The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-27

Distance Of transmission. .45 miles
Pressure of current. DC, 900 volts
Three and a half million dollars will
be spent by the Minneapolis General
Electric company and its controlling
interests, in securing for Minneapolis
and st. Paul nearly double the present
power available for manufacturing and
other purposes. The plans are complete
and before the first Of next year the
General Electric company will be able
to deliver $4,000 additional horsepower
to the consumers of Minneapolis and
st. Paul.
It has been known for some time that
Minneapolis has outgrown st. Anthony
falls and that more power is needed.
recognizing this need, the General Elec-
trio company has secured large water
power rights at Taylors Falls the energy
apolis. These rights will be developed
to $4,000 horsepower at once, but this
can be increased at any time to double
that amount.
This additional electric power will be
transmitted at pressure of 10000
volts to substation located approx
mately on the dividing line between the
twin cities. A portion of the added
power will be used by the Minneapolis
General Electric company in connection
with its central station electric light
ing and power business in Minneapolis.
This will be transmitted directly to its
main generating station in Minneapolis
Inc bulk OF the power from the Taylors
Falls plant will be used to meet the
growing requirements of large con-
sumers. '--.-.s ~-z.
Work to Begin at Once.
The system will be modern in every
way and will be installed under the
personal direction of G.. O. Muhlfeld.
superintendent Of construction for
Stone & Webster of Boston, owners Of
the Minneapolis General Electric com
gany. Power will be generated at the
Iaylor,s Falls station at $4,000 volts.
, ms g VIII be increased by transformers
be transmitted forty-fve miles to Min.
neapolis: Here it will be transmitted
at varying voltage to individual users.
General Manager A. M. Robertson
Of the General Electric company made
the announcement of the plan to bring
power from Taylor's Falls to Mime
ss ds IT, Saturday t NJ night before leaving
the dam, powerhouse and hydraulic ar
paratus will begin Immediately. at is
planned to have the work entirely
completed, Including the erection Of
the transmission line, on or before
Jan. l, 1906. Immediate development
IS to be made to the extent Of $4,000
horsepower, and the plans for the dam
mate development Of $4,000 horsepow-
er when it is required.
This matter is of great importance
to Minneapolis and st. Paul. The pow
er available from St. Anthony falls
has been developed to its limit for sew
eral years and is now used to its full
capacity. The growth Of manufacturing
and milling interests has created a de-
mandfor power greatly in excess of
plants. It has therefore been been n %ses.
sary to develop a new source Of cheap
water power.
Hunting for. Power.
The owners of the Minneapolis Gen
eral Electric company have been MAX
ing extensive examinations of all water
power within reasonable transmitting
distance Of the city. Taylor s Falls,
in the st. Croix river, has been selected
a fed d Gny Matef % within ns the re-
can be developed to advantage at the
present time.
This power station is approximately
forty five miles from the cities and the
ultimate power available is nearly as
gbP eat as Ed that nov developed at st. An
development have been secured. Nego-
tiations have been slow, but have re-
suited in the company securing what it
desired: The land to be flooded has
been purchased outright in all cases.
These rights extend eleven miles above
dam is located: The dam, with its
fowage rights, giving the company a
reservoir twenty-one miles long. has
been purchased. This property lies
between the towns Of st. Croix Falls,
Wis, and Taylors Falls, MINI.
Work Done Quietly.
While the details of the work have
been kept quiet it has been known that
the Minneapolis General Electric com
pany was working on this general plan.
which is now made public. When the
council committee on ordinances was in
We, yestigating the Minnesota Power & Troll
from Elk River, Ralph Whelan, attor-
ney for the General Electric company,
said his clients were working to secure
cheaper power for Minneapolis, and
that the plan was to bring Taylor's
preliminary work has been completed.
| The plans are ready and work can be-
gin at once.
The work necessary to develop this
power and bring it into the twin cities
will be enormous. A heavy dam of
concrete fifty feet high, and the main
powerhouse will have to be put in.
This part Of the work alone will involve
/ the expenditure of more than 100000.
| The transmission system will be the
same as is used in all long distance
transmission. The power will be gene
rated at high voltage and by this sys-
tem-it is possible to transmit electricity
long distance with small percentage
of loss.
| nroo+ ooro 10 noooooorv in ;ncfo1l;no
volt current running wild is dangerous.
The wire used will be the highest grade
copper, about one and one-half inches in
diameter. The transmission will be
what is known as three phase sys-