Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-12-01
POWER FROM ROGUE RIVER
Possibilities of Its Immediate De.
velopment.

Rogue river is known to be one of
the greatest power streams ON the
Pacific Coast and it has advantages
that make its power especially avail
able and valuable The stream has
a large flow of water continuous. for
the entire year, and ice is not known
in 1t, that in so many streams is so
destructive to power plants. For
more than 100 miles it is a series of
rapids and falls, with solid rock walls
and bed in most places, yet in an open
valley, that makes these power stiles
easily accessible. And it flows
through a country that is soon to be
a great consumer Of electrical energy,
to meet the requirement. of the
many great mining plants that are
and will be installed, and for the
factories and other industrial estab-
lishments that are sure to come with
cheap power, as we'll as to supply
HONtl ApA NAit hNN NOAh VI NAtNAAAN
roads that win cover Southern Ore
gon.
That Rogue river is attracting at.
tention Of capitalists in distant parts
of the country. is proven by the fol.
lowing interview published in the
Portland Journal Of last Sunday;
"Rogue river, as power stream,
has greater possibilities than the
work of both the Condor and Golden
Drift companies Indicate, said II.
1. Thomas, hydraulic engineer of
Boston, who has just completed a
tour of the Rogue basin. my peo-
pie heard of the work being done by
the Condor company, and asked me to
investigate the stream, which l did
in hasty manner. Details of this
work, of course, cananot DO made
public, save by my clients, nor do !
care to forecast their motives.
"a fall of about 90 feet is secured
at both the Condor and the Golden
Drift plants in approximately mile,
The companies have utilized the
rivers energy by making dams rather
than diverting the streams, and have
excellentp lants-in fact much bet.
ter than l ever expected TO find where
the market for electrical energy is SC
limited. But cannot say that
disapprove of the confidence in the
future, for power propositions are be-
ing taken everywhere with reference
to the future. Niagara has companies
possessing water rights and installing
plants capable Of producing three OF
four times the energy that is de-
manded by the district within radius
of 200 miles, which is regarded the
maximum distance for transmission
now. Capital is willing to invest IN
a power proposition aud develop de-
mand for energy If there is any fail
or reasonable prospect of its being
needed.
Rogue rivers best power site is al
the confluence with Mill creek Tn,
latter mas drop of about 1870 feet IN
a very short distance, while the Rogue
almost at the same place falls more
than 200 feet in what might be said
less than 1000 feet distance The
stream Is strong at this point, and
you can appreciate the power avail
able. The site Is not very near whert
1t would be in demand, but otherwise
this location is ideal, and no doubt
will be utilized some day p"
And along the same line IL the fol.
lowing from the Medford Southern
Oregonian II il said that an eastern
company Is negotiating for the pur.
chase of the great water and power
rights embodied in Mill aud Rogue
River Falls. near Prospect, owned by
Il. G.. Salstrom, hermit. This IL
considered tho greatest unharnessed
power in the West, and 1t is the pur'
pose Of the company to utilize IL for
general power purposes, with n posi-
bility Of operating an electric railway
across tho Cascades. Mills Falls
alone is 1856 feet in height, and repre-.
sents many thousand horsepower,
while Rogue river. along the section
owned by Salstrom has u fall OF 25C
feet in 700 Tho eccentric owner OF
the falls has been working alone for
several years at the herculean task Of
digging huge race and turning tho
water Of the Roguel from its natural
source. leading 10 into canal and
dropping 10 over the canyon opposite
Mills Falls, making a combined