Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-04-21

WIS tXDtTlc0c6u ~ TIC bIhIt W nCn ~ - . o
membered that the system Is very ex-
tensive and intricate one, with many
miles of wire and hundreds Of conDec-
tions, all of which had to be perfect.
After adjustment, the five arcs threw
strong light, fully up to expectation,
while the 200 street incandescents sur
prised all by the completeness with which
they lighted the streets. On the darkest
night one can read ones watch anywhere
along the sidewalks.
The celebration was enthusiastic and
orderly credit to the incest town In the
state. 1t wound up with dance partic-
ipated in by about so couples.
Randolph is as tickled with her electric
lights as a boy with his first pocket. And
with good reason. There Is nothing bet
ter going in the electric lighting line and
the cost is insignificant, compared with
what most towns pay for a service no
where near as good. The system Is con-
troiled by private enterprise, the village
has no responsibility and what profit may
come to the promoters no one will be-
gruoge them. They have built on foun-
dalton OF solid rock. Everything has
been put in to stay and money has been
poured out freely to make the system a
thorough and lasting success.
A leading expert told the HERALD re-
porter, ssThere is nothing better in New
England in Illuminating power than Ran
dolph has. 1t represents the most mod
ern type of apparatus, the most thorough
ly up TO date system OF distribution for
light and power"
In describing the system it would be
more accurate to begin by saying that the
Randolph system was made possible by
the erection OF fine power plant in Beth
ell than that the Bethel plant was built for
the purpose OF supplying electricity for
Randolph. Perhaps the exact truth Is
that the Bethel station was built to sup
ply Randolph and for other purposes, as
there is more than sufficient power there
| for our present needs. The Randolph
company (White River Electric CO.. has
the exclusive right to the first $50 horse
power generated. The surplus belongs to
| the dam builders Bethel Electric Light
and Power Coz. As yet the surplus has
not been utilized.
The dam, built in White river at Blue
| Hill two miles below Bethel, provides q
fall OF 16 to II feet. The power IS supplied
by means OF a horizontal twin wheel 81
inches in diameter, made by the Burn.
ham Wheel Co. of York, Pa. This wheel
Is so perfect and so nicely set that at its
| very start 1t ran without tremor and
without heating the bearings. 1t has a
capacity under IS feet head of $50 horse
power. From 1t leads an immense three
wide (cost sl,5O0). Tue generator, made
by the Westinghouse Electrical and Mfg.
Co., OF Pittsburg, Pa, has a capacity OF
150 kiiowats, equal to 200 horsepower. IL
is three phase machine, capable OF sup
plying arc and incandescent lighting aud
power. As 1t requires one horsepower for
every ten 10 c. p. lamps, there is a capaci-
ty at the plant for nearly 5000 lights
burning at once, allowing for eight per
cent lost in transmission, or about 5000
lights under normal conditions, as only
portion are burned at once. The three
phase type permits the use OF motors
which are self-starting under full load,
which is not true OF the single phase
system.
The generator has a capacity OF 5000
volts, at which pressure the current is de
livered to the main line consisting OF
three No. wires carried on special triple
petticoat glass insulators, designed to
carry 5000 volts. This main line extends
about nine and half miles to the sub
station on the outskirts of this village.
This Is brick building, containing the
safety apparatus and that for stepping
down the current. The main wires lead
to an emergency plug switch which may
be used to cut on with perfect safety.
After this, the wires lead through banks
OF lightning arresters and choke coils to
the pressure reducing converters where
the O,tuu NOllb IL TtQuCtQ W GsuuJ tOlt1f tuC
pressure used on the distributing system
through the village. From the convert
ers the line leads through fuse foxes,
which, In case OF trouble Of any kind on
the line, will automatically open the cir
cult. From the fuse boxes the line leads
to the main line switch, which permits
the cutting out Of the street and CONNER
cial systems.
The distributing system is sub.divided
so that the street system may be con-
trolled independently OF the commercial
system, permitting an all night service to
the latter, while the former runs until
2 80 a. m. The street system consists OF
FIVE groups Of 40 80 c. p. incandescents
each and one group Of five 1900 c. p. arcs.
The street system may be cut in or out of
service through the medium OF switches
placed on the pole at the depot. A COM
prehensive system of lightning protec-
ton has been installed at numerous
points along the distributing lines. The
incandescent street system Is subdivided
into sections by the use OF junction boxes
which serve to automatically cut out any
given section on which there may be
trouble, without interfering with any
other portion. Each street lamp Is
equipped with q shunt box, which is au-
tomatically cut into circuit in case the
lamp filament breaks. At proper points
com neccial converters are used which re-
Cuce the pressure from z,UUU VOtts 10 lU3
volts used In store and house service.
There is telephone connection from
this village to the power station.
The work OF installing the plant was
done by Sanderson & Porter OF New
York and fully justifies the firms high
reputation. Everything is done with the
utmost care and regard for durability.
Nothing Is allowed to stand that is ''about
right" it must be "just right"
Much credit is due, too, to w. B. Wall
and the other members OF the White
River Co. for insisting throug hout on
tnoroughness, regardless OF cost.
Messrs. Sanderson, Burnham and Clark,
who furnished most of the material, were
on hand to witness the successful start, as
were the Bethel parties interested in the
project.
Since the lights started and every body
is highly pleased with them, many orders
for wiring have been given and the pres
ent equivalent of 1000 Is c. p. lights in
stalled will soon be largely increased.
(0ther locals on next psge.)