Horse-and-Truck Period: July 11th, 1904, to May 22d, 1905.
1.—Central Plant.
(a).—Power-Generating Plant.—The contractor's first central generating plant was established in a 35 by 85-ft. steel-framed building covered with corrugated iron, the long side being parallel to Ninth Avenue and 15 ft. from the east house line, and the north end 43 ft. south of the south house line of 32d Street. The foundations for the building and machinery were of concrete, resting on bed-rock, the floor being 20 ft. below the level of the Ninth Avenue curb. The south end of the building was the boiler-room and the north end the compressor-room, the two being separated by a partition. Coal was delivered into a large bin, between the boiler-house and Ninth Avenue, its top being level with the street surface, and its base level with the boiler-room floor.
At the end of the horse-and-truck period the plant consisted of:
Two Rand, straight-line compressors, 24 by 30 in., having a capacity of 1,400 cu. ft. of free air per min. when operating at 86 rev. per min. and compressing to 80 lb. above atmospheric pressure.
One 10 by 6 by 10-in., Worthington, steam, plunger pump.
Three horizontal boilers of the locomotive type, each of 125 h.p.
(b).—Repair Shops.—The repair shops, which included blacksmith, machine and carpenter shops, were located on the first floor of a 40 by 70-ft. two-story frame structure, which was in the pit on the north side of 31st Street, 48 ft. east of Ninth Avenue. The second floor was on the street level, and was used as a storehouse for hand-tools and small plant.
The blacksmith shop contained: Four forges with hand blowers, four anvils, and hand-tools.