The Republican journal., 1906-11-01
A MODERN ELECTRIC PLANT.
The System at Kidder's Point Success
It Furnishes Both Light and Power.

An important auxiliary has just been
completed to the great commercial en-
terprise inaugurated by the Bangor II
Aroostook railroad at their seaport ter
minal-a thoroughly up-todate power
plant where electricity is generated to
supply lights and power for the various
needs of the railroad and its allied in
dustries at its three great wharves and
the intermediate points. The power
house has been erected and the entire
electric plant installed by Charles E.
Dole. contractor of Bangor, according
to plans made by Nj. H. Rideout OF
Bangor: Mr.. Rideout was also superln-
tendent of construction, and has done
the engineering work throughout.
THE POWER HOUSE.
The power house itself is situated at
the head of the mammoth dock at Kid
der's Point 1t measures 80 by 40 feet,
is most substantially built of brick, with
foundation of concrete, and roof and
floor of concrete and steel. The chin
ney looms up as sort OF landmark to
be seen from far and near, its neat
uff-colored bricks, towering 50 feet
above terra firma.
The engine room measures 4OX2o reef,
is high posted, and well lighted. The
present equipment here is one direct
connected unit of $50 k. W. capacity.
Power is furnished by high speed
Fleming engine, built by the Harris
burg Foundry & Machine Company of
Harrisburg, Pa, this engine being dl-
rectly coupled to an alternating current
generator and excite built by the Gen
eral Electric Company of Schenectady,
n. y.
The switch boards here are of marble;
on them are mounted the necessary In
struments and meters for controlling
the various lines and currents. In the
engine room space has been left for an
other unit of double the capacity OF the
one now installed--a fact which hints
significantly of the company's optimism
in commercial growth OF the seaport
terminal.
In the center of the building is the
boiler room, measuring 40 by 81 feet
Here are located two Hodge boilers,
developing 225 horse power, with the
necessary pump, piping, etc. There is
also space here for two additional boil
ers of double the capacity of those now
installed, when future needs demand
them.
The coal bunker, 40 by 20 feet, occu-
pies lll6 SUulIIGlI C1l VI VllC CUMMING S.
A spur track brings the cars of coal close
up behind the power house, where their
load is thrown into big shute and car
ried by elevator to the top of the build
ing, thence to be delivered by carrier to
different points as needed. This hand
ling of coal is all done by machinery,
controlled by electric power.
WHERE THE POWER GOES.
Lines for distributing power, start
ing from the power house, transmit the
current about five and a half miles
around the shore line to cape Jelllson
and also to Standpoint, distance OF
about mile. These transmitting lines
are of No. hard drawn copper. The
current which operates the various
classes of apparatus is known as three
phase, 80 cycle, $500 volt current. AT
proper points on the lines are located
transformers where the current is re-
duced and made suitable for use in OPP
Grating the lights and motors.
Going from the power house, the first
use OF the current is IN lighting the de-
pot, freight sheds and wharf at kldder' S
Point. Combination arc lights and in
candescentS are used here. At the
round house and about the Stockton
yard are also located numerous arc
lights.
1t is at Cape .Jeliison though that the
principal part of the output of the
plant Will be used. Large transformers
for are lights are now III position there
on the piers and WharveS, with another
set for the motor generator outfit which
viii operate the various carriers III the
immense potato house now III process
of erection on the Cape Jellison dock.
At present II arc lights are III place on
the Wharves here, while 20 more are
being installed on the new wharf just
built.
The motor generator set consists of a
10 horse power induction motor, being
directly coupled to a so k. W. direct cur
rent generator which will be used to
operate the various carrying devices
that will handle the products in the
great Storehouses here,
WIRES UNDER THE WHARvEs.
With the exception of the high po-
tential wires. the wires at all the
wharves and in the buildings are under
the Wharves. thus doing away with I'M
Sightliness and at the same time pro-
tecting the wires against the strain
and wear incident to bad storms. From
these hidden wires, leads extend in
conduit up on the poles to the arc and
incandesctnt lamps, producing a UNI
formly neat appearance and one which
is striklugly i'll contrast to the net
work of wires which ordinarily show
about premises electrically equipped
The present lighting system at the
wharves and yards includes over 100
arc lamps and about 400 16-candle
power incandescents.
The lines extending south to Sears
port and Macks Point furnish the nee
essary current for numerous arc lamps
located on the wharf, as well as for the
iucandescent lamps in the station,
round house and freight sheds. Lines
are being extended south below the
coal pockets for new work about to be
installed; preparations are also going
on for installing portable hosting APP
paratus at the various wharves for
handling cargoes, the motive power in
all cases to be supplied by electricity
from the company's plant at kidder's
Point. Motors for operating the
pumps at the water tanks have already
been installed.
The entire plant has been worked out
on a liberal scale with ample provision
for growth and expansion as necessity
demands. All pole lines aud apparatus
so far put in can easily be made to car
~ additional loads simply by running
more wires; in fact, the entire plant has
been laid out On such liberal lines that