Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-03-15
Bic IN OUT.
PART OF A OK AND STONE WALL
IN TIL G, lNOOSkl RIVER.
a Water Hammer" Works Disastrously
on the Head of One of the Fumes at the
Power station at the Gorge Damage
Can BE Easily Repaired.

Just before noon Thursday rumors of
serious trouble at the power station of the
| Vermont Electric company at the gorge
near the twin bridges over the Winooski
river reached this city. These rumors were
of a very conflicting nature, some being to
the effect that the high water had carried
away the entire station. The news spread
rapidly over the city and hundreds visited !
the scene during the afternoon. To one not
acquainted with the situation the sight was
discouraging. A portion of the wall facing
The railroad bridge was torn out, and the
roof rested on the dynamos and generators |
great volume Of water was seemingly |
rushing through the building and threaten
ing to do still further damage. Representa- |
tives of the FREE PRESS found Manager
Vincent on the machinery floor and
learned from him that the damage was
not So great as appeared mt first
sight. None of the machinery was damaged
in the slightest degree and duplicate flume
with relay wheels was all right. During
the morning some imperfections in the ma
sonry about the cast fume were noticed and
water was seen to ba trcklng through The
wall was being watched and it had been de
cidcd to close the gate TO the flune pending
repairs on the wall when at / % clock
the lower head of the fume was crowded
Off. This released the brick outside wall of
the DYNAMO room. and some 60 feet of it
went into the river below. The roof, of three
inch plank covered with z. * b. roofing,
thus lost il, support on the south side and
fell. but fortunately in such a way that the
machinery was not damaged in the slightest
degree and even the roofing did not crack.
The accident was due to the sudden action
of the water on the walls of the hume
l. 1
street railway purposes, In the running of
the electric cars the demand one minute
may he for 200 horse power; then within a
few seconds of time this excessive de
mand is suddenly cut off, thus
requiring the immediate shutting off of the
water to prevent the water wheel from
'racing;' that is. increasing its speed to an
unsafe degree. This sudden shutting Off of
the water from the wheel stops the flowing
water and causes blow or pounding which
is called the ''water hammer - This action
is seen in a small degree in the water pipes
of houses. Such action of the water was
expected and provided for as was supposed.
but because of the very excessive densityof the
water at this season of the year and because
OF the greatly increased head, or height, of
the water it is evident that the power was
too much for this tlume-head and it gave
way. The wall was four feet in thickness
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az n "''o'' wan 0'' "'''' ~ 90 '"' a. 'io "0'o
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~ III siie p,s e'nu iu'i'1 e'.' Wv? "a.oi
~ ~ohe ~ W uoise po"e'' "nlc" ""s u9cu W
run 'Ilo ei'vIi ns ii.H "i'' o'c VI p'o u'i "
power winch was uSe'i W operate 'nc street
railway. In the west or reserve tlume,
there is at present only one wheel, of 62J
horse power. which is alone sufficient to run
both the electric lights and the street rail
way. Within II minutes after the accident
to the east fume the wheel in the west tume
was started, running the street cars for II
short time, when it was thought advisable
to shut down until order had been somewhat
restored
The water Thursday fully 10 feet
higher than usual 1t is expected that it
will recede within n short time, when the
gate to the east flume, which is now only
about half way open, can be entirely closed
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