Volume 015-2 - April 1961 (2 pages)

ANNUAL CITIZEN DINNER Mrs. Juliet Cox will be honored as Nevada County's Citizen of the Year at a Dinner meeting April 8, 1961 at.the Veterans Memorial Building in Grass Valley at 6:30 P.M. Tickets may be secured from Mrs. Florence Kelly at the Earl Covey Garage, phone 273-3512; Miss Bernice Glasson, phone 273-6559; Pengelly Shoe Store, 273-4646 Grass Valley; Elza J. Kilroy, Nevada City, phone 265-2071. The price of $2.50, which is all-inclusive of caterers’ service, tips, sales tax. The supply of tickets is limited so please get your tickets early. Everyone interested is cordially invited to attend this annual event of the Nevada County Historical Society. EDNA D. SAMPSON 1880 1961 CARRIE J. BERRYMAN 1887 1961 1961 OFFICERS OF NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY President~John E. Nettell, 216 Pleasant Street, Grass Valley, Phone 273-7165 Vice President—Ray J. Polk, 504 Nursery Street, Nevada City, Phone 265-2798 Secretary—Miss Esther Hartung, 303 South Church St. Grass Valley, Phone 273-6830 Treasurer—Adelaide Elliott, P.O. Box 1102, Nevada City, Phone 265-4701 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Grass Valley, Mrs. Edna Sampson, Miss Bernice Glasson, Mrs. Florence Kelly. Nevada City, Isabel Hefelfinger, Thomas W. Reynolds, Richard Nickless. County at large, John Trauner, Mrs. Weselsky, Mrs. Monian, Elza Kilroy, Bulletin Editor, Lyle White, Phone 273-3596. To visit museum by appointment — Phone Caretaker Richard Nickless, Nevada City, Phone 265-2424. NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY DUES $1.00 a year. Payable January 1 of each year. Please get your 1961 membership card now. Bulletins are sent members of Society at no extra cost — published as frequently as manuscripts are available. Nevada County Historical society Vol. 15, No. 2 April, 1961 THE PELTON WATER WHEEL As Tested and Known by James Hutchison Compiled by Elza J. Kilroy The invention of this famous water wheel made up the “HUB”, and has played a very significant part in the progress of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company of today. The story of the Pelton Water Wheel, which you are about to read is from the man that actually played an important part in its manufacture. The testing of the various types of water wheels took place at the Midnight mine which is Iecated on Deer Creek, a short distance from the town of Nevada City. It has been a great pleasure to know Jim Hutchison all these years and listen to the experiences of his career. The Nevada County Historical Society is the proud possessor of this, “‘“HIS DEMONSTRATOR”, a gift donated by Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Goyne of the Miner’s Foundry in Nevada City. We welcome visitors at the Museum. The Pelton Water Wheel was invented and patented by Lester A. Pelton of Camptonville, Yuba County in 1878. This being the home of Mr. Pelton. He, being a handyman, carpenter, and living in the heart of the hydraulic mining operations during the 70s, marveled at the power of water leaving the nozzles of the huge monitors which were tearing down huge banks of earth, rocks and trees. This inventor became very interested and set his mind to thinking of the great strength water had, and also being familiar with over—and undershot water wheels, he was naturally looking for something with great speed to create more power. Much experimenting teok place by him and others as well with sheet-iron buckets fastened to the rim of a wheel by rivets. .\ strong jet of water was shot at the base of the wheel against the buckets. This seemed to work fairly well but turned the wheel rather slowly. He definitely needed more speed. Close examination showed water slapping back frorm one bucket impeded the next. Much time was spent experimenting endeavoring to overcome the loss of water pressure from splashing. A “MIRACLE” As Jim Hutchison told it: “Tired and worn out, Pelton thought a little relaxation might help him solve his problem. A trip visiting his neighbor and shooting the breeze might settle his nerves. As he approached his neighbor, who was out in the clover patch using a garden hose to drive a stray cow away, he observed that the stream of water coming from this garden hose hit the cow squarely on the sharp bone of its nose; the water divided as it struck, half going east and half going west with no water coming straight back. He: saw immediately why his experiments were all failures. Pelton was overjoyed and exclaimed many times “WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL! THIS IS IT, THE VERY IDEA I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. Ill put a splinter in the center of my buckets. There will be no back water to retard the speed, and there will be a clear power gain because the nozzle can keep up full pressure until the water leaves the bucket sides.’ Many smail models were made along with different experiments of all kinds by Mr. Pelton. Mr. Pelton was a man of strong will power and being an inventor, his determinations were iron clad. He left no stone unturned to gain his accomplishments. an authentic story was told on him. At first he attached a small model of his making to a sewing machine owned by Mrs. Margaret Groves of Car tonville. The results were never revealed. We are told that this very machine was placed in the Sutter Fort at Sacramento.

