The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-01-29
Big IMPROVEMENTS BY W. VA,
TRACTION AND ELECTRIC CO.

to be unreasonable demands In return
FOR bhe franchise.
The capacity for generating power
at the company's power plant at Elm
Grove Is TO be greatly increased soon
by the installation OF additional equip
ment. At the present time arrange
ments are being made TO install a new
Russell tandem compound engine,
which will be used In connection with
the engine located at the power plant
the City Railway division. A small
Buckeye engine has been placed In
position and Is used for furnishin z
electricity for the lighting system In
the out-the-pike district
The present capacity of the power
plant is over $500 b. D. The plant
is fully equipped with modern con.
venienoes. including mechanical stok.
ers for the boilers. Coal is used for
fuei, and as the plant Is conveniently
located a few feet away from the
mine OF the Elm Grove Coal Com
pany, a branch line has been built
from the mine entrance TO the boiler
room, permitting the running OF load
ed cars directly into the plant.
giving Good Service.
At present a ten-mlnute service is
maintained between Wheeling and
Elm Grove, with cars running 10
West Alexander every one and a half
hours. Additional cars will be oper.
ated as soon as traffic justifies such
action. and in a few years a much
better schedule and service is antic-
ipated. A five-minutes' service Is
now maintained between this CITY and
Pleasant Valley during the congested
periods OF traffc in the mornings and
afternoons.
Another valuable possession OF the
corporation IL the property Of what
was formerly known as the Suburban
Water Company. The property con-
sists OF completely equipped water
system, including n pumping station
and reservoir AZ Elm Grove and sew
eral miles Of water mains through the
out-the-pike section. Recently this
system has been greatly improved
and an excellent filtration system has
been installed Although II has been
in operation but a few days. il has
proved a decided success. even ex-
ceeding the expectations of the com
pany.
The process Of clarifying the muddy.
Hlthv water as IL comes from the
creek until IL becomes pure and as
clear as we'll water is a most inter
esting Cne. and as worked out by the
West Virginia Traction G. Electric
company az its Elm Grove plant Is a
practical one. II has proven very sat
isfactory, and the first day that il
was put into operation Il was given
most complete test. The first water
run through the system was from the
creek when 4 was almost at its crest
during the recent flood. almost three
weeks ago. Although the water In
tie creek contained an unusual amount
OF sediment. II was entirely clear be-
fore reaching the reservoir after pass
ing through the system.
Description Of Plant
The pumping station which forces
the water through the filtration pro-
cess and 10 the reservoir is located
en- the bank q Wheeling creek a.
Patterson. and IS large brick struc-
lure with slate ROOF. A concrete
foor viii be laid in the building as
soon as nc" equipment has been in
stalled.
a small thirty horse power motor
pumps the water from the creek into
large well. eighteen feet deep. 10
Gated insid the building. From the
wen the water is pumped into TWO
large settling tanks which are erected
on lot near the station. Each OF
these tanks Is q feet In diameter and
l6 feet deep The water filters
through - inches OF sea sand and .
inches of gravel. the gravel being OF
Tour different grades and sizes. and
Is then pumped into two filtration
tanks built IN the station. These
tanks are is fee; in diameter and 4
through several pipes and valves into
large receiving tank for the clear
water This tank is - Tcet In diam
e.cr and lG feet deep.
Within short time additional tanks
VII = erected and the capacity OF
ID" system will BE- doubled The pres.
ent steam pumps are being replaced
bN electric pumps and the power 10
operate them will be obtained from
me c1mpany's power pant in Elm
Frof@. which furnishes power for the
traction lines Nov. only two pumps
are used. one a thirty b. D.. which
pumps The water from the creek. and
one o. $50 b. %. which forces the
water To- the reservoir on the hill
above Elm Grove Two additional
pumps of The same size a. the present
ones VII b. Installed IS reserve
pumps. - be used in cases % emer-
geucJ. The capacity o. the larger
pump T. 91j gallons per minute. and
a ln inch main carries the water 10
the reservoir which has capacity Of
over 1000 CH0 gallons being 80 feet
wide. 80 feer iOng aud "a feet deep.
To Lay More Mains.
The West Virginia Traction & Flee
trio company has applied for n fran
ch.-e 90 .fr q system 81 water mains
in The town ~ pgti, raOn. and II 10 Is
granted. viii iay lines along 40 priu-
cipdl streets ~ the town The com
panv has drilled three artcsiau wells
Boo Fulton and has made arrangements
90 connect hem with the main lines
iu the event ~ extreme drouths whom