by Laurel | March 1st, 2013
March 4, 1906
Holyoke Water Power Company’s
New Power Plant
Means Much For Paper City
If the dreams of the river navigation advocates ever come true Holyoke will be at the headwaters of such navigation upon the Connecticut River. For whatever is done below Holyoke it is certain that navigation will never get above it; and the limit of the “steamer’s track” will be the ward 1 peninsula. The approach to the city, if the plans of the park commission are carried out, will not be wholly unpleasant. After passing the green meadows and dales of West Springfield the passengers who gather on the Holyoke side of the river steamer will first see Ingleside’s buildings and slopes rising to the western highlands. Springdale Park will be a wide expanse of green with playgrounds and drives and walks, and a landing where perhaps the steamer may tarry for a moment. Going further up stream the lighting station of the street railway is passed, and the ugly bank of the third level canal mills will be, it is hoped, somewhat beautified by the efforts of the yet unborn Holyoke improvement association, long before the boats begin to make their trips.
Further along the boat will ass under the railroad bridge and the tall chimney of the Holyoke Water-Power Company electric plant will be seen rising up seemingly from the river itself. Here the steamer will doubtless pass many barges discharging coal for the use of this plant, which will then, we may well imagine, be using its full quota of water-power and steam power units, furnishing power to many new industries which today are just beginning to inquire as to the advantages offered in the busy manufacturing city of Holyoke. The boat will not go much further up — probably not beyond the Albion Mill at the farthest. The power building will be of much interest to the passengers of these boats, and in fact to all who visit the city. It is wholly of fireproof construction, the only thing that can burn being the window casings and sash and the doors. All else is strictly fireproof. In round numbers the building will be 60 by 160 feet in size, the long way being parallel to the river. The first floor will be 16 feet above low water. Part of the building will be only one story and the rest two stories, the two story part being over the wheel casings where will be placed the offices, lavatory and storeroom.
Not to go into too much technical detail, it will perhaps suffice to day that there will be at first installed two water units of 600 kilowatts each and one steam turbine of 500 kilowatts, the latter and the generator or one unit, supplied by three Manning upright tubular boilers of 200 horse-power each space is allowed eventually for three water units and three steam units. A unit in electrical terminology is either a water wheel and generator attached or a steam engine or steam turbine with a generator attached. the steam turbine will be used in this plant. The turbine used will be of the Buckley type like that in use by the Farr Alpaca Company. Holyoke citizens are looking forward to a greatly increased prosperity through this additional power plant of the Holyoke Water Power Company, and it will be a great disappointment if in the near future many manufacturing plants are not attracted to Holyoke by reason of it.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican.
