The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-08-02
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The Star regrets to have to say it,
but it is evident that the city plant
is in bad shape. and if matters there
are not mended the town may find it
self destitute of light and power for
several days on end, some time soon.
A semi-official delegation visited
the plant Wednesday night. 1t was
composed of Mayor Chace and Alder
man McIver, Messrs. Tom Sexton, w.
I. Whitley and two members of the
Star staff.
The peak load was on and was be-
ing carried by the oil engine The big
steam engine has been out of bust
ness for several days, and the little
one can carry only the lighter load.
About the first thing the party
noticed was colored man sitting by
the oil engine intently watching what
seemed TO the uninitiated to be a
leak. It was in fact an oil pump, which
is supposed to work automatically. On
account of the thickness of the oil it
is necessary to watch it necessarily
, while the engine is running, else the
machine might shut down, or smash
up, at any minute.
The plant was in charge of the
night engineer, A. w. Woods. The
party went thru the plant with Mr..
Woods, looking over things and ask
ing questions. Mr.. McIver and Mr..
Sexton are both familiar with ma
chinery, particularly the latter, who
has had charge of some of the big
gest phosphate plants in the state.
Tom, looking at the darkey, watching
the oil pump. got off feeble joke.
He said the pump was supposed to be
automatic, so he supposed its guard
ian was an automatic niger. The oil
engine was running very well. 1t is
a big, well-constructed machine,
plenty able to do the work, tho
obviously out of place in a plant of
that sort. In the steady and rather
musical rhythm of its machinery,
however, could be heard a slight
knocking, and Mr.. Woods said it was
caused by the bearings not being
properly keyed up. Nothing very
bad now. but soon will be if not at
tended to and may result in serious
tended to. Another trouble about the
oil engine is the gas it lets off. This
is discharged into muff1er consist
ing of series of pits dug into the
ground at the northeast corner of the
building. The gas comes up thru the
rocks these pits are filled with, drifts
back into the powerhouse whenever
the wind is from the east or north
east, and corrodes the machinery.
| The big steam engine is out OF
commission, and the piston is at the
Ocala Iron Works, being repaired.
Several days ago, Mr.. Woods said,
| trouble developed in the engine. Wa
| ter had been leaking into it. prevent
ing the lubricating oil from doing its
full duty, and finally compelling the
engine to stop. Repairs can be made
and the engine started again, but UNI
less the fault is remedied the trouble
will soon recur.
This engine is the main depend
ence>of the plant. Owing to the orders
of the fuel administrator, the oil en-
CINE should not be operated unless ii
is absolutely necessary. The other
steam engine can't carry the full
load. The engine is designed to run
with condenser. There is an elab-
crate condensing apparatus in the
plant, but it has never been used OF
else tried and failed to work. Accord
| ing to Mr.. Woods, the condenser is In
the wrong place. It is overhead
when it should be under the engine
Mr.. Sexton concurred with Mr.. Woods
in the matter of the condenser
He told one of the Star men he
had similar trouble with big engine
in a phosphate plant, and had rem
edied it by making changes in the
arrangement of the machinery.
The little steam engine, which was
brought over from the old plant, is
the most reliable machine in the lot
However, it is not in the best OF
shape-Mr. Woods took the hood of
and showed some small troubles thai
will grow greater unless attended te
soon.
The party inspected the boiler
room, and Mr.. Woods, when ques.
toned about the furnaces, said there
was very bad practice in effect
that when it was no longer necessary
| for boiler to supply steam the fire
was not allowed to die out, but hose
was turned on to put it out. Even 8
man unacquainted with machinery
knows this is very detrimental to thu
CRATES and sides of a furnace. HI
also showed where ashes had beer
allowed to collect in considerable
quantity on the tops and sides of thu
boilers. There is an apparatus fol-
clearing away the ashes but it is mo-
in use. We understand there is al
attempt to wash the ashes off with
the hose, but this is not only insult
Gent, but very damaging.
There are several other fault!
found that we will not mention, bu
/ i. IL. Il Il