ,
liant. Morning, noon and night he visits +,
and he is never happier than when show d,
ng visitor through and explaining the :
many intricate details connected there ,
nth. Everything new that is proved to
'e Of merit in an economical running and ,
ne betterment of the plant he adopts, the
asst being a smoke-consumer which will ,
o away with the heavy black clouds of $
moke which have heretofore belched :
rom the great smokesracks. Further it ,
hight be said that virtually having mo- +
opoly of the business, the price charged ;
or light is less than in cities where there =
re two or more competing light companies