The Electric Plant
W. S.
Lieutenant W. H. F. Schluter reported for duty July 29, 1917. The electrical plant at that date was in charge of Mr. Joe. O’Donnell, head electrician, Navy Yard, New York. The civilian force were scattered over the ship, tracing out and locating circuits. This was a most difficult procedure because there were absolutely no plans of circuits nor any descriptive matter of electrical apparatus.
On August 13, 1917, the first Navy electrician reported for duty and a few days later more reported. As soon as enough electricians reported, the civilian electricians were relieved from dynamo watch. Next the entire communication, lighting and power details were taken over by the Navy electricians, both regular and reserve.
When these details were arranged the Navy Yard electricians were relieved from the maintenance of the plant and attended to new installation and repair work only. It was at this point where actual headway was made in preparing the plant for sea, for under the former arrangement the Navy Yard electricians could not devote their entire time to repair work and new installation without being called off their job every little while.
The co-operation between the civilian and enlisted electricians was splendid and too much credit cannot be given to these two classes of men. It was fine to see the spirit that prevailed, for both were anxious to get the ship ready for sea. To say that this called for good hard work, hour after hour and day after day, is putting it mildly.
To describe in detail just how all this was accomplished would fill a book in itself, but it may be grouped under the following heading and then each group described in general terms.