Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-21
Oynamos Once Again Fur
nishing Augustus Electricity.
Kennebec Light & Heat Cos New
Station Near Completion.
Building Sufficiently Completed to Allow
Machinery TO Be Started. This Morning.

thinks he sees smooth sailing ahead o
him for the new power house is sufi
GENTLY completed to allow all tn
the company began the eXtensiv,
operations incident upon the erection
of its new power station at the Kenne
bee dam, it has come in for NOR,
anathemas by those dependent upor
the company for light and power thar
could be contained within volume
of the size of Webster's Unabridged
OF course it is an aggravation t,
have ones light go out without warn
ing for an indefinite period, or to have
| the motor refuse even a flutter of the
armature in response to the most
pressing demand. and is a condition OF
things that is apt to provoke forcible
remarks on the part of persons of I'M
even temperament, who think only OF
their own troubles and never stop to
consider that there are those at the
their troubles.
That the last mentioned people have
their troubles is easily assured by a
visit to the station, where they are at
present engaged in the difficult prob
lem of tearing down the power house.
putting in a new foundation, and
building new and larger house, and
in addition to all this, keeping the ma
chimes that generate and distribute the
electric fluid in operation at the same
time. The Journal thinks that a visit
to the station and a view of the mixed
up condition of things would silence
the most persistent kicker, and create
within him a wonder that the company
should be able to run the plant at all.
Then besides the bother incident to
the building of the new power house
the big main driving wheel broke and
caused complete cessation of all
work. 1t only delayed the building a
very little although the wall was
pushed out some by the breaking Of
the wheel. The temporary power
house. which was built in a day. is still
standing. and should another break
occur before the engines are all ready
for working. it will be ready for use.
This is a rough shanty in which was
placed an EXETER and alternating dy-
namo having a capacity of 1900 lights.
This was used in the supply of the in
terror lights. The wheel broke, Thurs
day afternoon, at O'Clock, and the
new one was in the power house run
ming at the middle of the afternoon.
Saturday. The power was furnished
by taking out piece of the main
shaft near the water wheels. and sup
plying a piece of old shafting and "a
wheel.
The flume of the power station has
been thoroughly repaired, and there
will, in the future, be no more of the
incessant jar which has always been
! llblicttlDlt WITCH lllt W iltl iittlS Ntic
running. Iron posts. four feet in
| diameter, have been put in. and the
| whole nume has been reinforced by
the placing of inch and a quarter iron
rods. These rods are bolted down, and
make a harness work which holds the
whole thing steady.
All the piers for the alternating dy-
namos are now completed They We're
put into the ground about seven feet,
and at the base were 10 feet square.
although they taper a little toward the
top. In each pier there are over 10000
bricks On two piers on the side of
the power station near the railroad are
alternating dynamos with the capacity
of 1000 lights each. The two machines
| between these large ones have a ca
pacity of 1900. On the other side of the
main shaft is another alternating ma
chine and another one is to soon ar
rive. They will both have a capacity
of 1000 lights.
The big main belt is the wonder of all
who visit the power station II is a 80
Inch belt and is s. feet long, weighing 12t
pounds. 1t is the three ply belt and Is
the largest in use in Maine. This belt, OF
one like it, was cut right in two by the
breaking of the main driving wheel, few
weeks ago. Besides the main shaft Their,
were four other pulleys broken by the
explosion. Just the other day a whee
was examined and found to be cracked 81
that it could not be used. The main put
ley is 60 inches wide and so inches in dia
meter 1t makes. when running at it:
normal speed, $500 revolutions every min
ute.
Besides the water wheels which furnish
5000 horse power there is an engine o
1900 horse power which is sufficient t
drive 1000 lights. This is entirely indepen
dent of the water wheels, there being al
arrangement on the main shaft 50 tina
one or both can be disconnected. On tn
end of the main shaft is another engin
capable of furnishing 225 horse power. b.
this arrangement there is an almost ute
impossibility of the lights being shut OF
i by the breaking of any machinery. III
smaller engine is capable or driving tn
a NJ haze thn tnY uI Al