The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-07

Interesting Details of a Practical irial
Neurthe German CITY ot Magdeburg.

The american Consul at Magdeburg.
Mr.. Auth. recently send TO the state De
partment the interesting details VI the
operation OF an electrical plant on = Farm
near that German city
The motive power IS furnished u
small brook, which passes the Iarm III
distance OF about ~ feet and drives
turbine wheel. About 1850 feet above the
whcel-house a dam has been erected IN
the brook. for the purpose OF ootainin"
the necessary fan ana forcing the water
into q canal leading 20 the turbine. ms
canal f. partly cut into the ground ana
partly banked so that at the turbine
ball OF ) 81 feet IS obtained. The volume
of water changes from Is cubic 1eet
second in very dry seasons TO lOo 10 III
cubic feet u second in very wet seasons
with an average Of 50 cubic feet, the tur-
bine IS guaranteed ~ furnish sixteen
horse power. while IN reality II furnishes
eighteen, and ~ high water twenty-one
to twenty-five horse power. Ihe turbine
drives a Schubert dynamo machine, when
develops al tho electricity needed. From
this dynamo the current goes 10 the so
called switchboard. whence II IS distrlbu-
ted 10 the various stations. wires OF dli-
feront sizes strung on poles conduct light
and power currents 20 the yard. thence
to the dwelling. and main building. sta
bles. barns, other farm buildings. ana
garden.
There are In the dwelling and main
building 100 incandescent lights; IN the
other buildings, seventy and IN the yard
and garden. twelve. besides Two arc
lamps. In the turbine house there Is also
an accumulator-a battery consisting OF
sixty-six large glass cells. with plates OF
lead in diffused sulphuric acid. when
serves to accumulate electricity. during
the day. when the machines are not IN
operation on the yard. this accumulAtor
IS loaded. and contains then sufficient
electricity 10 feed tho lights from even
ing. after working hours. TIL the next
morning. a small machine can also be
attached 10 tho accumulation and worked
from its power. BY careful handling the
accumulation has furnished sufficient cleo
trlcitv to last five DAYS without being re-
loaded. To operate the machinery there
are two electric motors-one or ten-horse
power and the other OF two-and -a-half-
horse power. The small motor Is fixed
and drives the pumps FOR the stables. a
straw cutter. a turning lathe. a grind
stone. and a large band saw. which can
cut logs OF thickness up 10 II "a inches.
tho latter however only with the aid Of
the larger motor. The larger motor Is
mounted on iron wheels and. together
with the thrashlng machine, can be put
into any barn. 10 be connected there with
the electric current by a small cable. The
silos are built IN semi-clrcle around the
last barn, and can be reached. 70 q dis
lance OF 800 feet by cable attachments.
The distance OF the motor from the tur-
bine IS then about 500 feet The system
OF handling the motors IS so simple that
any farm hand can readily understand II.
The turning OF a lever admits the electric
current, which Immediately puts the mo-
tor in operation 70 its full power. one
machinist who is stationed NJ the tur-
bine house. superintends the entire plant
handles the turbine and dynamo. ana
from time 10 time inspects the motors
when In operation. one Intelligent farm
hand can attend the thrashins machine
and the large motor.
Owing 10 loss OF power In the conouits'
an average Of sixteen-horse power Is re-
quired for thrashng. twelve-horse power
Tor saving, and three-horse power TOT
riSn-ias the small motor. With an aver