River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-12-13
HISTORY.

The water-works system and cleo.
tric-light plants of the city are in
excellent condition and the service
from both is administered to the
general satisfaction.
The water works were inaugurat-
ed twelve years ago; the electric
light service has been in operation
five years. Both systems have been
gradually extended year by year un-
til the water service accommodates
at the present time $50 families, the
last seasons extension taking in IS
new users, while the electric-light
service comprehends between $500
and 5000 sixteen-candle power in
candescent lamps, and these, with
the street lights, the motors, fans,
and other appliances in use, depend
ent upon the electric current for op-
Grating power, make the electric
system pretty extensive one, con-
sidering the population of the city
and the length of time the plants
have been in operation.
There are over fifteen miles of
sidewalks in the city and 80 street
intersections. The streets are light
ed by So twelve hundred candle
power arc lights. This would mean
that if equally distributed over the
city not quite half the street inter-
sections would be accommodated
with an arc light. An ideal street
lighting service would be secured
by placing an arc light upon every
intersection. but it is claimed by
those who have made the subject of
street lighting study that this city.
is the most adequately lighted of
any city of equal population in the
state. An arc lamp for every one
of the 80 street intersections would
require a large increase of power
for the operating of the street SER
vice and more than double the pres
ent expense. 1t requires the exerted
energy of one-horse power to oper-
ate one of these arc lamps and the
yearly expense of running one
is $50. One-horse power will run
ten 16-candle power incandescent
lights. There are Is electric mo-
tors of an aggregate of 80 horse
power installed, Is ventilating fans,
IS electric flat irons, and numerous
other appliances operated by the
electric current, such as heating
stoves, heating pads, curling irons,
etc. Now as the arc lights require
a force of IS horse power for their
operation; the incandescent lights
$50 at least; the motors 80 and the
water-works pump %, and taking
no account of the other appliances,
it will require force of 1888 horse
power to run these utilities if all are
operated at one time-but as mat
ter of course there is never an occa-
sion for operating all at once.
The two electric powers combin-
ed are rated at about 400 horse pow
er. The wheel atupper falls is gaug
ed to use the natural f1owage of the
stream, which in the 40-foot fall at
the power house is 40 horse power.
This wheel is capable of developing
a higher power should there ever
be temporary occasion for using it,
but this added energy could not be
long sustained as the surplus wa
ter accumulated above the dam
would be exhausted in a few hours.
The wheel at the lower falls is of
225 horse power. The fall here is
but Is feet but the volume of water
is much greater than that at the up
per falls because the water from
the Kinnickinnic is reinforced by
those from the South Fork and
from the Starch Factory springs
: