Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-07-17

mits That the Cost OF ktxtnG the
Plant will He Over s35,OOO-1t May
Hun Tn to $4,000 -fccuiiaritics Of
the Lights and Their Operation
Engineer Ba,n says Repairs Can
Easily Ec Made.
The West Park electric lighting sys.
item IL to be put in order and taxpayers
are to meet the bill.
just what putting Il In order means
and just what the operation will cost
are conundrums yet to he answered.
Electrical engineers say the solution of
the first will be to rip out about all Of
the plant and replace It with new ma.
,chinery. at a cost which may mount
up to $4,000. President Sudtlar,l, of
the West Park Board. is more con.
SENTATIVE. He admits the cost will be
over $4,000 Mt least, and hazards u
guess Il may liz more. He doesn't Id
NIT to the public all the changes that
must be made, but among their in;i-
mate friends the commissioners do Eot
hesitate TO say the vital part must he
replaced IL plant which has cost to
date over S2OOOOO Is to perform the
work for which It is designed.
RECEIVE ENGINEER DOW'S RE-
PORT.
Yesterday at their meeting the CON-
missioners wrestled with the subject.
as they have done mt every meeting for
weeks past. They had before them
the report Of Alexander Dow. consult.
ing engineer. Of Detroit, Mich, on the
plant and Its defects and how to cure
them. Mr.. Dow was sent for month
ago. He is an expert who has long
been connected with quasi.public Hight.
ing plnnts. When a plant Of that clnr.
acter Ii found full Of faults the method
Of the owners Is often to seek advice
as to how to put the thing in running
order for such a length Of time as Will
enable them to unload It Oh somebody.
Mr.. Dow found no possibility existing
OF the West Pnrk Commissioners I'm.
loading their plant, and his report
treated the plant from the standpoint
OF a pei'nanen investment and what
could he done to nuke Il good.
IRREGULARITIES OF THE SYSTEM.
The report hasn't been made public.
President Suddari says II won't he I'M
Ill about Aug. when, coupled with
its publication. will he definite nn.
nouncement rs to which OF Mr.. BOWS
recOmme ndntions Of changes the board
will accept.
Everybody who lives on the West
Side knows something about the West
Park lighting system. One noticeable
feature Il a section Of wood placed In
the posts, covering the same with creO.
sOte ~ an insulatOr. The material
serves it's purpose 10 well that people
who live in the West Side boulevartls
are occasionally edited by the specta.
Gle OF the fire department Gathering up
to extlnguish a burning pole. The
usual result Ia a large circuit Of lights
has to he cut out until repairs IRE
made.
TROUBLE WITH THE DYNAMOs.
Con,bustible light poles are not the
only causes Of various gyratiOns Of the
light. The dynnmOs nre calculated
each to supply $50 lamps Of ifty volts
each. Their output accordingly should
bc 1890 volts. Electrical people say
when the lamps get hot the voltage
runs up to sixty or seventy volts per
lamp. Consulting Engineer Force
balm says the dynam0s are not built In
accordance with specifications.
Power to run the dynnmOs IL carried
from the engines by rope drive. This
Is u system of transmission which II u
bone of contention among engineers.
MIR. Balm says the old commissioners
insisted on It's selection because II cost
$1,000 less than other systems. Any
way, II ana the amount Of shaf,lng In
the power house have habit of nnk-
ing things pleasant for the men employ.
ed there. Several accidents have &C.
Cured with Immediate effect upon the
lights In the parks aud on the bOule-
wards.
BUILT BY ALTGELD COMMISSION.
Frs.
There Is trouble with the insulation,
aud grave trouble. A few months ago
the telephone system OF the West Side
wouldn't work. There was a confer.
ence Of learned experts ana 1t was
finally charged up to defective insula.
ton OF the electric light wires. There
are other parts of the plant which, In.
stead IT exactly fulfilling each their
share in what should be hOmOgene-
GUS whole, develop u tendency to work
on their own hook ut times.
The plant was built by the commits
sIOners appointed by ex-GOy. Altgeld,
with Force Balm as engineer. Mr.
Balm was employed ut salary of $500
IL month ana given full charge. Plants
costing $l7S,0OO are rich plums for cleo
tricai manufacturers and there were
naturally many bidders present when
bids were opened. The manner Of
awarding many of the contracts led to
II storm of protests from the unsuccess.
full concerns. The lights We're awarded
10 the highest bidder, at cost of $40
per lamp i'm excess of the next bidder.
Considerable of n row was kicked UP
over this contract, and also over that
for the dynamOs. Long before the plant
was started 1t became apparent there
were many defects, ana 1t appears the
AItgeld commissioners Iacitly admitted