The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-12
NEW M.V.T. POWER
PLANT IN ACTION
Costs ss5o,0O0-Is Claimed
To Be One of the Finest
In United States.

Residents of Fairmont have Just and
constantly increasing cause to be
proud Of their city and of their own
progressive enterprise.
The largest electric power plant
operated by natural gas, not only in
West Virginia. but in the entire Unit
ed States, has been installed at Hutch.
inson, on the West Fork, by the
M%onongahela Valley Traction Com.
pany. The operation Of the plant to
furnish power for the street cars and
to light the streets Of Fairmont, was
started this afternoon. 1t cost more
than $780, 900.
The building Of this magnificent
plant means that even in the nustling
Fairmont district where the constant
establishment Of new enterprises has
made it hard for the manufacturers
OF light and power to keep up with
the demand, there will be no more.
Inconvenience along this line for sew.
eral years at least.
The new power plant OF the Monon-
gahela Valley Traction Company has
a capacity OF 1850 horsepower and
AAS ptahk VI AuC Sbu6bttiablpIl Sbdt
Company within a few feet OF It has
a capacity Of $500 horsepower. The
two companies are on friendly terms,
and the two plants are SO close to.
gether that the buildings in which
they are housed are connected by a
repair shop used in common.
The total capacity of the Joint plant
is 10,S50 horsepower, and the two
companies have so arranged that In
case the need arises, power may be
diverted from n plant to the other,
thus making them practically n g.
gantic machine for the production of
electric power by the use OF natural.
gas, the largest plant OF its kind In
the world.
The equipment was installed by the
traction company under the direction
of R. L. Kingsland. superintendent Of
power and the mechanical depart.
ment. The building was erected un.
der the direction Of John G. smy1h.
The new equipment installed by the
traction company includes three 35ls
by 50inch single tandem gas engines
made by the Bethlehem Steel Com
pany. The engines are connected di.
rectly to General Electric Company
generators, each unit having a capaci.
|ty OF 1850 killowats, or 1850 horse.
power, q total OF 1850 horsepower for
the new plant in addition to the s 200
horsepower capacity Of the four SINH
lar units in the coal company's plant
adjoining.
The foundation for a fourth unit
has already been installed and the
fourth unit has been arranged for in
the contract with the manufacturers,
but without specified time Of delivery.
The building housing this great
plant Is q beautiful buff brick struc:
ture 200 feet long and Sc feet wide.
1t is fireproof throughout. even the
door and window sashes being OF.
steel. Not q particle Of wood was
used in the erection Of the structure.
It Is provided with a false end so!
that extensions may, be made with
out Inconvenience.
Last summer residents of Fairrnont
and vicinity suffered great inconven.
ience because OF the interruption of,
power and light service. This was
due largely to the low water becom.
ing polluted with acid from mines and
chemical refuse dumped into the
stream from recently installed chem.
icalj plants. thereby Gripping the trac.
ton company's cayenne power plant.
The business men backing the Strac.
ton company. and owning the power
plant, as well as every resident OF
Fairmont, was glad to see the opening
OF the mines and the erection OF new
manufacturing plants in the F~airraont
district, for such improvements mean
increased business and Increased
prosperity, although last summer the
immediate result was sad inconyen.
ience for both patrons Of the street
cars, the men who operated them and
the men who owned them.
10 remedy this inconyenience and
to provide adequate power to operate
the street cars and to furnish light
for Fairmont and vicinity the trac-
ton company promptly planned the
erection OF the gigantic plant which
began to furnish electric current 10.
day!
Actual construction work was be-
gun last September. and with the I'm
precedenied energy characteristic OF