Amador ledger., 1903-02-13
THE DISASTER AT THE STAND
ARD ELECTRIC PLANT. g
The Break of the Pipe Line a Serious
Matter -

The break of the main pipe line
which conveys the water from the
reservoir to the electric plant is much
more serious matter than was at first
supposed. There are two pipe lines,
| both of which are used in the genera
tion of electric power. Both pipes
gave way. This pipe is made of steel,
of about half an inch thick, and the
pipe is 80 inchesin diameter. The pipe
line has to withstand Ii pressure of 400
feet The point of break is about 500
feet from the works, comparatively at
| the bottom of the grade. The pipe
itself was thought to be amply strong
enough to withstand the enormous
pressure. This is estimated at over
600 pounds to the square inch. The
pipe line was buried in trench dug
for its reception. Where the break
occurred there is a small gulch about
$50 feet wide. This had been filled in to
form solid bed for the pipe to rest
upon. The loose rock and other filling
was thoroughly tamped, and considers
cd as solid almost as the bedrock upon
which the remainder of the line rested
This theory, however, proved incor-
rect, and the great disaster that has
overtaken the company is the result.
The heavy rains of the past month
evidently had considerable effect upon
this filling, causing in addition to the
enormous pressure, a strain upon the
pipe line from its own weight. Both
pipes gave way at the fanges. The
liberated water has washed out an
enormous quantity of the filing A
large force of men are at work to re-
pair the break. But how long it will
take before the plant is in condition to
start up again is uncertain. No doubt
the company will profit by this costly
experience, and provide bed for the
pipe to rest upon that will avoid such
accidents in the future. The loss en-
tailed upon the company by this. break
is enormous. The cost of fixing the
severed pipe will run up into the thous-
ands. In addition to this the loss on
account of stoppage of business will
mount up into the hundreds of
thousands.
No less than 100 men are now at work
on the scene of the break. The stores
in Jackson have been ransacked for
shOvels, barrows, blankets, etc. 1t is
stated that the Standard Electric Com
pany have wired to Pennsylvania for
several steel pipes with which to re-
pair the break, they being unable to
obtain similar quality of pipe on the
Pacific coast. 1t was reported that
light and power for this section was to
be obtained from the Bay Counties
Power Company until the local plant
can be restored to a working condition,
but so far this report has amounted to
nothing more than street rumor.
Not only Jackson but the entire
mother lode system of mines in ANA
dor county is more or less affected by
this misfortune. At the Central Eureka
the mill is at a standstill; at the Key
stone, Bunker Hill, and Cover and
Fremont mines, the air compressors
operating the power drills are idle,
owing to the absence of electric energy
to operate them. 1t is the heaviest
blow that has befallen the mining
industry for many years.
In addition to the breakage of the
pipe line serious landslide occurred
at a point on the ditch known as
Slaughterhouse gulch, sweeping away
the canal for a considerable distance.
The company is putting forth every
effort to repair the damage as soon as
possible.
Wednesday evening the power was
turned on from the Bay Counties
plant in the effort to tide the Standard
Electric Company over the present
emergency. The lights in Jackson
were very bright at first. In about
half an hour the lights were suddenly
extinguished. The failure is variousIy
accounted for. Some attribute it to
the turning on of too much power, re-
sulting in blowing out the fuses. Late
Thursday night, however, the power
was turned on again, and things are
apparently now in working order from
the Bay Counties system.
Had To Conquer Or Die.