The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-09
LIGHT At THE WATER WORKS
The Neyv Electric Light Plant Form
ally InnuEurated.

ally IHnugurafed.
The Savannah water works was the
scene % a pleasant event yesterday az
ternoon in connection with the turning
on of ,he current from the new electric
Hgh, plant which has recently been COM
p.e-ed Tor the purpose Of lighting the
works
As announced in the Morning News sew
erai months ago the water commission
decided 70 put in an electric light pant,
not merely 10 beaurify the works and as
slst the employees IN their work. but for
the protection OF the valuable machinery
there. which must De used night and day.
The contract for furnishing the material
for the plant was awarded 10 the Savan-
nah Electrical supply and Construction
Company. owing TO the fac, that this was
the first contract for a complete plant
secured here by the company, its officers
determined that the plant should be a
specimen Of their work TO which they
could point with pride, and for that
reason the question Of expense
was made a secondary one and all mater
ial was carefully selected. The material
was furnished by the company, but all the
work was done under the supervision OF
Superintendent Lotion Of the water de-
partment who Is well up in electrical en-
cheering as well as IN other branches of
his profession
The work was completed a few days ago,
ana the light Was turned on Tor the nrSt
time last night. Superintendent L0ftOn
and President Fox Of the Electrical Con-
structiOn and supply Company cOnspired
together TO make the event pleasant one
For that purpose invitations were extend
ed TO the members Of the water commits
sion, the mayor and aldermen, the city Of
hcials and some few friends. The party
gathered at the works driving out from
the city. Among those present were Mayor
Myers, Aldermen Garrard, Falligant, Wat
son and Lamotte. Messrs. James N. Dixon,
J. n. Fox and James Mendel of the water
Frank McDermOtt, J. E. Mcguire,
Harry Willink, =. 8. Collins II.
E. Dreeson, A. R. Fawcett,
D. B. Fax, A. Letter, Jr., Max Krauss
President Fox and Mr.. J. L. Walker
were on hand and Joined with Supt. Bof-
| ton In receiving the visitors and explain
ing the plant and its workings.
The plant Is situated in the engine room
! IN the rear Of the big pumping engines.
| II Is very neat and compact and its small
size excited general surprise, when COM
| pared with the work being performed.
| The engine and dynamo occupy a space
| Of less than ten feet square. The engine
| is a Harrisburg Ideal and the dynamo an
| Eddy multipOlar. Its capacity is six arc
| lamps of 1000 candle power each and
| eighty-five incandescent lamps of sixteen
! and twenty candle power Steam Is sup
| piled to the engine from the boiler room.
| The switch board is a handsome affair,
| with gauges, amphere and volt meters,
| rheostat, and all Of the usual appliances
| and all of the best make.
| Heretofore the engineers have had 10
| depend upon kerosene lamps al night, and
as a result the lighting was very imper-
| feet Now, every room in the building
| is lighted by electricity. Two big arc
lights are suspended in the engine room
and numerous incandescent lights are
| placed so as TO light up every part of the
| engines and machinery from beneath, as
| well as from the top and sides. The lamps
gave very clear, strong light and the
engine room was as light as day. The
| wiring of the incandescent lights is very
| ingeniously done, the wires being con-
| eealed in small iron piping. douby insu-
lated, so that there is no possibility of the
| wires coming in contact with the ma
chinery at any point. The insulation is
complete, so that the burning out Of
! the fuse of any lamp will not affect the
other lamps. All parts of the building are
| Wei lighted and lights are run to the sta
| BILE some distance in the rear
The grounds of the waterworks are light
/ ed by two big arc lights.
| Those of the visitors who came early had
| the opportunity of observing the improve
| ments which Superintendent Lotion has
| made in the grounds around the water
works. The large space east of the works
| which was formerly a marsh has been
| converted into the prettiest little park to
| be found around Savannah. A little lake
| bordered by willow trees and with a foun-
tain in the center is one of the features.
| A number Of rose bushes set out some time
| ago are now in full bearing and Superin-
tendent Fofton gathered rosebuds for bou-
! tonniers for the entire party. Avenues of
trees nave been set out which will in time
add greatly TO the appearance of the park.
AS soon as Gwinnett street is properly i'm
| proved the waterworks will become a IA
Vorite resort on summer afternoons The
last but not the least important feature
| Of the occasion was the fine spread set by
Mr.. Fox for the guests. Many of the party
had missed their suppers in order to be
present. and the lunch proved very ac-
ceptable