The indicator., 1904-05-21
POWER FROM
BEAVER CREEK
ar-Journal.)

flke S Peak. Electric power Tor
the operation OF machinery in
many plants is supplied in the
same way as are all the lights on
the day circuit. Connection with
Beaver Creek Falls was made but
a few days ago and until the man
agement OF the Pueblo and Sub
urban Traction and Lighting
company was fully satisfied with
the success OF all its plans in con-
nection with the new system no
announcement was made OF the
fact. With this addition to its re-
sources the Pueblo power house
is one OF the best equipped in the
state and is SO furnished with
machinery that the operation OF
the street car service is assured in
any event.
So powerful is the current OF
electricity that comes from the
wires connecting the Beaver
creek power plant and the trans
former house OF he Pueblo and
suburban Traction and Lighting
company that simply to walk be-
hind the big transformers may
mean instant death. A charge OF
$4,000 volts reaches out with cer-
tain destruction il the insulation
chances to be little worn. In
execution by electricity only g.
900 volts at the most is required.
Should Robert Louis Stevenson S
suicide club choose to make the
transformer their club house they
would never need to leave home
to realize the entire object OF their
organization.
This tremendous voltage OF
electric current is manufactured
by water power and the connec-
ton with the Pueblo plant does
away entirely with the use oi
steam in the manufacture OF pow
er for the street cars and lights
oil all kinds on the day circuit
Besides adding what may be ex-
pressed as 535 horse power to the
capabilities OF the Pueblo plant
a great saving is effected by the
change from steam to water pow
er.
The Beaver Creek falls, which
is the source OF the new power
supply, stands on the slope oi
Pixies Peak and is northwest
from Pueblo. Several Other
plants in the Cripple Creek dis.
trict are furnished with electrical
power from the same falls.
In the power house owned a
the falls by the Pueblo and Sub
urban Traction and Lighting
company $50 volts OF alternating
current are generated. This is
raised by transformers to 24,ooe
volts and carried in that form tc
Pueblo. Contrary to expecta
tons the wire used is no larger
than the electric light wire Sc
commonly seen, but with much
heavier insulation.
Only low but steady ominou.
grinding sort OF buzz coming
from the four transformers which
receive the current indicate tina
their apparently motionless ma
chlnery has sustained any sen
sation. The only way words car
convey any adequate idea of ;
transformer to the mind is tha
they are OF some fifteen feet higl
and about eight feet square ant
with coils, coils, coils. But if on,
can get into the transforme
house for a Jew minutes, if no
driven out with a severe head
ache from the effects OF the prox
unity to such a fierce current th
eye will furnish better picture
1t is necessary to keep this hous
constantly locked as intrusion
might result in tragedy. The ne
cessity of having separat
house for the transformers i
caused by the fact that to ALLOW
such heavy voltage released il
the power house might result il
considerable damage to other cur
rents.
Three or four additional trans
formers are already in place read.
to be conn ected with the trans
hitting wires. Before the "a,
900 volts are sent into the powe
plant it is reduced by the trans
formers Ito 345 volts. This is sen
through rotating transformer
which send $50 volts into motor
by which the street railway ser
vice is o perated. To his motto
from which the direct current j
sent is belted an alternator whicl
supplies the day circuit OF lights
etc.
| Several furnaces which wer
lbefore used to generate steam b.
which the plant was run are still
kept banked so that in case TIL
water power should fail at an,
time the former methods of fur
nishing power can be at ono
utilized. The steam is employe
at nights in addition to the waite
power service as the great nun
Der of lights required Throughout
the city demand additional power
| In addition to this doubl
agency for supplying the cit
with light and motive power
storage battery of 2o4 cells, tn
llaroest yoest Of the Missouri rive