Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-06
the Big FORK
ELECTRIC PLANT
WITH 5000 HORSEPOWER DE-
VELOPED BY TURBINE
WHEELS.


struction of the Big Fork Electric lign,
and Power company's plant, there have
been many changes in the plans All
locations of buildings, which with
numerous unforeseen delays have made
the completion of the fame ;:nd power
house at an early date seem almost i'm
possible, but as a matter of fact not a
day or hour has been lost. and were it
possible to get the machinery on the
ground the plant could be finished with
| in thirty days and electricity genera ted
by the aid of the waters of Swan river.
transmitted IS miles into Kalispell. saws
| the Kalispell Bee.
The most important change in the
plans was the selection of a new loca-
ton for the power house. which it was
at first intended to build on the groun>.
purchased from the Flathead Rod and
Gun club. just above the Swan river
bridge. After work on the ditch and
ftume had commenced. ii was decided
that more perfect situation for the
building was about 100 yards above the
old location. and, consequently. at a
point under the end of the upper flume,
where the water will commence it's dash
downward over 100 feet. the power house
Will be built. A force of men are blast
ing and grading the ground for the
founda ton, for what Mr.. +. r. Fish. the
constructing engineer, says will be one
of the most modern and complete cleo
trr lighting and power stations in the
United States. Mr.. Fish said:
Al present two 26-inch, double dis
charge. horizontal turbine wheels.
driven at el4 revolutions per minute. by
2c00 cubic feet of water descending
through steel tlume "a inches in
diameter. will develop the 600 horse
power which will operate the plant All
arrangements have been made to double
the present capacity at no distant day,
and should it be necessary 5000 horse
power can be developed. as the company
control, under the new standard of
measurement almost 10000 cubic feet of
water. which, l believe, is about one
third OF that passing over the rapids of
Swan river during the driest season. and
which river is estimated capable of de-
Neloping 10000 horse power
The nume and ditch (Which are COM
pleted) commences at the head of the
rapids at point where nature has
formed natural back water 1t is
$3.50 feet long. and from the head gate
to the point where the water enters the
turbine wheels, has fall of almost
100 feet.
This fall will cause a column of
water "a inches in diameter to dash
through the steel fune 1870 feet, at the
rate of Az feet per second. and when
the fact of the enormous weight of a
column of water $50 feet long and of
such size is taken into considera ton. /
there will remain no doubt in the minds
of any that the turbine wheels will
make the 5l4 revolutions per minute
mentioned. s.. I
Coupled directly without belts to the t
turbine Wheels; owill be two $50 X w.
Westinghouse dynamos, guaranteed to |
generate 70 per cent overload. The !
turbine wheels will be equipped with
Lombard water wheel regulators
Just above, the point where the steel
flulne commences will be located the
spill way, where all surplus water.
as well as that backed up by the closing
OF one or both of the turbine wheels
VIII be conducted through flume to the
river below.
The company is constructing an in
dependent telephone line from Kalispell
to the plant and work at stretching both
the telephone and electric power wires
was commenced today. Without acct
dent the wires will be UP in seven or
eight days.
The actual completion Of the plant
VIII be influenced largely by the condi-
ton of the wagon roads between Kalis-
peil and this point. as all machinery.
as well as the huge steel f,ume must be
transported over them. The first sec
ton of the f7ume is expected today ami
much of the machinery is already in
Ealispell.
When finished only two men will be
necessary to operate the plant, one at
night and the other during the day, as
the arrangement Of the modern ma
chinery will be so complete that there
will be nothing for them to do except
in case of an emergency and to keep
the plant clean and the machinery oiled.
The lighting plant, when finished,
Will repay any one who visits it,"