The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-28
LIGHT PLANT
IS Being PUT
IN CONDITION
Additions and improvements
to Guarantee Continuous
Operation, Maximum Eff
cheney, Recommended.
REPAIRS ARE EXPLAINED

uu61 f1tbtO nutA 6Nl 60IIvkD
Additions and improvements to the
Municipal Electric Light plant so as
to guarantee to consumers continuous
operation and maximum efficiency is
the purpose of recommendations made
by j. D. Lyon, consulting engineer of
the plant, and j. P. Dillon, superintend-
ent, according to their statements.
The plant is in no immediate danger
but precautionary measures must be
taken to prevent the possibility of the
plant having to lay idle for several
days making repairs, they state.
Ask Appropriation.
An appropriation Of $4,000 has been
asked of the city council to cover the
cost of equipment necessary to put
the plant in first class condition. This
is said to be the only new portion of
the ordinance providing for a bond
:ssde of $315,000 which has been fay-
orably acted upon by council as a COM
mittee of the whole in special session.
Considerable misunderstanding has
Leen ~occasioned by the Incorporating
Of all the expenditures of the light
plant during the next year in one ordi-
nance which amounts to $315, 900, city
officials state. The appropriation for
the new 5000 X. w. turbine for SL75,-
600 has been passed, as has the $4,000
for the coal and ash conveyor, both
last year.
Rescind Loan.
The $5S,000, asked to replace money
taken from operating revenues for ad-
ditions and improvements, was to have
been taken care of in the ordinance
providing for a temporary loan of
100000. which was passed by council
but which will be rescinded by the
passage of the proposed ordinance, &C
cording to Attorney Keller.
Mr.. Lyons has submitted an item
lied list of additions and repairs that
are needed at the plant that should be
installed during the next year. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Dillon these are being
secured as rapidly as possible.
Business Increases.
Even with the slump in motorized
industries the city plant send-out and
the receipts for January of 1921 have
heen slightly greater than during Jan
vary of last year.
The condition of the plant during
the past year. was attributed to the
high cost of labor and coal, together
with the fact that the plant was forced
To operate at loss during the first
few months of the year because they
were slow in getting raise in rates
to meet the existing conditions, the
1ae superintendent contended, Mr.. Dill
lon said.
Additions to the capital of the plant
and depreciation requirements during
1920 amounted to more than $4,000
which was paid for out of the earnings
OF the plant, according to the super
intendent.
Itemized List.
The lists of improvements to the
plant and cost of each is as follows,
III order of Importance, as given by
plant officials: .....
New centrifugal boiler feed pump.
$4,000 inside coal handling equipment
for boiler room, $4,000: revolving wa
ter screen at race intake. $4,000; eight
boiler meters and one water meter.
$5,500 new feed water line, So 900.
changes in switch board, $4,000: Jones
stoker repairs, $4,000; water softener
repairs and changes, $1,000: feed wa
ter heater repairs. s40O; two SCOT
blowers on large boilers not now
equipped, $1.35O; repairs on present
blowers, $500; steam and ash dumps
on Westinghouse stokers. $500; two
=,
ing switch room from engine room,
5000: station totalizing meter, 5000;
station barometer, 500: master pilot
gauge, 1915. Total $42075. Conting-
encies with installation could not be
accurately estimated but was placed at
$7,925, making the $4,000 total.
Explains Repairs.
Mr.. Dillon in explaining the neces-
sity for the various improvements
went into detail on each one In re-
gard to the centrifugal boiler feed
pump it was said that the plant was
now depending on one pump. If any
thing should happen to this, which is
OF recent purchase, the plant might
have to shut down for an indefinite
period pending repairs. An old pump
Is being repaired and put in the best
condition possible to meet emergenc-
les, he stated.
Regarding the coal and ash handling
equipment it was stated that the out
side equipment was now being in
stalled. The outside ash handler will
do away with the steam jet ash con-
veyor, excessive steam consumption,
and annoyance to West Richnond
residents.
Eliminates Labor.
The inside equipment planned will
eliminate the labor of approximately
eight men. which will effect a saving
OF about $4,000 a year, it is said. An
other important feature is a device
for weighing coal delivered to each
boiler, and this with a measurement
of the water tell what performance is
being gained from each boiler.
The plant has been troubled con-
tinuously with unclean water for con-
densing purposes due to rubbish OF all
kinds being dumped into the river. A
revolving water screen is recommend
ed to do away with this.
Ice Interrupts.
Ice also has caused interruption of
service On the night of Jan. 16, at
1910 a. N. the ice became so thick
the intake was blocked and service
suspended for 80 minutes. it was stat
ed. This did not inconvenience many
people but Mr.. Dillon said this might
happen in the middle Of the day as
we'll as night. The screen will pre-
vent this, he said.
The boiler meters will be placed on
the front of boilers to indicate what
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