The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-12-09
Putting the Power In SkOwhegan


the huge machinery details used In
the work, and all due to get back
to the base of things, to accurate
drawings.
Naturally, no one plant makes all
the machinery used in such large OPP
erations as the new Skowhegan plant.
Naturally also. this machinery must
fit as nearly perfect as human inge-
nuity can make 1t, to insure a smooth
operation where the water is turned
into the great turbines. The gate
hoists. or machinery for lifting the
ponderous gates. OF which there are
many, were made In Detroit, Mich.
The waterwheels were made in Cleve-
land, Ohio; the generators in Science
tady, n. Y, the transformers in
Pittsburgh, Pa; the big marble
switchboard came from West Virginia;
the forty-ton crane from Philadelphia
and so on. So carefully were the
drawings made. and SO accurate were
the specifications that few details va
ried over one thousandth of an inch.
Not hundred dollars has been spent
in correcting mistakes on what is pop
ularly believed to be a million dollar
job. We have no means of knowing,
but this must either establish or
equal record.
These facts and the concentration
OF power that will be effected when
the new plant starts operations are
the outstanding features to the lay
mind. Formerly there were fourteen
power plants on this section of the
~, win tN IN,
dustries Each of these plants COM
prised unit" One unit of the new
plant will supply more power than
the entire fourteen old ones. Three
units of 1920 h. p. each will be put into
commission now, and the plant is
planned to use five units when the
demand warrants. The full capacity
of the plant will be 21,000 horse power
while 1t means little to one unfamiliar
with sources and distribution of cleo
trio power, is still impressive in it
.self.
]. A. Leonard, the engineer in
charge of construction very kindly
showed a reporter and camera over
the works one day recently. The way
to get an idea of proposition of this
size Is to go over 1t with a man who
has helped build 1t from rough plans
| almost to completion. He can give
an idea of the struggles and the diff
| fculties overcome-the recurring tri-
umphs over one difficult phase and
another, and an idea OF the bigness OF
| the whole affair. To set these i'm
pressions down in cold type is still
another matter.
A surprisingly small drafting staff
in comparison with the magnitude OF
the job, has furnished the working
had charge of the concrete design
ing; l.. l.. Alden, also Of Portland has
handled the mechanical designing and
F. O. Burgess of Vassalboro the cleo
trical work. Each expert in his
line, they have swung the job along
without a serious hitch from start
to it's present state nearing completion
G. G.. Gerry Welch, formerly with
the l.. A. & w. company and who
was located in Lewiston, has laid out
the work from the plans and is con-
sidered an especially valuable man III
his sphere OF course there were
many other valuable men on the job
and the work as a whole has been
successfully pushed forward because
they worked together" Team work Is
as valuable in building power plant
as it is in playing football.
The great Niles crane is an integral
part of the plant. 1t is rated at for
ty tons, but, when questioned, Mr.
Leonard smiled and admitted that II
might lift a few pounds more than
that If it had to- An ingenious fea-
ture Of this crane Is its ability to I'LL
out the shafts of the turbines, which
are taller than the crane itself. &c
raise the crane, and consequently the
roof of the plant. enough to iift
shaft with one haul would have cost
several thousand dollars more thar
the estimate Therefore the makers In
stalled two hooks and two cables or
the crane. One hook lifts the shaft to
it's capacity and then the other hook
is fastened to the lower part OF the
shaft and completes the job Sort Of
hand over hand and this operation
could be continued to lift a shaft
clear from China if necessary.
The great gates are piped Will
steam to keep them easily WORKING
after the ice comes. Steam heated
water gates may be new notion to
some 1t was to us.
The office of the construction crew
is we'll worth a visit also, with its in
tcresting working model of the en-
tire plant. gates and all. There Other
models for furthering the value q
dams and power plants.
That the plant has been from thu
first and will continue to be q yalna
bic addition to the town Of SkoWhe
gan, there can be no doubt.
SO far as possible all supplies use.
by the construction crew are purchas
ed there. and when it is considered
that the payroll is around $1,000. il
can be seen what this means to th'
merchants of the town.
What the power means to local in
dustries. and the powerful argument
it will be to attract new industries
is easy to be seen.
The pioneers of electricity on Tho
river at this point may make some in
teresting comparisons. Mr.. Leonard
pointed out small wooden buildlni
overhanging the river between the
new dam and the old. as the origina
power plant. It might serve rs TOO
house for the Workmen on the ne"
Job. The new plant Of the American
Wooden Co, within few yards OF INC
end Of tho npW dam will utilize The