The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1909-07-30
Citizen Writes.

80 49,
is worth. Conditions at the Water
ann Light Plant" are such that we
have absolutely no fire protection and
IN luck to have water to drink.
The lighting end Of the plant is IN
very little better shape as all OF the
lines are old and in bad shape and 10
need OF a thorough overnaullng. The
new boiler that has been installed is a
good and much needed addition and
has been installed in good shape.
However, this new boiler will not Op-
crate the small engine, carrying only
the day current, q deep we'll pump
and the compound water pump, all at
| the same time. These three would
represent, if properly adjusted, and in
operation all Of the time, an average
load Of SO H, z. on engine, 20 II. T.
on pump and Is II. P. on well pump
leaving an available IS H z or 43 pei
cent that IS at present wasted by I'M
proper adjustment Of valves etc. Thl,
allowing four pounds OK COAL per IL. Z.
per hour wOdld NEAR a loss Of three
tons of coal in twenty -four hours OF
about $9,O0 per day. Now a word in
regard to pumping the water from the
deep wells. The water stands in the
wells at about Is feet from the surface
and a deep we'll pump is operated,
which If in good condition and oper.
ated all Of the time, would represent
a consumption of not less than one
ton Of coal or $500 in twenty-f0ur
hours. This water is discharged intu
d pool which is ten or twelve feet
deep and they have only succeeded in
raising the water on an average OF not
more than ten feet. This water is
then pumped from the pool into the
mains at an additional cost OF not less
than So, 90 for coal. With the prop
! er kind of a pump this water could be
pumped direct from the wells into the
mains at a saving Of the cost OF one
pumping and the pool could be kept
, fu.l and held in reserve for fire pur-
poses. There is now being installed a
condenser, We presume for the purpose
of red lcing the fuel cost but it don't
figure out on paper in that way. AS
a rule, cOndenSerS, except IN large
plants where there is an abundance OF
waste water, are a very doubtful propo-
SitiOn.
The makers OF cOndenserS claim, and
they generally claim enough, a saving
in consumption OF steam Of an engine
of % per cent. This taking the aver.
age load at SO FL. p. would mean a
saving OF 1909 pounds Of coal or Sl,8O
for twenty-1our hours. This would
call for 100000 gallons OF water to con.
dense the steam and would call fol
1850 pounds OF coal at a cost OF 1920
to pump that amt AIT OF water with
the deep we'll pump. In addition tC
this iG would cost on a low estimate
sos for fuel to operate che air pump.
This would show a net loss OF $50 FOL
fuel alone in Jwenty-four hours.
This water could not be pumped into
the mains at this time OF the year,
without causing a great deal OF diSSat'
iSfactiOn, ON account Of it being hOl
and tasting of the condensed steam,
In the winter time If the load on the
engine were doubled 1t would call fol
double the quantity of water or nearly
twice as much water as is now pumped
to furnish the whole city with water
This is not the only loss as witt
a good feed water heater they Shoulc
be able to heat the feed water to the
boilers to at least 21O degrees while
with a condenser on the exhaust line
it would not be possible to heat it tt
more than 161 degrees or a difference
Of SO degrees which would mean a Loss
of about 5 per cent of fuel. In add
ton to this there will be interest or
investment, oil, attendance and re
pairs on this additional machinery
There are a number Of other place
around the plant where small saving
in operation could be made, that cOul(
be readily seen 5y any one specially
trained to the bushes.
l don't believe that the board wOulf
attempt to construct an important
sewer line without a competent clvl
engineer to lay it out or to construct
a large building without first getting
plans and specifications and knowing
just what they were going TO have
when completed.
Along the same lines l believe tina
the services of a competent consult
ing engineer should be obtained T.
lay out the improvements on tnl'
plant and that they could then b.
successfully carried out by the mer
now in charge. The cost may look large
at first, but would mean a great say
ing in the esd and could probably b.
based on a percentage of the saving II
operation after completed and now
feel, and l know that I am not b.
myself, that it il an injustice to TIT
citizens Of Grenada to keep on spend
ing their money in haphazard way
when results could be obtained by 60
ing about it in a business like manner
Citizen.