The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-11
BY A. A. PURCELL.


its several huge stations, now in the
course Of completion, for the purpose
Of generating electrical energy. They
are all, as it were, set out according
to well thought out plan in keeping
with their national economy. and 1t
would seem as consistent as practic-
able with the process OF utilization of
the natural resources of the country.
THE great theme of electrifcation is
not merely propounded in the
technical circles, it is, so to speak,
part of the curriculum of the elemen-
tary education of the child and youth
in the many workers clubs thruout
the vast territory of Russia.
In certain workers clubs there is a
very fine working model Of an entire
village built with timber hewn and
transported by electrical energy, and
finally heated, lighted and cleaned by
the same force.
TN 1920 the writer visited Chaturi,
some 60 miles out Of Moscow,
where a fair size station was being
erected, and owing to the blockade
the boilers from a torpedo boat de-
stroyer were being installed in the
powerhouse, and all around the earth's
crust was being peeled and delved into
to secure peat, which was to form the
basis OF power and energy for light
ing traction and heat en- route to and
in Moscow proper.
Visited again In 1924 the place had
grown enormously. There were thou
sands more workers on the job and
building workers were to be seen
everywhere. The 1920 station was
gradually shrinking into oblivion, just
working whilst huge station nearing
completion was being equipped with
power-house requisites from Czecho-
Slovakia, with men from that country
on the job, the transformers and
switch gear being installed and super
intended by Metro Vickers, with a
technical engineer from Trafford Park.
Manchester. in charge Of this part Of
the job.
1t was quite a tonic to go with the
latter to see his wife and two children
residing in fine house placed at his
disposal by the management
TNHE old power-house was designed
4 to give off 5000 kilowatts, the new
one is to give $4,000 XIV, and is ex-
pected to reach this figure by 1927.
The other stations visited in 1924
were the Mogess near Moscow, the
Zemo Chavalis near Tifiis in Georgia,
where water power is % be exploited,
Sterofka in the Donetz Basin, where
inferior anthracite is the chief fuel,
the Central Moscow station, which is
run on oil fuel, and the Volkhof sta
ton, with water power from the River
Volk.
It is this latter which affords the
best idea Of the great capacity to en-
gage in huge tasks so frequently dem
onstrated by the administration an6
Z workers of Russia
VOLKHOFSTROY. as IT is popularity
termed. is an undertaking com
plete with every detail of a gigantic
undertaking. 1t is In the Leningrad
district. about so miles distant from
the city. The scheme Is to harness
the tides of the river VoIk, and Is de-
signed so as to secure a maximum Of
100000 XIV. The river Is hridged,
crossed and narrowed at it's vital
parts. A huge Golfer dam has been
constructed. and there are the usual
necessary diversions.
This will be the largest station in
all Russia.
Viewed from the rising ground it
gives the impression of tremendous
structure OF galleries and terraces,
with leading tracks and bridges chas-
Ing each other up. down and around,
and vanishing at the distance into
series Of dead ends. Already It has
swallowed up four million square feet
of timber and is bedded with thou.