The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-10
BIG ENTERPRISE.
To Furnish Electricity for West Side Min
M Ing Towns.

To Furnish Electricity for West Side Min
#3 ing Towns. #
PH111rsBuRa. Nov. 2.-[ Special. Seven
miles from here, on the headwaters Of Flint
creek, works are being constructed which,
when completed, will furnish the power for y
all the mining camps near here. The Flint
Creek Electric Power company was organ
lied last June. Their object is to utilize
the series Of falls that exist on upper Flint
creek. The incorporators are @. M. Bon
nett, of Virginia City, and Baker and
Harper, of Butte The capital stock was
fixed at $$25, 900. with privilege Of increasing &c
at any time. This sum has already been
expended this fall, and it is estimated that H
when completed the works will cost $lOO,-
600. The incorporators have been Watching
this stream for several years, and find
that they can depend upon from 1900
to 5000 miners inches Of water
In order to utilize this water power a hnms
$500 feet is being constructed along the
mountain side. The flume is three and
one-half by four feet. and there are two
tunnels, one $50 feet long, and the other 7lO
feet The excavation for the dume has
been completed, and the lumber ia on the
ground ready to be put in place in the
spring. Tho dam is constructed Of rock, is
100 feet in length, twelve feet high, and has
waste weir Of cast-iron pipe worked with
automatic valves. The water supply comes
from Georgetown flats, where number OF
springs exist. AS the water issues from
the ground it is warm and no danger is an
ticipated from the water freezing as the
distance to the works is SO short. 5
AT the end of the fume q tank with 3
capacity Of $4,000 gallons will be built.
From this tank a steel pipe, thirty inches
I in diameter ana 1900 feet in length,
will extend down the side Of the
mountain to the power house.
The tank is 65s feet higher than the power
house, so there will be fall Of over q 900
inches Of water 6s5 feet or equal to y 900
horse power. Iii the power house the main
pipe branches into number OF smaller
ones, by means Of which ten Pclton water
wheels will be fed. These wheels are high
pressure and are capable OF running ten
dynamos. The entire power can be carried
on ten heavy copper wires. In order 70 use
the power, motors are required at the end
where power is used. 1t is probable that
this power will be used at Granite. Ana
conda, Rumsey, Philipsburg, and possibly
at Butte. The plant is seventeen ~ lies
from Anaconda, and the company can de-
liver so per cent. Of the power sent ont;
seven miles to Philipsburg, and Granite
and Rumsey. and they can deliver 80 per
cent; they could deliver 65 per cent. to
Butte. }4& $
| 1t is probable that this power will be used
in Anaconda for refining the copper, which
at present is sent away for this purpose.
There is already an electric refinery at Ana
oonda, which is said to be success. The
company began work August Is, and have
completed the dam, the excavations for
flume and pipe line, and expect to complete
tho tunnel before Christmas. Since the
work began about 800 men have been em- \
ployed They expect to complete the work
early. in the spring. They erected two
story boarding house with accommodation
for nearly 100 men and have also provided a
reading room for their employees. The
company have an office at the works. They
also have n telegraph Office. The operator,
Charles It. Rhodes. also acts az bookkeeper.
Fred r. Gutelins, formerly Of New York. ia
the chief engineer in charge. He il assisted
by d. II. Warrinel. John w. Crimmon,
formerly Of Butte, is foreman. When COM
pleted these works will bemore extensive
than any other Of their kind In America.