The Bluffton News

Old Stone Quarries Key To Town's
Rise As Electric Power

Abandoned
Waterfilled
Holes
Are Foundation for Large
New Development

Five Large Turbines to be in
Operation in Bluffton Power
Plants Shortly

Three abandoned water-filled quarries, byproducts of stone company operations in past years and long considered almost worthless are proving to be the key to Bluffton's latest development as one of Northwestern Ohio's leading centers for the generating of electric power.

With three large turbines already in operation here at the Woodcock generating station of the Central Ohio Light and Power company and the Municipal light and water plant and two additional units being installed

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Old Stone Quarries
Key To Town's Rise
As Elec. Power Center

(Continued from page 1)

Bluffton is rapidly becoming known as a point for production of cheap and abundant electric power.

The two additional units being installed--one which went into operation at the Central Ohio plant this week and the other to be installed at the Municipal plant shortly—will more than double the electric generating capacity here.

When present installations are completed, the five turbines to be in operation will produce an aggregate of 19,500 kilowatts, estimated to be adequate for upwards of 100,000 population.

Of this total 17,500 kilowatts will be produced by three units at the Central Ohio plant for distribution throughout a wide territory in this part of the state and 2,000 kilowatts from two units at the municipal plant for local consumption.

Development of power facilities here was made possible by the three quarries which are necessary for operation of turbines. Quarries are the National and Buckeye owned by the Central Ohio interests and the Waterworks quarry, property of the municipality.

Large quantities of clear cool water are required to cool the turbines for satisfactory operation, and consequently location of an electric energy generating station is determined by the availability of this type of water supply.

Railroad Facilities
Another requisite for the location of a plant of this nature is that there must be adequate railroad shipping facilities to supply the coal.

The National quarry with a 28 acre expanse of water was the major reason for the location of the Woodcock generating station of the Central Ohio Light and Power Co. The generating plant located beside it has at its disposal an almost unlimited water supply necessary for cooling purposes in the operation of the three turbines.

Ideal Location
Experts who have inspected the plant have declared its location ideal for electric generating purposes and the station has been given one of the highest efficiency ratings in the entire country.

The plant also owns another abandoned stone quarry which it has leased to the village for swimming purposes. The Buckeye Swimming lake could supply a large additional amount of water in case shortage would develop.

The municipal light plant is also located beside an abandoned stone quarry which provides the necessary water supply for cooling of the turbines. In addition to the water from the abandoned stone quarry the municipal plant obtains a water supply from the Bluffton Stone Co. of which 160,000 gallons per day are being sold by the town to the Page Dairy Co.

Two Quarries
Some of the Bluffton Stone Co. water is diverted into the abandoned quarry beside the plant with the result that the water of two quarries is being used to cool the turbine.

The town recently purchased a 1250 KW capacity turbo-generator from a mining concern in Alamo, Colorado. This gives the municipal plant an operating capacity of 2,000 KW.

This together with the Central Ohio station means that Bluffton will have a current energy production of nearly 20,000 KW capacity. This large production would be impossible were it not for the unusually large amount of clear cool quarry water available in the community.