Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-10-01
POWER PLANT is
IN ACTION AGAIN
Low Water in River Prevents Use
of Power Plant On Potomac,
LIGHT is STILL UNCERTAIN

Big Task at Plant Accomplished at
Midnight and Lights Came on--No
Light or Power After Two O'Clock
Tuesday Afternoon Hoped That
Rains May Put Sufficient Water in
River to Run Water Power Plants.
From The World Of Wednesday:
| The Martinsburg Power Company Is
up against the most serious difficulty
that they have had to face for some
izne. The water in The Potomac is so
| low that they have only had The use
of the river plant at Dam No. for a
few hours during the day for several
weeks. AT Dam No the plant has
been continuously out of commission
for some time On account of Tie low
water.
In consequence of the lack of power
| from the river plants the steam plant
in this city has been carrying the load
for some time. On Monday evening
| shortly after the power was shut off
at he mills something went wrong
with the big engine. The main bear
ing was discovered to be hot and the
engine was gradually slowed down I'M
till 1t cooled off It was later found
that the chain arou~d the shaft which
| distributed the oil had clogged and in
| falling to distribute the Oil the bearing
| had run hot. The employees got %
work Immediately to remedy the mat
ter and in the meantime Superintend-
ent Shoemaker made record run TO
Dam No. and started the power at
that point and On Monday most of the
incandescent lights We're burning af-
ter 80 and the arcs came on about
midnight
Yesterday morning the plant at
Dam No. was continued in commits
sion and power was furnished until
about las. In the morning the SUI
perintendent found that the trouble
with the big engine had not be RENE
died and it was necessary to take out
the box around the bearing and open
UP the oil ways which had beer, clog
ged by the melted babbitt. This was
ask bigger than they had calculated
and it was after midnight before the
big machine was started The water In
the river had been used during the
day and in consequence there was
nothing available to produce current
during the evening and there was nc
electric light or power until early this
morning
The old engine which still stands in
the plant went out of commission
few days ago and this new trouble
| came piling up on the company before
the repairs could be made to the old
| equipment or part of the load at
| least could have been carried Oh that.
! Ii is not known whether the repairs
made to the big engine viii prove per
manent and there was some anxiety
this morning on the part of the COM
J ed like an insane man. Grabbing DR..
Sites by the coat collar and assum-
| ing a threatening attitude he said he
pany concerning thunl ability to furn-
ish power during the day.
1t is hoped that the heavy rains
which flooded the country in the
neighborhood of Cumberland and
along the head waters of the Potomac
yesterday afternoon and the heavy
rain in the vicinity of Failing Waters
yesterday evening will put enough
water in the river to enable the COM
pany to start the two river plants.
AS matters stood at noon there was
no certainty how long the power
would hold out.
The lack of power caused a shut
down of the mills and quarters yes
terday afternoon. being warned be-
forehand The Evening World got the
paper off about one o'clock and was
through when he power went off,
and was thus enabled to give TO the
readers Of the World nearly all the
happening OF the day. The paper to-
day is issued earlier rather than run
he IRISH of not getting off an edition.
The business houses in the city
We're without light except those who
were fortunate enough to have gas
The large gas lamps in front Of many
business places on Main street helped
to keep the city from bing in total
darkness
Grocer Minor had two candles in his
window and on a placard were these
words:
BACK TO 40 YEARS AGO.
Many places were forced to brine
out lamps and candles in order tC
? have lights.