The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-09-03
TRANSMISSION LINE
DETAILS EXPLAINED
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS NOTED

| 0N AoSS SuCuIudy llOOlI, CIlC
hum of the big turbine and the
cloud OF black smoke have been miss
ing the plant of the Yakima Valley
Power Company. The energy of
the water racing thru the water tur-
bines at the water power plant on
the Naches River is now causing the
lights in the Twin Cities to glow
and the busy wheels of industry to
spin.
One hundred miles up the valley
the three slender aluminium wires
stretch now conveying the energy
of the Naches River, in the form of
electrical current at a potential of
SO, 500 volts. At this end of the
line is a huge 1000 K. w. trans
former. The transformer takes the
current from the line at 3S, 500 volts
and steps down the voltage to 23OO
volts at which pressure the current
is distributed over the two cities.
An idea of the size of this transform
er may be gained from the fact that
1850 gallons of oil were required to
fill the case, the oil serving the pur-
pose of insulating the wire winding
from the iron case. Over 600 feet
of 1-inch pipe bent into a continu-
GUS spiral conforming to the shape
of the outer case is coiled around
the interior of the case. A continu-
Gus stream of water is kept circulat-
ing through this coil in order to
keep the oil cool.
Two $50 X. W. transformers, al
SO oil insulated and water cooled,
take the current from the larger
transformer at $500 volts potential,
raising the voltage to $500 volts at
which pressure it is transmitted to
the Northern Pacific Irrigation Co.'S
pumps three miles west Of the city.
For the control Of the three kenne-
wick lines, Pasco line, Turbine and
transformers, II marble switch
board panels are being installed.
| The Company is just completing
its arch construction in the alleys,
a distribution system of which the
city can we'll feel proud, inasmuch
as it insures continuous service and
and has none of the unsightly ap-
pearance of the ordinary city pole
line. All poles and arches are be-
ing neatly painted with green and
black paint the result being a pleas
ing uniformity of appearance.
Three Is X. w. transformers are
being installed in the alleys between
Front and Second, and Second and
Third street. These will be used
for the down town business section
only and in connection with the
heavy copper wires already in place
will take care Of a city of Is, 900 in
habitants. Separate feeders will be
run from the station for power,
business and residence lighting,
thus enabling the Company in event
Of trouble on one line, maintaining
the supply of power to the remain
ing districts. All the city street
arcs are to he equipped with steel
suspension cords, high voltage in
sulators and the latest type of gear
ed windlass for raising and lower
ing the lamps.
| Plans and specifications are now
in the hands of the contractor for
the new brick power house and
office building which the company
is about to start work on.
The architecture is at once simple
and elegant, combining the practi-
cal efficiency of handling the great
est volume of business with the
least labor, with a simplicity and
massiveness of design that is pleas
ing to the eye.
The Yakima Valley Power Com.
pany has spent more money in dew
clipping this territory and equippini
itself for the proper handling of th'
business of the two cities than is Gus
tomary with most corporations enter
ing small town. The natrOnap