Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-11-23
\ Model Lighting Plant.

b. & O. r.
\ Model Lighting Plant
The Hitchlns Brothers Company have
completed the installation of lighting
plant for their Frostburg stores and
ware-rooms whose mechanism and eff
fectivc work attract much attention.
Apparently complicated, it is a solu-
ton of problem i'll physics quite easily
comprised after investigation. 1t con-
sists of 2O-horse power gasoline engine,
l0-horSe power dynamo-the latest inn
proved compound-wound, and Il switch
board containing all the necessary regu-
lating accessories.
The mercantile house is wired through
out with the best rubber-covercd Wire,
concealed between floors and within
walls, and insulated from any part of the
editice by porcelain tubes and knobs, in
accord with the requirements of the
Board of Underwriters.
The dry goods department is lighted
by latest type enclosed arc lamps and
rs sixteen candlc-power incandescent
lamps in the windows. The latter, at
tached to ceiling, overhang the goods
display and, by patent reflection, the
light, thus sOftencd and ditfused, is pro-
jccted downward. The interior is thus
made brighter than day, while from the
outside one can hardly pass without
stopping and admiring the brilliant
spectacle.
The grocery department is equipped
with 3 arcs, cloak-room with /. The
cellar, second floor rooms, offices and
ware-rOoms are lighted by incandescent
lamps.
AS nearly as the JOURNAL can describe
the operation, the engine draws its sup
plies of gasoline from a storage tank
buried i'll the ground outside the engine
house, the amount of each draft being Just
enough to initiate charge in the
cylinder. rhc gasoline is automatically
mixed with air i'll a fixed proportion,
forming an explosive compound. The
charge is then ignitcd by an electric
spark which sets and keeps the engine III
motion long as required.
The dynamo is driven through belt
from one of the engine fly-wheelS at
speed of $50 revolutions minute.
The electric current from the dynamo
is conducted by lead-euveloped cables I'M
derground through various Instrumental
auXiliaries. Thence it again passes I'M
derground through the collar of the
building to a distributing block, where
all the circuits supplying the electric
current for the lamps converge.
The engine can he started by anyone
III five minutes, and being automatic i'll
all its mechanism, can be left alone with
out oversight for an indefinite period, or
until the supply of gasoline is exhausted.
To stop it is but few minutes work i'll
simply closing small valve and break
ing the electric circuit used for igniting
the charge.
This motor and its system of operation
are entirely safe. No gasoline can pos.
Sibly get into the cngineroom excepting
through the pipes which lead into the
engine; then only i'll very small guam
titles severally and instantly consumed.
When the engine is stopped all of the
little gasoline i'll the pipes runs back at
once by gravity into the tank under
ground. When the engine is i'll opera
ton the gasoline is ut all times confined
within the iron walls of the pipe and
cylinder, SO that no contact with fire is
practicable whether single match or Il
box of matches is used.
The building, erected for the purpose,
is Il substantial onc-Story brick, with two
apartments.
The entire plant was designed and
constructed by Fred 6. Schoticld, Il
genius in electrical mechanism. Besides
giving entire satisfaction To- the company
this achievement is really only AN
indication of what he could do where Oc-
casion might demand work on larger
scale. Fred. is self made, too. He is an
untiring student, an industrious worker
and ambitious enough to let nothing in
electrical magnitude deter him. If,
therefore, the talk of municipal lighting
by the town, now rife, develops into
anything tangible, no doubt Fred. will