Document 9z968Onp3zzz9o5aLkw8way7

Christmas Eve In the Wheel Pit Christmas 1927. A dais long pnit, but one that still sllcki in our mind*--ihe repair crew that had to fix an aid hydro* electric plant It wasn't big, but It was important to the little town it served. Without it there would be no lights for Christmas trees and other uses around the home, no street light*--you know what it would mean. True, there was a diesel auxiliary, but it could handle the load only from 10:00 pm till 0:00 am, so repairs had to be made at night, and fast. The plant, for from town, was surrounded by muddy roads. A light snow was falling, and it was cold. When we abut down at 10:00 pm for repairs to start, the wind eama up and with it more snow and cold. The old wooden sluice gates (about 20 ft square) stuck end would not shut. Finally we got them fairly well dosed, and packed sacks, mattresses and cottonseed hulls on the upstream side to make them hold pretty well. It was colder then the weU-known brass monkey down in that wheel pit, with ice water over enklo-deep. To gel at the bottom ele^bearing, coupling bolts had to be taken out, the wheel easing unbolted and hoisted out with the turbine. This bearing was of llgnum-viiae wood, shaped like a big collar button and heavy as Iron. Before ibe new* one would be ready to put in, it hod to be taken to town through the snow and mud and turned down hall an Inch to fit. It was some job, too, to rouse out a lathe man at midnight- Finally, all woe ready. The foreman sat on the edge of the wheel settiog, we of the crew gathered roond him. "Let's get this straight," he aald. "If anyone drops this bearing he's got to go into the pit after it." All of ua agreed, ahivering and choking. We inched out onto ' the 60-in. draft-tube top on the three spider arms, end tried to get the bearing into the hole. It was the foreman himself who let it slip, and down it went, into nearly eight feet of water. Sort of white, he looked around. He edged over to the rim of the draft tuba, took a deep breath and went onder. In a few seconds that seemed like hours he come up. Eight hands grabbed at him and houled him out. Up the ladder to the stove ho went, while the rest of us fitted in the bearing-- the only llgnum-viiae bearing nearer than Spring6eld, Ohio. Lights burned in the town and no one there know of the Christmas Eve-struggle. The boas remembered it, however. He was the only one that didn't get soaking wet. Nevertheless* he spent a week in bed with septle sore throat, possibly caused by arguing with the machinist to coma out and turn down the bearing after midnight. Carlsbad, New Mexico E A Roberts This ij a story of a group of men, power m'eh, who wilt always recall Christmas end its spirit of sacrifice with a strong sense of personal experience--an expertence based on meeting a power interruption without thought of self. Every power man at one time or another has come up against an equipment breakdown. Years ago it meant tots of lights for a town. Today, a power inter ruption upsets the entire business and domestic life of a community. So when such a blow hits a town on Christmas Eve a real power man, like those in this story of other years, still falls to without hesitation. To him Christmas and all it represents--"Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men"--is a living thing. He enjoys hearing and saying "A very Merry Christmas to all." Step uP : (. OR dependable,'full-powered steam cn- F gine performance, use the Texaco steam gines--whether they're old or new: Texaco has a complete line of steam cylin cylinder oil recommended for your particular der oils, and a Texaco Lubrication Engineer engine and operating conditions. will gladly help you select the one to bring Texaco steam cylinder oils atomize com* you best results. Just call the nearest of the pletely and cling to cylinder walls. They more than 2300 Texaco Wholesale Distribut assure excellent ring seal, smooth valve action, ing Plants in the 48 States, or write: protection against wear. Use them to get max* The Texas Company, 133 East 42nd Street, * iraum efficiency and economy from your en New York 17, N. Y. Engineer I In,..TEXACO STAt THEATRE prmnt* MIlTON BCRII wry Wdn*tdoy night. METROPOLITAN OPERA broodcatt* ry Saturday otlwnoon. r"tR * DK.mb.' me is