The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1906-09-28
Big WATER POWER
Hundred Thousand Electric Horse
Power 10 BE Developed.
CHELAN RIVER TO BE HARNESSED
Power VIII be Transmitted TO SpO-
kane and Puget standardization
Pumps For Columbia Valley.

A gigantic proposition is planned in
Central Westinghouse project which
will prove of greatest Importance to
this section. The Chelan Electric Co.
has been organized to furnish power to
Spokane and Puget Sound. The cleo
trio current it is asserted is to be devel.
oped at Lake Chelan and transmitted
to Spokane, AS we'll AS to other points.
BY the filing of papers in IA condem-
nation suit in Wenatchee Thursday,
plans OF what may prove to he one Of
the greatest power schemes ever at
tempted in The west has been disclosed.
The Che all Electric Co. has be or
ganized 10 transform the water power
OF Lake Chelan and of the Chelan river
into electric power, and part of the
power it is reported will be furnished
to Spokane, where it is claimed CON
tracts for use of this electricity have
already been made.
Not only will Spokane get this new
power, but it is reported it is also to be
sold to the Sound cities and to be us,
in the operation OF an electric line run
ming from Wenatchee to Lake Chelan.
Besides this the company may pump
water from the Columbia river to irri-
gate the sand benches along that river
bed
1t is stated that the plans of the new
company contemplate one of the most
gigantic water power ever undertaken
in the west. The power furnished by
the Chelan falls and river being one of
the greatest in the United States.
The company it is reported, has al
ready contracted to sell 1000 horse
power for the use of a copper mine on
the lake, and has also contracted for
the delivery of the power into Spokane.
1t is not stated whether their power is
to be used for street railway purposes
or for electric light or manufacturing
plants.
The total power to be developed for
use by the company will amount to l00.-
900 horse power and will require an
outlay of 81, OOO,O
The company has acquired practi-
cally all the water front on both sides
of the Chelan river for its entire length
of three miles and will build its power
plant at the point where the Chelan
empties into the Columbia At this
point there is obtainable q fall of 375
feet from the mouth of the lake.
1t is easily practicable to raise the
level of the lake ten feet, and by doing
so there is obtainable the enormous
storage reservoir of Lake Chelan, a
body of water fifty miles long, averag-
ing two miles wide and 1900 feet deep
and receiving the water from drain
age area OF $500 square miles.
The remarkable feature of it is that
this water can be backed up without a
particle of damage to riparian owners,
as the shores of the lake are lost en-
tirely as PERCEPTIONS walls that rise
mountain high, abruptly from the WA
ter's edge.
The reservoir will contain unnumber-
ed billions of gallons OF water.
The principal work of acquiring wa
ter rights has been done by j. T. Nc
Chesney of Everett, who with H. P.
Scott OF Wilmington, Del, and few
eastern people, are the members of the
company. The plan OF the company is
said to be one of the boldest electric
power enterprises ever undertaken in
the west, and is declared by competent
engineers to be OF comparati, ely easy
plishment.-W enatchee World.