ANNUAL CITIZEN DINNER Mrs. Juliet Cox will be honored as Nevada County's Citizen of the Year at a Dinner meeting April 8, 1961 at.the Veterans Memorial Building in Grass Valley at 6:30 P.M. Tickets may be secured from Mrs. Florence Kelly at the Earl Covey Garage, phone 273-3512; Miss Bernice Glasson, phone 273-6559; Pengelly Shoe Store, 273-4646 Grass Valley; Elza J. Kilroy, Nevada City, phone 265-2071. The price of $2.50, which is all-inclusive of caterers’ service, tips, sales tax. The supply of tickets is limited so please get your tickets early. Everyone interested is cordially invited to attend this annual event of the Nevada County Historical Society. EDNA D. SAMPSON 1880 1961 CARRIE J. BERRYMAN 1887 1961 1961 OFFICERS OF NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY President~John E. Nettell, 216 Pleasant Street, Grass Valley, Phone 273-7165 Vice President—Ray J. Polk, 504 Nursery Street, Nevada City, Phone 265-2798 Secretary—Miss Esther Hartung, 303 South Church St. Grass Valley, Phone 273-6830 Treasurer—Adelaide Elliott, P.O. Box 1102, Nevada City, Phone 265-4701 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Grass Valley, Mrs. Edna Sampson, Miss Bernice Glasson, Mrs. Florence Kelly. Nevada City, Isabel Hefelfinger, Thomas W. Reynolds, Richard Nickless. County at large, John Trauner, Mrs. Weselsky, Mrs. Monian, Elza Kilroy, Bulletin Editor, Lyle White, Phone 273-3596. To visit museum by appointment — Phone Caretaker Richard Nickless, Nevada City, Phone 265-2424. NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY DUES $1.00 a year. Payable January 1 of each year. Please get your 1961 membership card now. Bulletins are sent members of Society at no extra cost — published as frequently as manuscripts are available. Nevada County Historical society Vol. 15, No. 2 April, 1961 THE PELTON WATER WHEEL As Tested and Known by James Hutchison Compiled by Elza J. Kilroy The invention of this famous water wheel made up the “HUB”, and has played a very significant part in the progress of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company of today. The story of the Pelton Water Wheel, which you are about to read is from the man that actually played an important part in its manufacture. The testing of the various types of water wheels took place at the Midnight mine which is Iecated on Deer Creek, a short distance from the town of Nevada City. It has been a great pleasure to know Jim Hutchison all these years and listen to the experiences of his career. The Nevada County Historical Society is the proud possessor of this, “‘“HIS DEMONSTRATOR”, a gift donated by Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Goyne of the Miner’s Foundry in Nevada City. We welcome visitors at the Museum. The Pelton Water Wheel was invented and patented by Lester A. Pelton of Camptonville, Yuba County in 1878. This being the home of Mr. Pelton. He, being a handyman, carpenter, and living in the heart of the hydraulic mining operations during the 70s, marveled at the power of water leaving the nozzles of the huge monitors which

were tearing down huge banks of earth, rocks and trees. This inventor became very interested and set his mind to thinking of the great strength water had, and also being familiar with over—and undershot water wheels, he was naturally looking for something with great speed to create more power. Much experimenting teok place by him and others as well with sheet-iron buckets fastened to the rim of a wheel by rivets. .\ strong jet of water was shot at the base of the wheel against the buckets. This seemed to work fairly well but turned the wheel rather slowly. He definitely needed more speed. Close examination showed water slapping back frorm one bucket impeded the next. Much time was spent experimenting endeavoring to overcome the loss of water pressure from splashing. A “MIRACLE” As Jim Hutchison told it: “Tired and worn out, Pelton thought a little relaxation might help him solve his problem. A trip visiting his neighbor and shooting the breeze might settle his nerves. As he approached his neighbor, who was out in the clover patch using a garden hose to drive a stray cow away, he observed that the stream of water coming from this garden hose hit the cow squarely on the sharp bone of its nose; the water divided as it struck, half going east and half going west with no water coming straight back. He: saw immediately why his experiments were all failures. Pelton was overjoyed and exclaimed many times “WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL! THIS IS IT, THE VERY IDEA I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. Ill put a splinter in the center of my buckets. There will be no back water to retard the speed, and there will be a clear power gain because the nozzle can keep up full pressure until the water leaves the bucket sides.’ Many smail models were made along with different experiments of all kinds by Mr. Pelton. Mr. Pelton was a man of strong will power and being an inventor, his determinations were iron clad. He left no stone unturned to gain his accomplishments. an authentic story was told on him. At first he attached a small model of his making to a sewing machine owned by Mrs. Margaret Groves of Car tonville. The results were never revealed. We are told that this very machine was placed in the Sutter Fort at Sacramento.