New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-08-09
CITY LIGHT PLANT FAILS
CARRIAGE A POOR FUEL.
Incarceration for Bridge Lamp Po7cer
abandoned .Sar Months Ago.

Tho nan of John McGaw Woodbury., former
Street Cleaning Commissioner. for utlhzins the
waste of the city to lighting power for the
Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges ana possibly
for parts OF the city has failed after two years Oh
trial Six months ago the incinerator under brooh-
lyn Bridge abandoned. as far as its use iot
furnishing lights for the bridge Is concerned anu
for six months the Edison company has been fur-
nishing the lighting power. The reason lor INC
abandonment is the expense.
1t was with reluctance that the department gave
up experiment that at the time OF It's introouo
ton was hailed of the greatest Industrial
steps in the history of the state But 1t was round
that the Edison company could light the brldge
for just about half much as 1t cost the CITY u
use the incinerator for that purpose
The idea of converting the waste ana ruooisn "
the city into electricity that appealed 10
engineers all the world AT puphc dinner
shortly after the establishment OF the 1ncileralo
Henry H Rogers, of the Standard on Company
told Commissioner Woodbury.: The completion
and use of the plant for converting absolute waste
material into electric light for lighting the bridge
and the and convenience Of the puohc IS,
to my mind. of the foremost progressive steps
in the history of the industrial deNeiopieht VI 'A
history of the state
Charles f. Lacombe chief engineer of light and
power of the Department of Water Supply, Gas
and Electricity, said yesterday that the cost ap-
proximately of lighting the bridge by the fncinera-
tor $4,000 a year. whereas the EDISON COM
pany could do the work for about YOU"
Another reason for abandoning the plant for
lighting PURPOSES. he said, the slowness or the
fuel The rubbish taken to It had a fuel value for
steam purposes about equal to green -sawdust- 1t
consists of every describabe article that has peen
cast away-broken looking glasses rags. rubber
cushions. broken dolls old hats oid shIrts
and things of that description This ruoplsh was
formerly mixed with ashes on old scows ana
dumped into the Much OF 1t being hshr
foated and was cast ashore by the waves on the
beaches of Long Island and New Jersey, much 10
the inconvenience and annoyance of bathers.
When the incinerator established, Cornnlis-
sioner Woodbury. estimated that the cost of run
ming it would be SIS q day. including LABOR ASH
removal supplies and interest The cost OF cleo
tricity was estimated at $50. It was thousht Inao
the incinerator would save the city about sas 20
dlepower arc lamps, 1853 of which were on the olo
Rrooklvn Bridge There also 7o7 lo-candie-
power incandescent lights. electric motors ana ~
electric heaters run by It ., -
The waste first sorted. trimmers paying 81 %
4 ton for rubber, rags and various grades or paper
and other materials. Official data snow ulaI the
trmmers utilized SO per cent of the waste, tne re
n1ainder being inclnerated and developed 4to 20
The nIant had two 2ol-horsepower boilers and two
200 xii ,watt and 5okilowatt direct connected
units II. y. Parsons. then the consulths ems.
neer for the Street Cleaning ana bfluso "ePa''
ments, designed it ,,,.- -. 49,,
According to Mr.. Lacombe the Instantly y. ~
waste as a fuel resulted in the failure or the
scheme. Electrical engineers holo thdt so"u :
&c an essential 10 the cheap development or eeculc
power and the waste proved TO be fueI on III a
worst character. It would not burn reaoiiy OF
steadily and this caused the lighting 10 ne uncef
tain ON the other hand, the Edison company
with it's ample facilities could develop power d.
about half the cost. Consequently the street
Cleaning Department was forced TO ackno"ieuse
+ba .xnerirnent a financial failure, although not a
scientific failure and advertise for BIDS for the
furnishing OF lights for the two bridges over the
East River. 80
Coru,,ss,oner Rensel said Yesterday that while
the plant had been abandoned as light generator:
Fl would still be used an iucinerator IL wouid
be used to furnish heat in its vicinity, as mat
yvoId not require the steady burning that furnish
ing light power does II also suggested that
small shops needing light might be supplied by IL