Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-11-14
NoRTH's GREAT WATER POWERS
Ashland. Iron and Bayfield, Are Har-
nessinu Water Courses.

nessnu Water Courses.
1t would appear from recent devel-
opments that Ashland county will not
lag in the rear of the Industrial pro-
cession if the utilization of water pow
ers for the generation of electricity
as a commercial product is considered
pointer. Already one power has
been developed in Ashland county and
another is under contract to be finish
ed by next June. The first of these
powers is on White river, and it will
develop a minimum of 1000 horse
power; the second, on Tyler's fork,
is expected to furnish 5000 horse
power. Both are in the hands Of men
who have use for every atom of
the electrical energy which the water
can supply.
In addition to the powers spoken or
there are five others, three of which
are in Ashland, one in Iron and one
in Bayfield, county. The largest OF the
FIVE is near the mouth OF the Montreal
river, in Iron county, about twenty
one miles from the city of Ashland,
which is expected by the engineers to
develop 1000 actual horsepower, and
arrangements are now being made TO
construct the necessary dams and
eouip them with turbines. There is
another of 1000 horsepower on the
White river in township 46. range
west, and one of 800 horsepower III
township At. range 4 west, on the
same river, that are to be developed III
the near future. There is still another
power near Mellen that will develop
800 horsepower. and one in Bayfield,
county, on the Sioux river, three miles
from the city of Washburn, that will
furnish 500 horsepower.
All of these powers are to be I'M
proved and the energy thus developed
will be used in the cities bordering on
Chequamegon bay. The three powers
on White river, one already developed
and two surveyed and ready for the
builders are all on stretch OF less
than five miles of that stream. The
one that has been developed is under
contract to furnish 500 horsepower
for a term of twenty-five years to the
Ashland Light, Power and Street Rail
way company, and that company holds
an option on the additional 500 horse
power that the dam is capable of sup
plying.
The power that is now being devel-
oped at Copper Falls, on Tyler's fork,
a tributary of the Bad river, is expect
ed to furnish 5000 horsepower This
property is owned by the Chippewa
Valley Construction company, the cor
poration that originally built the in
terurban line between Fan Claire and
Chippewa Falls The contractors who
have undertaken TO develop this prop
erty are under contract to have the
work completed by next June, at
which time it is expected the owners
will be prepared to use portion OF
the force generated by the turbines
for the operation of a new interurban
road that is planned to run from Oda-
nah, a village on BAD river in Ash
land county, to Washburn, in Bayfield,
county, distance of twenty-four
miles, passing through the city of
Ashland.
The remaining powers, with an esti-
mated actual horsepower of $500,
probably will be developed within a
few years, and the electricity gener-
ated will be sold as commercial
product or utilized in operating facto-
ries erected by the owners of the pow
ers. There are a number of rapids
and falls on the different rivers run
ming north from the watershed to
Lake Superior that have not as yet
been surveyed, but they are being
picked up by men with capital, who
can see far enough into the future to
estimate their value, and the time is
not far distant when all of the powers
between the Penoke iron range and
the south shore of the lake will be in
the hands of men who know what
property of this kind is worth.-W