New Britain herald., 1925-12-09
DEDICATION OF RAINBOW POWER PLANT


 Works to obtain the water power | which was denied them by reason Of | the location in New Britain. Earnest | .cnd"ayors 10 obtain such power were made more than 25 years ago by Mir, W, H., Hart, so long the active head Of the company. This installa- lion has been in many ways unusual in good fortune. The most happy circumstance of all was our finding that Mir. II, l, Hartman of Chace X Hartman, who had done such won. lerful work in the development z. the Deerheld river power in Aassa. chusctts, would let us take his en ginccring and construction company for year, Here was an organizn ton Of young men Of excellent en. Eneerng ability, full Of push and energy and educated in the eXpcn- sive school of experience, No com. pany in such an undertaking eyrD had better cooperation on the pnr of all participating in the work.
 The purchasing was done in Cur
 ference by buyers Of both organize
 tions, the New England Power Co
 and the Stanley Works. They hau knowledge of the material needed and We had the department familiar with the local situation and the necessary organization 10 function effectively, There was hardly hold-up for material. machines oi labor on the entire construction. No labor was advertised for and a plcn- tiful supply was at all times avail able although the hiring wage was not higher than for and construction
 jobs hereabouts. The even temper and the just treatment ot the super
 intendent and the excellent food
 provided by the mess run hy the
 company were in large part rcspon-
 sible for this
 The efficiency of the cooperative
 forces will best be judged by the
 fact that after the closest estimates
 had been made the cost is consider
 ably less than We had figured.
 The public service commission of
 the state, The Connecticut Light and
 Power Co.,, the Hartford Electric Light Co.,, the Unionville Electric
 Light and Power Co.,, the soleCtmen
 and officers of the towns and cities
 through which we went, all gave us
 our cordial cooperation and help. ' The Connecticut Co.,, gave us cXccl-
 lent service in the delivery of all
 machines, stone and cement which
 We much appreciated, and for which
 We paid a round figure.
 NO man was seriously hurt on the job in spite of the fact that some of the largest and heaviest machinery of it's type in the United States was used.
 No statement of this kind would
 be complete without acknowledging
 our debt to Mir c. s. Hcwins, presi- , dent of the New England Power , Co.,; his uperintendent. Mir. John V. . Downing, who was in direct charge
 of the construction, and the heads of
 their various departments; to MT. ].
 w. Jones, who originally designed = the plant and who, with his force, . has helped us in every possible way; | to Mir. E. w. Christ for his ready s assistance in every emergency Che g arranged for this meeting today) 3 and 10 NIr. Maurice Pease, who has = taken most Of the burden from my f shoulders during the period Of con l struction and when my health re- l Quircd extended absence from home. [ There has been most excellent work c by others in acquiring rights of way T for the substations and the utiliza- q ton of the power In both the plants 8 in New Britain and in many ways = To all these, I desire on behalf of k the Stanley Works to express our II appreciation.
 :! We will not go 10 the station :. where I will start one of the 5.000 t kw. units by throwing one small
 switch perhaps five inches long. The
 gates Of the wheel will be opened,
 the wheel will start and automatic
 ally the electric generator will bring 't itself up 10 it's regular voltage of p 2,3oN, its frequency 10 it's required GO IS cycles and it will take it's load" . As Mir Moore called tho name {, or MT. Hnwina anl Mir. Downing 2 he called for each to stand ur. On z rising they were greeted with E. rounds Of applacse,
 | X few minutes later all gathered ' at the power house where th" 2 switch was thrown which st the . turbine in motion anl tho r>osram '- Of the day was conclulol,
 VI Dam l00 Feet Long l. The construction of the plant wat s one of tho largest engineering feat" h in rn. hydro-c}ortrtC drll in N.W $ England. The dam is 49o f,"t long g. with q 4oo foot spillway. In it's con- L. sirUc'ion. moro than @o.o00 barrels a of cement and more than &o,no0 " tons of crushed ston" wcrH uSci II The top ot 'hc StruCtur" is # f"'i | abovc 'h" river hcl. The pond be- yr hind the dam IS three and Ono-lHIf l. mil,s long and covers an area of
 23a grrrs. Tn" total drainage has3n supplying water 10 the pond is GI2 |, square miles. One foot of water in the pond is equal approximately to y Io,uoo.ooo cubic t"rt and will gen crate iu.coo K ". H.
 Tn ui'dNE fhr 'ailraco through II which water flows back 10 Inc riVrr h. after passing through thc turbines.