Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-06
Equipment Of Sebasti-
cook Power & Light Co.
Employees Will Have Handsome
and Commodious Quarters.
Plant Will Furnish Light and Power
for HoIIineswor.h G. Whitney Co.

the kennebec at WinsloW. could he
utilized to supply light and power for
the HollinSsW orth & Whitney pulp
mil. Al present this comDanv iS
bearing an enormous expense per year
Il great part of which is spent for fuel
ana other heavy expenditures neces-
sary to generate power by steam A
contract was entered into between
Amos T. Gerald of Fairfield. and this
company whereby the former should
supply the pulp mill with light and
power to the amount of $4,000 worth
per year for the term of 10 years. In
October. of 1903. operations began
about miles from the mouth of the
river on the construction of Il dam
which was completed about three
months later. The enormity of this
undertaking as well as the uncommon
natural advantages which are about to
be utilized. impress one with Il sense
of wonder.
At the point where the dam has been
built there is drop of eight feet in
the channel of the river From here
the water takes IL circular course
about half mile i'll length. ana finally
| energies where the power hnus,. now
additional velocity. meanwhile, from
the effect Of an additional drop Oh Is
feet. But at the point where The Wal
| ter begins to swing off on its circular
passage there has been worn an in
dent;ttion which eventually would
have become Il part OF the channel
From the head of this little oblong bay
| canal extends 1000 feet in length
terminating at the power house where
there is Il head of - feet of water TO
keep things moving when the appoints
ed time shall have arrived Along the
sides Of this canal are sights worth IL
walk of miles to see. Thirty thousand
cubic yards of earth lie piled in r-
| regular masses and covered as they
are with snow have the appearance of
! having been thrown up by some vio>
| lent struggles Of the unseen elements
| AT the foot of these banks there ar-
crude little du@outs, where the hum
dred men lived. vino dug the canal
cooked their meals and slept with not
| more than room enough to allow the
entrance OF two bodies. coming il,
| lengthwise.
At the terminus of the canal at the
| power house. is rectangular concrete
| wall 81 feet in height, : feet in thick
ness and - feet long on either side
| which Was built a retaining wall for
| the immense pressure which is sup
ports. and which will lend to the three
water wheels Il total capacity of 127S
horse power and which will revolve at
a speed of 200 revolutions per minute.
at Il capacity Of 42s horsepower each.
| These wheels are incaStd in steel
! fumes which are feet in diameter and
10 feet in length. and We're built into
the structure at tn" time when the
walls and foundations We're laid. TIL"
generators are of the Westinghouse
make with revolving fields and the
armature is directly connected with the
water wheels and runs at the same
number of revolutions per minute BY
this process. there are no belts or
| gearing whatever to be used in the
| transmission Of power between the
waterWhcels and the generators. The
generators are three in number and
very heavy. each measuring II feet
and inches across and weighing.
together. 11l000 pounds. They run at
the same rate as the waterwheels. 200
revolutions per minute. The voltage
which they are capable of generating
is $500 volts. 60 cycles and three
phases.
Hy the use Of this method. Mr.. Ger
aid stated with much evident satlsfac-
ton, that the power will be practical
BILE 10 run street railways or furnish
light which has only been possible
within a year or 50 under the conul-
tons OF such high voltage. These
generators, moreover, were moved 10
the foundations of this plant at an
enormous EXPENSE as one can readily
imagine who has been over the ground
which was covered when they took tn"
trip. II. fact the details of such an
undertaking would furnish interesting
reading enough to ill a couple OF sooo
sized -olumes.
Three governors. one of which has
already been installed. will be useo ioi
the 1urpose of governing the pressure
on each one of the waterwheels anu
: may be operated separately or jointly
as is desired. These governors are Vi
> rho latest type and manufacture, IN
: vented and sold by the Holyoke Ma
chine Co of Worcester. Mass. Ihes
are guaranteed to operate from
martial to within per cent. or ) per
cent. of full LOAD.
The power when furnished VIII
I he under lease of 10 years
! tn the above mentioned coii-
: nany and will be transmitted dis
lance of miles over double clrcui'
line of copper wire which requires
separate wires for complete transHls-
g sion. These wires are the largest IL
size which are used for this purpos'
and are 81 of an inch in diameter
They will be able to transmit th'
:, mower this distance, according to LIZ
euarantee at a loss which will not eN
coed So per cent. over 4l.OoO pouno:
!, of wire have been purchased ane
strung. and the only thing when re
= mains to be accomplished before tne!
:. will be in service are the adjustments
which have yet to be made in the pow
, er house.
. The poles are of cedar. Sc
e 6 feet into the ground and are 125 fee
: apart. While there are OF necesst.
several angles in the course OF thel