The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-29

WHY THEY SHINE NOT
Engineer Harrison Explains
the Lack of Light on the
New Boulevard.
BREAKING IN A NEW PLANT
Only the Ordinary Difficulties with
Engines and Boilers Before
They Run Smoothly.
BREAKING IN A NEW PLANT

The peculiar now you see them; now
you don't' performance of the new elec-
trio lamps along the Boulevard has
given rise to no end of talk throughout
the city. Those people who thought all
that was necessary, once the plant was
completed, was to turn on the cur
rent and let mature take her course, 2
We're doomed to disappointment from the
start Several newspapers have taken
up the matter and everyone wished to
know why the auxiliary moons shone
some nights and on others left the
speedway in Egyptian gloom
The difficulties encountered by every
new plant of any magnitude was appar-i
emily not taken into consideration As
this Is the largest electrical plant in this
metropolis some trouble with the run
ming of the engines was unavoidable
And to the engines is confined all of the
trouble of the current month, Mr. Edlow
Harrison explained to a reporter OF THE
Jersey City News today:
The electrical end of the system
said he, lis perfect The only difficulty.
IS with the big. engines which drive the
dynamos. Until little of their newness
wears off some of this is unavoidable.
You know the captains of the big At
lantic liners never dare to run at full
speed until two or three trips have been
made. To light the lamps however, this
engine must run at full speed. A hot
| journal required its shutting down on
one or two occasions, including the half
hour from 9:45 to 1O:15 last Monday night.
"The darkness. Of about weeks dura-
| ton previous to Monday night was caused
hU tai fho hatI
| The otherathree boilers had been supply
| ing steam to the big driving engine be-
fore that time. When the fourth boiler
was brought into play it s'foamed," So
! the operation is termed In less technf-
| cal language the water boiled over into
the cylinder making a water hammer or
| hydraulic cushion. This, unable to es-
cape or yield to the pressure of the
plunger, bent the key at the cross-head
connection of the piston rod. A new key
| was procured and placed in position. To
preclude the possibility of future dis
asters of a like nature the steam-piping
! from this boiler to the engine was
altered. No further trouble is therefore
anticipated. The system worked perfect
ly last night
THE plant is being run by Contractor
Cc--aolly at the present time, and these
accidents in no way affect the contract.
When the plant is turned over to the
| county you may be sure it viii be in per
feet order. Electrical companies are
/ somewhat similar to bicycc and sewing
machine manufacturers. Each company
! finds every system wrong but its own. 1
|. was not satisfied this one was the proper
| system. / have been agreeably surprised
| with the result. The Supreme Court it
will be remembered. ruled very aptly that
if this company did what it contracted to
| do in manner fully up to the standard.
| there could be no objection to bid some
| $4,000 cheaper than any other. Jersey
| City being the first Eastern city in which
| the Standard Company has aspired to OBJ
| tain foot-hold. probably obtained some
| concession in the price. In few weeks
the plant will be ready for acceptance by
the county.
1.-The placing of lights on both sides of
| the road was matter lying entirely in the
| hands of Engineer McMahon, the county's
| expert electrician. 1t practicable and to
the best interests of the system the alter
nate lights Were to occupy. opposite sides
| of the road. The difficulties attendant
upon. this plan are, briefly. two. One is
the danger in having at every other. cor
ner two wires crossing the road If one
| of snow, sleet or wind. loss of human life
| might follow. and perhaps horse or two
| be killed Running the wires on either
| side of the road would make a longer cir
| cult: in fact double it's length. l estimate
the. saving to the county at about SlUO0
to $1,200 per year.
Il read an article in local paper re-
Gently. which criticized the lamps be-
cause, they, swung. A criticism Of the
earth is about as applicable. All electric
lamps swing. Another paper claimed
that the lamps should have hoods to full
af Ilnr rr,1rOcc cIf.T1A lf
gross ignorance on somebody's part This
form of lamp requires no hood Other
makes do because the box which contains Is
merely to protect the enclosed works.
'"rhe fact that the lamp has but single
not stased q M
lays its great claim to cheapness on these
very premises. One elllptical pencil
thirds the price of four circular. ones
necessary to last the same length of time.
This was point brought against the
claimed that the arc or pencil would
burn on either end alternately and pro-
duce a fiickering light This, Court ruling
refuted by the successful application of the
lights. Did you ever seera clearer. whittier
.frfle engines at Snake Hill are low
pressure ones. They are now running at
high pressure because we cannot get at
e dredger can get into the Hackensack
clear away the mud from in front Of the
plant. that water will be used. This will
ice is out kpf the Hackensack this can
not be accomplished. think this is a
charges people are making. My idea was
to place the company in the right light.
before the public. and I think / have
done it,
At a meeting of Hoboken citizens in
the office of the sHoboken Land and Inn
provement Association on Newark street,
q
mittee was appointed to draft a bill for
an additional appropriation looking to-
mayor Pagan presaed ana
Aaron S. Baldwin, Herman Walker and
Palmer Campbell on that COMMITTEES
Assemblyman John Wahl Queen will be
asked to present the bill when it is COM
| pleted. Engineer Harrison furnished the
data with regard to necessary funds on
which the meeting worked.
WnIF,Ss MOVING SALE