The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-03-08
MOntana'S Great
Electric Power.
Largest and Longest in
The World.

Helena. March 4.-The largest and
longest transmission of electric power
in the world has just been completed
by the Missouri River Power company,
transmitting power from its dam and
plant at the Missouri river to Butte.
The length of this line is siXty-fve
miles, crossing the main range of the
Rocky mountains at an altitude of
200 feet and a spur of the main range
a. almost an equil height. This power
line conveys 1000 horsepower, which
is all the power available at the dam
a, present, although the installation
o. the transmission plant is intended to
convey double that quantity when the
additional dam contemplated by the
company. for which site has been
selected, is completed.
The transmission line consists of two
complete lines on parallel poles of
three large cables each. The number
OF poles in the double line covering
the sixty-five miles, all of cedar are
over seven thousand. varying in height
from thirtyfve to upwards of eighty
feet The size of the wire used in each
one of these cables composing the two
y
inch, all of copper. and the aggregate
weight of the wires used is nearly enc
million pounds. Copper wire cables
are employed because they make n
more flexible wire and transmit
greater quantity of electricity for the
same weight of copper. These cables
are carried on heavy glass insulators
nine inches in diameter, made in two
pieces a large cap piece and socket
piece of glass. These insulators are
special design devised by the chief
engineer. Mr.. M. l.. Gerry, jr., OF the
Missouri River Power company.
The actual horsepower delivered at
Butte is 5000, and the estimated per-
centage of loss at full load will not ex-
coed per cent. a very low percent
age when the size of the TRANSMISSION
and the high voltage of the current is
considered.
The current is carried at voltage OF
$4,000 volts.
The power is generated by the water
Of the Missouri river which is raised
by d dam giving a thirty seven-foot
head this dam is constructed in the
very best style, and no expense las
been spared to make it perfect. 1t is
located at a point twenty miles north
Of Helena.
The curious thing about the power
from this artificial dam is that it is
better and more efficient than power
from another point in the same stream
where there is a natural fall. The
dam was a lake for several miles in
length and covering over five thousand
acres. The reason why the water
power from this dam Is better than of
a natural fall in the same stream is
because the stage of water above the
!.
ice which at times during intense cold
Gather almost stops the flow of the
stream, and at times during the win
ter gets into the wheels and impairs
their efficiency When the cold snap
comes this big lake is frozen over and
flush boards are used to make the
normal level of the water and create a
storage. The water flowing under the
ice does not form anchor ice, and the
immense storage behind the dam tides
over the period when the anchor ice
is forming in the he9dwaters and les
sens the regular volume of the stream.
so that the full e:ciency of the
stream is maintained at all times.
The construction of this enterprise
marks an era in mining in the west.
The development of large amounts of
electrical power is at valley points from
the waters of the swiftly flowing
streams of Montana. and their trans
mission to points high in the noun
tainS, where are stored vast deposits of
gold silver, copper and lead ore has
just begun. Where these deposits of
ore are found it is always found that
some of the needed elements are alb
sent, and must be supplied by the inge-
nuity and skill of men, that they can be
extracted at a profit.
The cOSt Of Transforming the heavy
machinery necessary to the creation of
power or the needed elements either of
water or fuel are nearly always lack
ing. With electrical power transmitted
by a slender wire and requiring light
machinery to utilize it permits the use
of power at elevations at the greatest
economy. To the operations of the
mines at Butte and Helena are being
brought the highest skill that money
and men can supply, and the develop
ment of electricity in the west is work
ing revolution. At Butte the tri-
umphs of engineering skill are evil
denced in the great hoists and smelters
and concentrators that cover that Won
derful mountain of ore, when it is
realized that today enormous fortunes
are being made from the Butte mines
from ore that ten years ago were abso-
lutely worthless. The development of
the Butte copper mines is one of the
wonders of the age. This exploration at
Butte and the marvellous flood of
wealth turned out by it is believed, re-
peated in the vicinity of Helena.
There is a big mother lode of gold
bearing ore that extends across the
country south of Helena for miles. At
numerous points on this mother lode,
rich pockets and seams of gold-bearing
rock have been found. but the attempt
to mine it on an extensive scale has
never been attempted until within the
last few months. Already one big mill
has been ordered and is being con-
structed which will be driven by power
from the Missouri River Power COM
pany's lines Along this belt still fur
Their to the west is stin greater noun
tain of ore, said to be upwards of two
miles in length and half a mile in
width This body of ore will be the
next point of attack. 1t is gold, and
wherever gold is men svill go.-Butte
Miner