The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-01

pan1eS in salt Lake City, which Iur-
nish nearly all Of the electrical energy
used in the city and neighboring town
ships. The largest of these two COM
panies is the Union Light & Power
company, which corporation has a cap
ital stock of four and a half million
dollars.
The use of electricity within the past
few years has reyolutionized industry,
and it is now used all over the world
as a source of power, light and heat.
For years the idea of utilizing the vast
amount of energy which was going to
waste in the mountain streams Of
Titan had been discussed, but il re-
manned for Utah brains and capital to
demonstrate its practicability. Plans
were finally made and carried out for
Harvesting the waters Of Big Cotton
wood and Ogden canyons, n the re-
suit has been highly satisfactory.
Steam had always formed the motive
power with which the dyn2mos were
run and the electricity generated, but,
with the advent of the new scheme,
water power took its place.
Besides the two companies in opera
ton. the Union Light < Power COM
pany and the Utah Power company,
during 1898 the Salt Lake City Water
& Electrical Power company has con-
structed a plant in the Jordan Narrows
nineteen miles south of Salt Lake City.
Power is obtained from the waters OF
Utah lake flowing through the Jordan
river. The company's canal has a
length OF 1920 feet, parallel with the
river. This canal has a minimum bot
tom width Of about thirty feet. Where
ever necessary, the canal has been
lined with concrete masonry. If used
to it's full capacity, the canal will carry
close to LOCO cubic feet of water per
second. At the power-houSe the canal
is seventy-five feet above the river.
The total amount Of power available
under this head is estimated at from
5000 to 7,O00-horse-power.
AS many as $40 men have been a r
ried upon the payrolls during the prog
ress of the work. The power is trans
ham, a distance Of twelve miles, upon
one transmission line. Upon another
transmission line the power is carried
to Mercur. The distance from The pow
er-station TO Mercur is eighteen miles.
Distribution lines for light and power
are constructed in both Mer-
cur and Bingham. q number of con-
tracts have been made for the supply
of current in both places, n many
are under advisement for mines and
mills thai viii install electrical ma
chinery, replacing steam.
In this connection it is interesting to
note the progress being made in cleo
trical distribution of power in Colo
rado during the current ear. A plant
has been installed, consisting Of West
inghouse electrical apparatus operated
by steam engines at Canyon City, from
which point the power is transmitted
TO Cripple Creek, something over
twenty miles distant. In his camp
there are now either ordered or in
stalled some fifty plants, operated by
Westinghouse motors. A most ingeni-
Gus application has been designed by
lis company for taking the place of
steam in operating hOists. This per-
mits Of varying the speed precisely as
the speed of a steam hoist is controlled
by the engineer. But little skill is re-
ouired to operate the new machine, n
the power is always ready for service.
The new installation in Cripple Creek
has been accomplished in some four
months time. 1t is confidently eX-
pected that a similar outcome will be
the result Of supplying current in Mer-
u and Bingham, replacing +old plants,
increasing the mining activity in both
places.
h transmission lines to Mercur and
Bingham consist of extra heavy poles
thirty feet or upwards in length, forty
six to the mile, with extra heavy cross
arms and large porcelain triple petit
coat in%sUlators.
The first company to start to work
was the Big Cottonwood Electric Pow
er company, which Mr.. r. NJ. Jones
constructed in Big Cottonwood canyon.
A little later a larger company COM
menced work in Ogden canyon, and,
under the direction. of Mr.. c. X. Ban
mister, the Pioneer Electric Light &
Power company's plant was built. One
and a half million dollars was ex-
pended in putting in the Pioneer sys-
TEN, and a large mount was likewise
disbursed in the Big Cottonwood enter
prise. Prior to the completion of
these two plants, all of the electricity
in Salt Lake and Ogden was supplied
by the steam plants of the Salt Lake &
Ogden Gas & Electric Light company.
UNION LIGHT & POWER co.
In 1897 there were four companies
running under distinct and separate
arrangements in Salt Lake, and it was
thought hat by consolidation the
whole could be run under one manage
ment 10 better advantage, and more
economically. Accordingly, the Union
Light s. Power company purchased all
of the interests of the other companies,
and placed them in the hands of local.
In August, 1897, the follow
ing companies were incorporated into
the Union Light & Power
Pioneer Electric Light & Power COM
pany, Big Cottonwood Power company,
Salt LAX Gas d Electric Light com
pany, Citizens Electric Light
and Little Cottonwood Power company.
The officers elected were: George @.
Cannon, president; Colonel John r.
Winde-, first vice president: L. S..
Hills, treasurer; r. s.. Campbell, Sec
rotary; with Joseph F. Smith, Senator
Frank J. Cannon. w. S. Mccormick, c.
X. Bannister and w. J. Curtis as di-
Iectors.
This is one of the largest electric
power companies in the United States.
II controls the electric market Of Salt
Lake valley, the products of the natu-
raj gas wells and the artificial gas
plants. It's system embraces all terri
tory in the Salt Lake valley from Og-
den on the north to Sandy on the
south, and it is capable of extending
its lines in almost n direction to sur
rounding towns. It WINS about 900
miles of overhead lines and about 10
900 poles. 1t supplies light and cleo
trio power to Salt Lake City, Ogden
and surrounding townships.
The power with which the electricity
is generated is obtained from Big Cot
tonwood canyon, Ogden river. two
steam plants in Salt Lake City and one
in Ogden. The Big Cottonwood Power
company. IN Big Cottonwood, and the /
Pioneer Power company, in Ogden cam
yon, are connected with Salt Lake nv
transmission lines. and in his way the
posyer from both places can be utilized
in either Salt Lake or Ogden. The
two steam plants in Salt Lake and The
one in ogden are kept ready at all
times, SO that in case Of an accident to
the water power machinery, the steam
DlanfS pap he Started without o1- -.