The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-07-24
Of
THE MILWAUKEE

SPOKANE, July 23.-Nine mil
lion dollars will be expended by the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul Rail-
way company in developing 100000
horse power by Harvesting So miles
of the st. Joe river between North
Fork and st. Joe in northern Idaho,
east of Spokane, and this electrical
energy will be utinzed in carrying
freight across the Bitter Root divide
and operating a score of sawmills and
plants. The work is to be complete /
in three years. This will be the first
practical test of the substitution of
electricity for steam power in this
| country, and if it is successful it
will be employed on the entire line
between Missoula, Mont, and the
Puget Sound country, distance of
nearly 900 miles.
G. B. Price, hydraulic engineer
of wide experience, connected with the
company's electrical department, has
undertaken the project, which is so
| feasible that A. j. Earling, presi-
dent of the company, accompanied
by staff of engineers, recently went
over the ground on an inspecting
tour, passing several days at the
construction work, viewing also the
sites of the dams TO be placed in
the swift mountain river, the high
est navigable stream on the CONT
nent. The plans presented by Mr.
Price show that practically every
available foot of water can be har-
messed.
ReSidac acouop,y ,nd Tho co,nt;or
of the fuel problem, which has been
serious one to all the railroads in
the northwest the last two years, the
Milwaukee is following the lead of
other railroads in using electric pow.
or for operating through tunnels.
The stretch of line between the Dlt-
ter Roots and Rock Lake, WASH, is
one of recurring tunnel. The survey
shows IA tunnels in $50 miles of
line, and the aggregate of these tun-
nels will be 10000 feet, ranging
in length from 1000 feet in Lost
Pass to the numerous bores of not
more than so feet through project
ing cliffs.
Between North Fork and st. Joe
the Milwaukee will run on a four
teenths of one per cent compensated
grade. the grade on the curves being
reduced enough to compensate for
the increased friction. Three tenths
of one per cent will be the actual
grade between these two points.
,Rhis equivalent to 1873 feet to the
mile, or 553 feet for the entire dis
lance. Roughly estimated the mini
mum flow of the river between these
t. ~,
ond. This is sufficient, if converted
into steam power, to drive 500 big
mogu, engines with 100 miles of
train, or 10000 loaded box cars
more than the Milwaukee system
now owns.
From North Fork to Chatcolet the
maximum grade does not exceed
four-tenths of one per cent to the
100 feet, or 16 feet mile, while
the miximum curves are 10 degrees.
1t would be possible to reduce the
curves by means of trestles, fills and
tunnels, but the expense would be
great. From the North Fork to the
summit of the Bitter Root mountain,
where the line attains an elevation
of $500 feet, the maximum grade is
IL per cent, or "A feet to the mile.
The road will cost $4,000 mile,
making it the most expensive trans
continental railroad on the CONT
nent.
Between St. Joe and Chatcolet the
road runs along the river. Grading
is in progress on that part of the
line, several miles of fill and mum.
Der of short tunnels having already
been made. Two thousand men are
at work on the line, while 5000 9TH
ers are to be sent on the other d.
vision above ST. Joe in few days.
Right of way men are at work above
St. Joe and the timber has been re-
moved and partly burned several
miles up the river. Forty surveyors
are in the fed between St. Joe and
North Fork.
Three dams are to be construct
ed at once, but 1t Is given out that
others will be in operation within
three years. One of these will be
at Little Falls, three miles above st.
Joe, where plans have been made fol
dam Sc feet high, developing over
5000 horse power. Another will be
built at Cottonwood Island. 10 miles
to be found at frequent intervals
along the river. and there will be
little cost arising from the acquire
ment of fewage rights. In few
cases such as at Elk prairie there
Is a broad stretch of meadow which
will be entirely overfiowed and the
company recently bought the Nc
Michaeles ranch for $4,000. or $125
an acre. In most cases the river
runs either through a canyon OF
high rock walls or the mountain
bases slope down to the edge of the
river. giving the water little room to
spread.
In addition to operating its heavi-
100 feet high, while the backwater
several miles up the river would
spread only a few feet over either
bank. However. as the average
height of the railroad is not more
than 40 feet above low water. the
height of the dams is limited. While
the average fall of the river for the
S5 miles is 1873 files, it is much
greater than this in many places. in
others less. 1t is said sc feet hign
at Little Falls will back water IL