University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-03-12

bla have proved this to be true i'll
their dealings with water and light.
After they had suffered long from
a poor light and water plant they
aroused themselves. voted Sl25,OOO
worth of bonds. selected an expert
engineer. and erected plant that
would do credit to any city twice the
size OF Columbia.
1t was in September. 1910. that
the citizens voted to issue the bonds.
The next month H.B. Shaw. dean of
the School of Engineering of the
University of Missouri. was appoint
ed consulting engineer. For time
it was undecided where to locate the
new plant but finally spo, just east
of the old one was selected. A
switch was built to il from the Wa
bash railroad. The old plant was on
no railroad. The cost of hauling
coal to it was one of the big bills
in its expense account. After the
switch was built the material was
put on the grounds for the new
plant.
Now the building is completed. Ii
is almost square. 81 by SN feet The
first ten feet is of stone. the remaind-
rr of hard brick. The floor. the roof
and the basement are all of concrete
The building is absolutely freprOof,
the only wood about it being the cor
nice and some of the doors. The
roof is square and the wide caves
make the building look unlike most
power houses. The engine room is
lighted with big windows with small
panes and iron sashes.
The boiler room occupies the east
half of the building. The three boil
ers are encasci in brick and are
about \ feet wide by l2 to l. high
They are fed by mechanical stokers
operated by steam. On both sides of
the boiler room is gangway lead
ing below TO dungeon-likc hall the
roof. sides and floor all concrete. Ii
is barely high enough TO stand in and
perhaps \ feet wide. Along one side
feet square. These doors open into
the ash pits of the boilers. Out of
hnn hn hos ls.l oil
long handled hoe. A man with a
wheel-barrOw hauls tenn to,
the center of the long hall where
there is an ashes elevator. This is a
late Improvement. and a good one,
too. Up this ashes elevator. a sheet
iron affair about . by > feet, the
ashes go and out onto the ground
The engine room is separated
from the boiler room by a brick wall
At each end is an iron door. Passing
through one of these doors one is
first impressed by large arch pipe,
perhaps > feet in diameter. This is
the exhaust pipe of steam turbine.
This powerful late invention is di-
rectly connected with a Jo0-kilowatt
generator. the main generating unit
of the new plant. Besides this. two
of the generators in the old plant
will be transferred to the new one.
They will be used as auXiliarieS and
to furnish power for the motors to
pump water with. The plant also
contains two mOtOr-driven centri
engine, used in pumping water.
West of the plant, just outside the
building, is a square tower. in each
side of which is large fan. This is
the condenser and cooling tower. The
steam from the turbine and engine is
turned into it. the fan cOOls. and the
water is collected and used again in
the boilers.
But this plant is not alone light
plant 1t also will furnish the city
with water. Formerly the city got
its water from four wells. Last
year two new ones We're put down.
They are called number > and g.
Well number ) is S21 feet deep. For
the first 800 feet il is - and IA
inches in diameter: the remainder
of the way 10 inches. At its COM
pletiOn it was given a twenty-hour
test. during which its flow varied
from 1903 to - gallons minute
Water in it rises to within 1S5 feet
of the top.
Well number is SO feet deep.
Water in il rises to within 1876 feet
of the surface. 1t tested $50 gallons
to the minute. II cost S24Si.25.
Number ) cost $233431. Two of
the old wells. numbers and 2.
We're tested and threw 1876 and 119
gallons respectively a minute. From