Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-28
WHEEL ExpLODES.
Bad Accident at the Electric Light
Station, Thursday.
Augusta Will as Without Electric liohts ior
Few flights.

the forces OF nature in the way of
water and centrifugal force combined
caused an accident, Thursday after
noon, at the power station that will
cause the Augusta public TO be without
lights for few nights. II was in
deed miraculous escape for some of
the men employed in the erection of
the new power station as a driving
wheel SO inches in diameter with ~
inch face and weighing about three
tons, burst, and sent the fragments far
in all directions.
The people at the power station have
been having trouble enough without
this, az the combined efforts of all the
machinists power have been used to
keep the dynamos running during the
time that the new machinery is being
put in and the new station is being
erected about and over the old one. To
the visitor 1t seems Impossible that
such thing could be kept up, but it
has been done and the service has not
greatly suffered.
But the accident of Thursday after
noon has spoiled all efforts for time.
as a tedious wait must ensue
while the foundry is making the new,
massive wheel and il is being shipped
and placed in position. This. so super
intendent Williams says. will take
few days, just how many cannot be
determined.
The wheel was a new one and had
just been placed on the line of shafting
direct from the water wheel. 1t made
ordinarily about 800 revolutions a min
ute and furnished all the power for
the station. 1t drove the line of shaft
ing in the station by belt 30 inches
wide and weighing about 1900 pounds
According to the story OF the men
employed at the station it was about 3
o'clock when something happened to
the governor of the water wheel so
that it would not shut off the flow OF
water and regulate it. At the same
time the hand wheel that ii used to
shut off water was out of order. The
workman rushed for a wrench 10 re-
pair damages and while he was gone
the extra supply of water in the wheel
g
and faster. until the big wheel could
stand it no longer and burst into many
pieces.
: 1t seemed very wonderful that the
accident caused no injuries to the men
employed about the building. There
were l. masons at work near and three
or four within five feet of the wheel
when it began to rapidly revolve. They
saw that something was the matter and
they left In less than a minute later
the wheel burst and some of the pieces
fen where they had been at work. one
piece went through the new brick wall
at the side nearest the river and car
ried some Of the debris into the river
Other pieces went through the roof
tearing large holes. Bits of iron of all
sizes from 800 pound junk to smaller
ones. flew in all directions some going
high into the air and coming down
the roof of the main power
station.
one of the cross beams of the new
iron roof was broken by a flying missile,
but this will not delay the construction
of the roof.
The men about the place were con-
themselves all the rest of
the afternoon on their miraculous es
capes.
Though the patrons of the company
will be Inconvenience for few nights.
they can understand that it is through
no fault Of the company. and all ought
to feel equally thankful that the affair
did not result fatally for some of the
men.