The Colorado statesman., 1906-11-17
MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN COLORADO POWER COMPANY

proposed to complete will have a ca
pacity of 10000 horsepower, and it is
expected that at least half Of this will
be in operation in from fifteen to eigh-
teen months. The present plans con-
template further developments as rap
idly as the market for power demands
them, which will have an aggregate
capacity of $4,000 additional horse
power. The plans for this work are
already completed, and the company
has financial backing which will en-
able it to construct these plants as
rapidly as the market for power de-
mands them.
"In addition to these properties,
from which we can generate $4,000
horsepower, we have acquired various
other water rights which will permit
of the development of at least 10000
horsepower more. but the time when
these developments will be undertaken
will of course depend upon the demand
for power in the parts of the state it is
proposed to reach by the transmission
lines of the company.
The first plants to be built are in
the center of territory of $4,000
square miles, which can readily be
supplied from the two plants, with
transmission lines of moderate length.
This territory includes Denver, Boul-
der, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties,
Leadville, Cripple Creek and, in fact,
all the mining districts, cities and
towns from Grand Junction on the
west to Denver on the east, the Wyo-
ming state line on the north to Pueblo
on the south.
"As in a large part of this district
the cost of making power by steam
must necessarily always be high, we
believe that the supply to these places
| of large amounts of power at prices
much below the cost of steam power
will be of great benefit to them all.
The policy of the company will be
broad and liberal We fully believe
from our experience with with similar
plants elsewhere that the introduction
of electric power, at a moderate price,
with all of its advantages of simpli-
city and fiexibility, will be a potent
agent in assisting in the development
of enterprises of all kinds. We realize
that the ultimate growth and prosper
ity of our company will depend on the
growth and prosperity of the districts
to which we propose to supply power
and our policy, therefore, will be one
to encourage development.
1--WE can think of nothing, except
possibly the railroads, of greater gen.
eral public benefit to the industries OF
Colorado than large supply of moder
ate priced electric power, and it seems
to us that the establishment of con
structive enterprise of this kind, where
the profits derived from it are shared
between the company furnishing
power and those using it, should com
mend itself to the public.
"The work undertaken is one OF
great magnitude, and construction will
continue over a period of a number oi
years. At Gore canon it will be neces
sary to construct a tunnel four mile.
long for conveying the water from
the intake in the river to the powel
house. The water conveyed through
this tunnel will be dropped through
pressure pipes to the wheels with {
head of about $50 feet.
"At Glenwood similar construction
will be employed, but the tunnel ther,
will be about ten miles long, and tn,
head obtainable 400 feet Immens,
power houses of the most modern ant
up-to-date construction will be built
and transmission lines constructed t.
| COhNSy tue tueISy lTOH Iue DOWe
houses to the various points o
use at a pressure of probably 5000,
volts. These lines will consist of stee
towers and copper cables, and will b,
built to Withstand the severe conditions
of climate and weather prevailin,
throughout the mountainous regions
so as to insure continuity of service.
1.-The construction of the long tun
nels, which will be twelve by fifteel
feet, is, of course, an expensive under
taking, but, when once completed, the.
will be permanent and the plans will
not be subject to the Interruption
common to plants of this character
where wooden fumes and open canal
arc used.
Taken as a whole, this is the larg
est undertaking of the kind eve
started, and If the plants are properl,
constructed and managed it shoult
prove profitable to the company ant
of inestimable value to the state as
whole. 1t is prophesied by those wht
are making most careful study of tn,
subject that it will not be long befor,
the trunk lines of railroads will b,
operated over the Continental divid,
by electric power, and the establish
ment of these great power plants will
undoubtedly bring this about NOR,
quickly than if the railroads had to de
pend upon making their own power.
1T seems to us that Colorado is t,
be congratulated upon an enterprise o
this character. which brings such
vast amount of outside capital into tn,
state to be spent in way which can
not help being of great benefit to tn,
state at large"