The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-07-18
STORMS RAISE
HAVOC HERE
MINES OPERATING WITH ELEcTRI-
CAL EQUIPMENT SUFFER MUCH
DRAWBACK BEING OVERCOME
Auxiliary Plants Maintained For Use
in Emergency and Construct
ion of Pumps Changed

The increased use of electrical power
for the operation of iron mines in this
section has brought about many new
difficulties TO overcome, the greatest of
which Is the electric storm menace
In addition, the wiring of the pumps
and other machinery is not up 10 re-
quirements just yet but the DESIGNERS
are working on the new changes neces-
sary and il will be but short time
when such defects will be overcome
just as they were IN electric household
utensels Most housewives can recall
that il is but few years back when
flat iron heated by electric current
lasted but very short time. Now one
can buy an iron guaranteed not 20
burn out for long term of years
The same IL true of the electrical
equipment about the iron mines.
Pumps, compressors and other engines
are burning out constantly and causing
lot of expense and delay but the de-
signers are improving right along and
II Will be but short time when the
wiring of the engines will he salts
factory,
ELECTRIC STORM EFFECTS
The electric storm OF the past week
did more TO demonstrate the shortcom-
ings of electric power when applied
10 mining operations than anything
that has happened about here Is quite
while
The mines OF the west side OF the
county are pretty generally supplied
with electric current from the Twin
Falls plant and the lines of that con-
oern were interfered with quite gen.
orally during the storm.
In some instances the towers were
Knocked down interfering with the
current and in others wires were brok-
on and the current from the water
driven dynamos interfered with so that
the mines we're unable TO get the pow
er necessary TO drive the pumps and
engineb
The Twin Falls people have an
auxiliary plant at Iron River, but as
l'luck would have IL, they were in the
act OF overhauling il when the storm
came ON so suddenly that their plant
was of no use 20 them. Under ordi-
nary conditions this auxiliary plant
can supply current in one hour after
the wires are knocked down between
the hydraulic plant and Iron River.
The boilers are kept warm at all times
in the auxiliary plant and as soon as
an indication of an approaching storm
is seen steam is raised and preparation
made 10 supply current it anything
happens 10 the conducting wires
MINES MAINTAIN PLANTS
Some Of the mines have auxiliary
plants OF their own and were not
harmed to any great extent by the
interference of the electrical power
In one case, however, the mine had no
plant of its own and was drowned out.
IL seems 10 be the opinion of iron
men that steam plant will have to DC
maintained at most mines VI the
operators are 60 be fully insured
against interruption from the cleo
trica storms. In all cases whore the
mines maintained their own plants
there was no serious interruption dur
ing the recent storm, although some OF
them escaped being drowned out by a
| hairs breath.
Another condition that makes IL al
most imperative 20 maintain plants at
the mines IL the liability 20 burn ont
the wiring in either the pumps or the.
compres ,ors at any time and il there
is not steam plant handy, especially
should the pumps burn out, the mine
il almost certaiDsto be drowned out for
| a time