Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-09
New Electric Power House Fol
F. D., D. N. & s. at Fraser
is Magnificent
COST THE SUM OF s25o,ooo
Building is of Steel Construction, and
Is Equipped With Latest Approved
Machinery for Generating Electric
Power-centraIly Located on New
Interurban System Between Fort
Dodge and Boone.

Special to Times Republican.
Boone April g.-Following is the
first complete description of the mag
nificent new $a50,0OO power house
erected by the Fort Dodge. Des Moines
& Southern railroad at Fraser. The
| information was secured for the T.-R
today from General Manager Blake
and completely covers this splendid in
stltution.
The power house is admirably locat-
! ed at Fraser which is a point about
midway on the line, making electrical
distribution economical, and further
more having the advantage of being
close to the mines which will furnish
it with coal; also being on the bank of
the Des Moines, river, so that the gen.
Grating machinery may be run con-
densing.
The building is of steel construction
with brick curtain walls, ninety feet
square and twenty-five feet high, I'M
der roof trusses. It is entirely fire.
proof, having concrete and steel floors
turnout.
The plant is equipped with three
water tube boilers, of 400 horse power
each, provision being made for a
| fourth boiler, which will probably be
| Installed, as the traffic Increases. They
are designed for working pressure
of It's pounds steam. The boilers are
equipped with a very handy devise for
hill
It consists of a twelve-inch diameter
cast iron spiral conveyor, extending
6 cross the fronts of the furnaces and
delivering the ashes to a verticle ele-
vator outside of the building, which in
turn will deliver them to cars on the
trestle.
All Of the electric installation is
thoroughly modern in every respect.
The power is generated by two 1850
kilo-watt Turbo generators, either one
of which is capable of carrying the en-
tire load for the system. While nom-
inally rated at 1850 XIV they are cap
able of developing 1000 horse power
each. They operate at, "a speed of 1000
revolutions per minute and are
equipped with an automatic oiling sys-
tenn which delivers oil to all of the
working parts.
Three phase alternating current is
generated at $500 volts, the generator
being separately excited by two steam
driven direct connected ITO volt gen
orators, the latter machine while Of
only about 40 horse power each are
among the most interesting in the
plant. The engines were furnished by
the Ames Iron Works of Oswego, New
York. They are finely built and fin
ished machines and while running al
275 revolutions can scarcely be heard.
The station is equipped with a very
neat and compact switchboard on
which the usual recording and inii-
eating instruments are mounted. While
portion of the current is sent from
the power house at 500 volts direct to
the trolley line by far the larger part
Of 1t goes out from the tension lines 10
the various sub-stations.
This is probably one Of the largest
and finest installations Of turbo -gensr-
ators in the state and altogether is a
thoroughly modern and well-equippet
station turnout.
The big smoke stack rises to q
height Of $50 feet. 1t is of concrete
and steel, with two walls, with air
space between for distance of per-
haps one hundred feet. 1t is con-
structed of steel bars and circles form
ing a tower as solid as the hills.