The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1912-08-01
CAKES ELECTRIC LIGHT AND
POWER COMPANY COMPLETE
PLANT AND TURN ON THE
ELECTRIC CURRENT.
STREET LIGHT EXCELLENT
By Use OF Storage Batteries Twenty
four Service is Given. Fans,
Motors, Etc. Installed.


Last Monday night Oakes was all
aglow with lights, the new electric
lighting plant turning on its electric
current which made nearly every house
and business place in the city look like
a "house-afire''
The Cakes Electric Light and Power
Company has made good in installing
an up-to-date electric lighting plant.
Arrangements for the installation of
the plant were started last fall by Mr..
Davis but owing to early extreme cold
weather the work had to be postponed
until this spring. Early in May the
actual work was begun to the building
and pole line and ever since has been
pushed as rapidly as possible until now
Oakes can brag of one of the most up
to-date electric light plants in the
state.
While the plant at present is owned
by DR.. Blakeslee of Bemidji, and F. P.
DAVIS of Minneapolis, there is pos
sibility that the plant will be owned and
operated in the near future by Mr..
F. L. Kempf.
The system is called the storage bat
terry system, and is continuous
twenty-four hour service making it
particularly valuable to the consumer
for power for washing machines, irons,
cooking purposes, motor service and
fans, for which power would be needed
in the day time. The motive power is
two 40 horse oil engines, twin cylinder
upright type, late in design and the
very best engine on the market for
this purpose. Each engine is started
by compressed air and is cooled by city
water and drives a generator of 25
K. w. capacity, each making total
of SO Killowatt hours at the present
time, but an additional foundation was
installed to take care of another one
of the same capacity, always insuring
the city of Oakes sufficient electric
current for lighting and power pur-
poses.
The switchboard is the main feature
of the plant, being patented and manu-
factured by the Battery Company, of
Milwaukee, Wis.,, and is the only
switchboard made that's equipped with
automatic devices for disconnecting
and connecting the dynamo to the stor-
age battery if for any reason they fail
to generate sufficient current and auto
matically connecting the storage bat
terry without impairing the current in
the least or without any assistance
from the operator. The switchboard
is also equipped with the Gugler Pat
ented Regulator making it possible to
charge the batteries and furnish light
for the town at the same time without
any loss from resistance and making it
possible to float the battery on the SER
vice line, assuring bright steady light
at all times besides making the most
economical plant to operate.
The plant is known as 22O volt, 3
wire system and will carry normal
loan of $500, 16 candle power lamps,
with capacity for 500 lights overload
for short time, and with the addition
of the battery, will carry 5000 lights
for short time. The battery is 1876
cell, known as the Plante, and capable
of maintaining lights for continu gus
period of eight hours. Under ordinary
conditions. that is with normal load
being used, the engine will only have
to run few hours each evening, and
when the engine is shut down the stor-
age battery takes care of all the cur
rent needed until the next evening.
The citizens feel delighted over the
lights. Several street lights have been
installed, including four of the latest
type of flaming arc and more will be
placed later. The Times desires to
compliment the Battery Company on
its system and Oakes on securing the
splendid lighting plant.
F.. P. Davis who has personally sup
erintended the installation of the plant,
deserves much credit for his untiring
effort to make the plant success.
Since his arrival in Oakes to carry out
his plans and work Of the plant, Mr..
Davis has made many friends who will
regret to see his departure. He has
been able to deliver the goods" and
we recommend the gentleman to any
town. He has been ably assisted by
Claud F. Blakeslee, son of DR.. F. A.
Blakeslee, and A. J. .Ensteness, H. H.
Cummings and John Egge.
A Warning.
Two Cakes motorcyclists, fair,
For the snead law didn't care.