The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1908-04-11
Some Gigantic
Idaho Enterprises
Great Irrigation Systems of Twin
Falls North Side Company and
Mammoth South Side Canal.

The following is Reproduced from
recent issue Of the shoshone Journal.
A brief description Of the Miner dam
may be Of interest It Is not As many
nave supposed, especially from seeing
the pictures showing ihr waste ways a
single structure. hnt it is Ga reality three
separate dams The north channel vas
always open; water flowed through ih4
middle channel at a medium stage, and
through the south channel at the ex
treme high water. The curTent had tn
be confined in the north channel while
the other gaps were being filed. All
are gravity or rock filed lams. held IL
place by the immense mass oi material
in them. This amount may be esti
mattel, in considering that the struc
lures have an up-and-down sire III depth
of approximately so fest each. all Of
which rock has had to be put in there
by the construction company. A natur-
al spiliway was provided hy blasting
away an island in the river, between
the sections Of the lam, and allowing
the water 10 20 over that in high water.
Two gates were originally put in ior the
North side segregation Of 10000 acres.
This was not enough ior the North side
tract when the additional 80. 900 acres
were brought in, and three additional
gates had to be made IN the dam. This
was particularly difficult and danger
ous task, full OF engineering difficulties,
but it was successfully carried through
by the Faris-Kesl company. which had
rhe contact. Mr. Faris, indeed, de-
signed the original nam. which after va
rious changes of plan was finally built
almos. stone ior stone according TO the
original plan. He was the first engi-
neer to lay ont the plant at the Great
shoshone falls, which after many
changes and vicissitude-, was finally re-
adopted almost 70 hairs breath.
| The power plant at the Great sho-
shons falls is now in operation. it hav-
ing been opened last September, before
the Jerome land opening. 1t is one oi
the spectacular power plants OF the
whole west. For years it has been in
litigation, principally over location Of
the survey lines which have been in
.questi5u. It has bsen fought through
various courts, until less pertinacious
man than !. B. Perrine or H. NJ. Hollis
ter would have given it up in dis
gust. But the plant is now in opera
tiou, and is furnishing light and power
= for many miles around.
The water is confined az the top of the
Bridal Veil falls. a minor cascade Of the
: great cataract, by a concrete dam hv,
:, feet high, and is from there tlkey
| through an inclined tunnel and a stee
| pipe, little les shan eco feet long ana
ten feet in diameter, to point above
/ the concrete power house. From here
| it is taken directly to the water wheels
which are directly connected win the
generators. Only one generator has yet
been installed, General Electric 5cO K
W. which is kept a, constant speed b,
an elaborate governor ON the watei
wheel. This is 50 sensitive that the Va
ration Of few lights will cause it t,
: act at once. It is the plan to install 9th
: er power units SION; there is room 70
one more in the irs, section Of the pow
er house as it is now huiit. The latte
section will be OF 1000 X. ". Tn
mower house is to be extended for suo
sequeut installations.
Nr. Lee Glass. superintendent OF tn
construction and Of the plant, says tina
,I..~,s never has been the slightest inter
ruption nom any cause whatever Tn
entire construction is Of the best, an
, ths tannd and power house shouh
. stand ior a century without showing
= sign Of age.
The current is taken out now at 20
: volts. aud transformed for use AT rWi
. Falls. Jerome and other places. It
. planned TO utihse the power for build
3 ing the salmon river dam, p mile
, away. and transmission line is to b
. bnilt at once. This Will De a high ten
8 sion line. carrying $1,000 volts, Wine
. will have TO be stepped down io' use
. the high tension is 80 mech mote eee
nomical in transmission both la tl'
= eost % the line and the loss Of power
, ,hn, it has to be adopted The po~s
viii be utilized 10 crush the Toek for 'h
dam. as there is no gravel anywher
available for mixing the eOncre,e.