The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-22

In response to very courteous invi-
tation extended to numerous citizens of
Salt Lake city and county by the
county commissioners and city council
OF Weber county and Ogden city, a
large number of gentlemen and several
ladies' visited the junction city yester-
day. The party from this city was
composed largely of city and county
officials. Hon. George Q. Cannon, Hon.
P. L. Williams, Hon. ]. w. Judd. Hon.
Joseph F. Smith, Colonel n. w. Clayton
and several other prominent citizens,
including representatives of the press
who do not hold office under the county
or municipal governments were mem
bers of the party.
The Salt Lake visitors left here on
the o'clock morning rrain arriving in
Ogden at o'clock, where they were
met by the county and city officials of
Ogden and a number of prominent citi-
zens with carriages. In q very few
minutes the entire party was on the
road up Ogden's famous canyon, where
the Pioneer Electric company is en-
gagged in constructing one of the great
est power plants in the United States
The real purpose of the visit was to
give Salt Lake people a chance to see
what is being done in the way of de-
veloping the natural resources of the
state by this enterprising company
THE CANYON ROAD.
Of the drive to which members of the
Weber county court took special pleas
ure in calling the attention of the Salt
Lakers This road has recently
been built and it certainly is fine
piece Of work. 1t is so broad that teams
can pass each other at any. point where
they may chance 10 meet. Hon. John
P. Irish, who has Travelled all over the
world and viewed most of the noted
mountain roads of the old world and
new, says that the road up Ogden can
yon is by far the best one it has ever
been his pleasure to drive over.
THE DAM.
The company soon arrived at the
site of the dam, which is in course of
construction for the power plant This
dam will be located at a point about
five miles from the mouth of the can
yon, and when completed will be so
feet high and 400 feet long. An arti-
fetal lake about IS miles in circumfer-
ence will be created by it. The work
of constructing this power plant has
been going on since the first of the
present year. Considerable by way of
preliminary surveys, the purchase of
lands and rights of way, etc, had
been done before. but the real work
of construction belongs to the year
1896.
To say that the visitors were sur
prised does not express their astonish-
ment at the magnitude of the under
taking.
A sTUPENDoUs ENTERPRISE
The fact that great work has been
undertaken and good progress was be-
ing made has been called to the at
tention of readers of The Herald fire.
quently, yet no one who has not viewed
the work on the ground can compre-
bend anything in relation to it. The
pipe line which will convey the water
from the dam to the power house is
composed of $1,000 feet of wooden pipe
and 1900 feet of steel pipe. To make
the wood pipe requires 100000 feet of
choice Oregon pine and choice" means
lumber that is absolutely clear Of knots
A stick with a knot as large as a lead
pencil is rejected; 1850 tons of steel
bands will be used to hold this wood
conduit together, the bands being
placed three inches apart
The wooden pipe, which is 6 feet
inches inside diameter, is being put
together in the trench. For the benefit
of the visitors a section of about 20
feet was put together in about 20 min
u-es.
After viewing the work of construct
ing the wood pipe, the company re-
turned down the canyon to d point
where a tunnel 800 feet long has been
cut through the solid rock In order to
get up to this tunnel it is necessary to
scramble up 200 feet of very steep
mountain side or ride upon q tramway
which is used 10 convey material to
the trenches for the construction of the
pipe line. Several gentlemen and one
lady awaited themselves of the tram
way, the motive power of which is a
team OF horses.
NEARLY A RIDE TO DEATH
A very serious accident occurred
while one party was coming down
from the tunnel. One load came down
in safety, but the last load, consisting
of nine gentlemen and one lady, was
not so fortunate. The tramway is
about geo feet long, but it ascends the
mountain Siue diIuOsI ZUU Iee- at an
angle OF about 40 degrees.
Soon after starting down, the brake,
which was not over strong on the
capstan, and by no means equal to the
strain of such heavy load. showed
signs of weakening. George Hawkins,
who was managing the brake, noticed
that a heavy iron bar which worked
the clamp was about to break. He
knew that il it gave way suddenly a
great disaster would follow. He tried
to husband the strength of the brake
by easing the pressure. All the time
the car was gaining Roadway. The peo-
pie in the roadway below noticed that
something was wrong, while the pas
sengers on the car realized that they
were in great danger Hawkins did
his best to prevent the car getting
away, but as it gained in speed the
drum of the capstan whirled faster
and the heavy sweep began to sway
and swing around the circle with aw-
full speed. More force was applied to