Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 146, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1904 — The New Equipment Is Inaugurated. [ARTICLE]

The New Equipment Is Inaugurated.

No More Complaint About Poor Lights The new fine equipment of the Rensselaer city electric light system was put into regular service Saturday afternoon. The import ant evt-nt whs made the occasion of a modest little ceremony, though nothing like a public demonstration was attempted. The mayor and members of the city council, several editors of town papers, the employes of the plant, and one or two other citizens comprised the audience. B. F. Ferguson ‘ of the city council and chairman of-th,e committe on electric lights made a short address. He told how. wbefr the present city council began their terms, the equipment at the light plant, much of it not new when purchased, had become inadequate to the demands of our growing little city, The engines were not largo enough and of a type very wasteful of fuel Two of the dynamos were old and out of datefor a plant like Rensselaer needs, and the same could be said of the street arc lamps. The situation. present and prospective was carefully considered. It was evidentthat something must be done, and it wes wisely decided not to

repeat a mistake that had been made in the past, in the .way of buying machinery that would soon be old, or too small to allow for increased demands in the future. Decided, in fact not only like Pete Means in the Hoosier School Master, to “git a plenty while tbey were gittin,” but to get the best that could be got, also. Superintendent Chamberlain, with his excellent electrical and mechanical knowledge, gave his whole mind tj the problem, also. Tne final result was to purchase an Allis-Chalmers engine of the Corless type, which by universal icknowledgement stand atthe very Head of all stationary steam engines. They are of the slow revolution, triple-expansion type, which save and utilize, in the cylinder, the expansive force of the steam that common engines waste. This

me is of 300 horse power, at ordinary pressure, but can be safely worked at twice that. for limited periods, when the emergency requires. It is estimated that this . engine will do the same amount of work with half the fuel used by the,old engines. A new dynamo of the General Electric Company’s make was also purchased. That, too, stands at the head of its list, It is of 200 kilowatt capacity, of the three phase type, and adapted to incandescent and arc lights, and for power for transmission. It has ca? paoity|'or 4,oooincandescent lamps of 16 cp. while our other large dynamo, installed a few years ago has capacity for 2,500 lamps. A farther great improvement is the purchase of 50 new street aro lamp",of the most improved inclosed self regulating variety which will displace all the street arcs heretofore in use. A vast advantage they have over the old lamps is that they give a steady light, without auy of the annoying flickering

and fluttering and sparkling and sputtering of the old lamps. Two marble switob boards have also been bought, and an automatic current regulator for tbe arc circuit; and various other smaller but very desirable improvements All told we have now a'thoroughly up-to-date and efficient electric light equipment, of capacity sufficient to light all our public streets and to furhjsh all tbe residence and business lights that are Deeded Dowfor likely to be needed for many years to come. Ti»e cost of the new equipment is right around

17,500, but enough will be got for the old machinery to reduce the net cost to $7 000 This cost will be all paid in two years by a tax levy on all the taxable property in Rensselaer of 30 cents on the SIOO valuation. At the close of Mr. Ferguson’s remarks Mayor Ellis turned the B'eam intothe huge cylinder, -tLe 16 foot 12$ton combined pulley and fly wheel began t > revolve, slowly at first then faster and faster until it struck its regular gHi| of 92 turns per minute; the huge 500 pound, three ply, bull’s bide belt got in its work, the big dynamo, followed suit and presto, everything was running like clock-work. Of the old outfit, tbe next the newest and largest dynamo and engine will both be retained for possible emergienoies or break dbtyis; but two dynomoes, one engine aShkLjot of arc lamps and other properly wH’ be disposed of. In conclusion we w «ay that with this new equipment'"aoo.c described, and the splendid big new boiler put in a few years ago, and the equally splendid twin duplex steam pumps of a somewhat earlier date, Rensselaer now has probably the best municipally owned and managed combined water and electric light plant of any place of less than 10,000 population in tbe state.