The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1904-07-29
WENATCHEE ELECTRIC co.
Opening of the New Power Plant Last
Tuesday Celebrated with a Pie
mic at which all Had
Good Time.

BY invitation the writer was present
at the formal opening OF the new cleo
trio light and power plant of the We
natchee Electric Co. last Tuesday.
The plant is located in the Quil-toc-
Chen canyon, about four miles from the
town. A few months since, the old
company was reorganized and capital
lied at $40, 900. Arthur Gunh was
elected president and Charles F. Brown
secretary.
The new power house, which is built
near the site of the old one,is sub
stantial stone and cement structure Box
80 feet. The power, which is water, is
developed by bringing the water of the
creek down the canyon in flume three
and half miles to a point half mile
from the power house. Here it is emp
tied into cemented settling tank, from
which it is conveyed in an extra heavy
iron pipe twenty-four inches in diane
ter for half mile. The decent for this
distance is almost eight hundred fee.
The water is delivered to 80 inch
Pelton water wheel in the power house
under a pressure of $50 pounds to the
square inch. The new Westinghouse
generator is capable OF developing cleo
trical energy of $50 horse power. The
old generator will be removed to the
new power house as coon as possible,
which will increase the crpacity of the
power plant to over 400 horse power.
1t is believed that the company is in "a
position to supply both light and power
to town of four or five thousand in
habitants, and can with an additional
expense easily and quickly double the
capacity of the plant, as the water
power is amply sufficient, and is ar
ranged with view to this in the fu-
ture.
The plant is provided with every
kind of device for protecting it against
damage or interruption from electrical
storms. 1t is first class in every
respect. No expense has been spared
in making it the equal of any other in
the state. Wenatchee can now boast of
being as well provided with light and
power as any town three times its size
in the state.
Arthur Gum had the genius, energy
and the public spirit to organize the
company that has just completed this
work. He is himself largely interested
in the town and has an unfaltering faith
in its future.
Quite large crowd from Wenatchee
accompanied by the baud, were out to
inspect the plant and spend the day
picnicing. The company provided an
elegant lunch which consisted of cold
viands and every variety of Wenatchee
valley fruit in abundance. The lunch
was spread in the old power house and
served by the hospitable ladies of that
town. We only state it mildly when
we say that it was enjoyed by all who
attended.
Among those present we recognized
a number of prominent people from
Seattle and Spokane, but only remem
Der John Schram, a Seattle capitalist,
and Mr.. Weare, of the American Steel
and Wire company.
Notwithstanding the day was rather
warm it was enjoyed by all, and the
inspection of the companys plant was
entirely satisfactory and assuring to
the patrons, as well as making visitors
from towns that are not SO fortunate as
Wenatchee, in having a frst-cass cleo
trio light and power system, little
ouyiOuS