The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-01-12
ONLY A 1.-THE OF IT UTILIZED.
The Powerl Used This year
Nearly Double That
of Last.
A Computation of Available
Horse Power for Manu-
featuring.

The following sketch is from the per
Of M. S. Parker, one of the best known
ard most experienced hydraulic engl
neers in the country:
Probably few readers of The TRIBUNE
know to what extent the water power al
Great Falls has been developed during
the last year. An occasional announce
mept in the daily papers that the Town
site W house is fast nearing com
pletion or that the copper smelter has
been increasing their power capacity ls
about the extent OF knowledge OF the
general reader.
A very prominent citizen OF this city
remarked during the summer while
standing in the street Car pavilion over
looking the work in progress at the foot
of the falls. What are those men doing
down there:r Being Informed that the
Toynsite company was putting in a
large power house he appeared aston
ished. He did not know that anything
was being done to develop more power
Work had then been in progress for
three months or more.
The citizens of Great Falls are proud
II their immense water power, and justly
81. Sometimes in their enthusiasm
thew make some rather wild and ex-
t~rayagant statements in regard to the
extent of power developed at Black
Eagle falls, especially to visitors when
showing them the OF Great
Falls present and future greatness. The
statement that the Boston n Montana
smelter is using 50,0O0-h horse power and
that the entire power at Black Eagle
falls is 5OO,O00-horse power. although 1t
did not cause a smile on the face
of the visitor. who exclaimed, Marvel
ouslr wac nevertheless a little of, go to
speak.
Developed Power.
The Developments OF power on the
wheel shafts up to Jan. l, 1890, was for
the electric light and street railway COM
pany, 1,O30-horse power, and for the Bos-
ton &. Montana copper smelter to 1000
horse power. One of the officials OF the
smelter company remarked to me at the
time their power house was completed
that they would not need any more
power for the next ten years. This pre-
diction is not verified by the facts. Dur.
ing this year they have nearly doubled
the power that they had developed prior
to that tine. Their present develop
ment represents 5,00O-horse power. With
the electrical development possible IN
the reduction Of ores 1t Will no be sur
prising if double this amount of power
is requisite before the period OF ten years
is elapsed by this one company that
started with 2,600-horse power as the
limit Of demand in ten years.
The Townsite Power House.
The Electric Light IL Street Railway
company has not added to their power
capacity during the ear. The Town.
site mpa has built a commodious
power house and has capacity in the
same for two GJ6-horse power wheels
only n of which is in place for opera
ton this year. The second wheel can be
added AS soon as needed. This power
house is SO built that at any time when
more power is demanded its capacity can
be doubled without great expense and
without interfering with the working of
the plant now 10 place. Thus We see
that the development OF the water
power for this year is nearly double that
OF the year previous. The total devel-
oped power at Black Eagle falls at the
close of the year 1893 is G,6S0 horse
power. a little more than half as much
as the tota, power Of such manufactur;
ing cities as Lowell, Lawrence and
Manchester. These cities have grown
great in wealth and population from
their water power. These powers all
combined are Insignificant as compared
With the magnificent power of the grand
L~lIssouri river that flows past the IA
vored city of nature-Great Falls, Mon
tana.