Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-08

three feet in width, and in the construc-
ton millions Of feet OF wire were required
Arranged Tandem Fashion
IN setting up the generator in the power
house the great wheels were arranged in
sort of tandem fashion. one following
the other. To place them in position a
mammoth travelling crane operated by cleo
uicity was put in position. trolling along
an overhead railroad This crane can lift
eishty-hve tons at one time. 1t held
the parts of the generator while they
were being fastened together The shafts
1eNolVe in steel bearings so large that a
man OF medium size can crawl through the
DorlnS made to receive the shafts end.
Each generator is coupled" as il is term
ed. directly to a set of turbine wheels
which furnish the water power TO revolve
1t This means that the shaft turning
the turbines Is continued on through the
hub OF the generator, and thus no belt is
required. In fact, it is doubtful IL any
combination of leather or rubber could be
made which would revolve these enormous
disks safely at the speed required
Although when all the apparatus Is In
stated the power house will generate cur
rent equal to 100000 horse power. such is
the simplicity of its control that but one
man Is required to start and stop the ma
cfInery. In the center of the building on
raised platform is what is known as the
controlling station, to which are attached
number of marble slabs with keys such
Il
ator. Each key connects with a series of
ar valves and pistons working what ere
called switch stands, one to each generator
chemical battery furnishes an electric
current to move the air valves and pistons
They convey the necessary force to o3er-
ate the switches, which break or restore
the electric current, which in turn STATS
the turbines. This force is generated from
set of three smaller turbines coupled TO
generators, which are called "exCiters'
and are merely used 10 stop and start the
main plant like the steam cylinder which
moves the starting wheel on the engine Of
an ocean steamship. The switches are so
close together on the controlling stand that
the operator can sit In a chair and reach
each one with his finger. Merely on the
pressure Of a key the 5000 horse power IL
controls ceases to work Another pressure
and in moment it is again producing cur
rent.
City Will Grow Around IT.
Ordinarily a great power-producing plant
Is located in some center of Industry where
power is in demand for many purposes.
Therefore it seems, on first consideration,
strange that the greatest electric plant
in the world should be located in a lit
tie town far from any considerable center
OF population. But the company which
mas established the plant believes that
great city will grow up around il, indus
trial projects being drawn thither by the
cheapness of the power. While it is cX-
pected that the plant will light the city
of Ottawa Ont, eighty miles distant, and
operate It's street railway system, the
power will be principally used for manu-
featuring, and already several companies
nave made arrangements to build in the
vicinity. One will manufacture aluminium
winch depends upon cheap electric power
for its production at a low cost. The st.
Lawrence Power Company, which con-
structed the canal and station, has spent
S8Ho.eo on it. 1t is really an interna-
tlonal company. as both London and New
York people are stockholders.