The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-10-08

there the ST. Paul will operate it's pas
senger trains from the start by cleo
trio motors and handle its freight
trains in the same manner as soon as
their numerous power plants are fin
ished. The ST. Paul will be the road
for transcontinental travel and freight
transportation, by reason of its low
grades, straight track and electri pow
er.
Down in southern Idaho great things
are doing in development of water
power. Great rivers are being "har-
messed up to furnish electric Juice"
to the inhabitants
Again l must call your attention to
the Snake. You can't talk or write
about southern Idaho without men
tioning the Snake river. About IL
miles northwest of Boise, the states
capital, Missouri and Michigan people,
headed by Senator w. A. Clarke of
Montana, are constructing a unique
electric power plant.
Snake river for distance of about
six miles passes through a rock can
yon shaped like an OK bow, or the up
per half of the letter S. The nearest
the stream comes together is about
900 feet; the formation for this l 300
feet is granite and big tunnels are be-
ing run through this granite for the
300 feet so that the waters Of the
Snake can be diverted through them.
1t is about six miles from one end of
these tunnels, around by the river, to
the other end, and yet only 1900 feet
across. Well does the name Snake"
fit the stream not only for its crooked
ness in places, but for the further fact
that its on the wiggle all the time, for
it carries 5000 to 10000 cubic feet Of
water per second.
In the six miles the river falls fifty
six feet, so when the tunnels are fin
ished and the dam is built the big
Snake will enter these tunnels and
fall, perpendicularly, fifty-siX feet onto
water wheels that will produce from
$4,000 at the lowest stage Of water, to
100000 electric horse power that will
be sent out on wires to Pendleton, La
Grand and Baker City, all in Oregon
and to Boise and all the little cities in
southwestern Idaho. This project is
called the Snake River Ok Bow Elec-
trio Power Co. And it's we'll named.
told you about Shoshone's power
plant on the Snake river near Twin
Falls. Here is where the river falls
210 feet and the electric dynamoes are
now furnishing power and light to the
Twin Falls North and South Side in
habitants
Down the Snake from Shoshone
Falls, some one (they say its the o. S.
l.. Ry) is diverting theSnake river in
to canal line and at the end Of this
line of water will fall back into the
river, perpendicularly, distance of Al
| feet, and here an electric power plant
is to be built the coming year to furn-
ish electric power to, they say, operate
0. S. L. railroad passenger and freight
trains.
Again down stream is the "Swan
Falls power plant" that's been gener-
ating electricity for six years for the
gold mines in Owyhee county and late
ly finished a power line to oper-
ate the electric interurban rail.
road lines running out of Boise
Nampa and Caldwell The end is no
yet. The old Snake has 100000 more
horse power that may be harnesseC
by any one who wants it. A projec
is on foot on the Snake thirty-on'
miles south of Boise to build a dan
} send it over to Nampa and Bots
and generate $4,000 horse power an,
for power and heating purpises.
The electric power can be so cheap
ly developed that Boise homes can b,
heated and the kitchen range be ian il
competition with $500 domestic coal.
Nature has been lavish in her dis
tribution of the things in Idaho tina
make for mans comforts. Over in thu
Payette- Weiser sections, where the bis
red apples grow to perfection, the!
struck oil and gas the other day. Oh
and gas produced on $500 an acre or
chard lands is certainly making eacf
acre produce dollars with a vengeance
This gas and oil was found at I45 fee
in depth about 600 feet from the o. S
l.. depot at Payctte. The gas pressure
was enormOus-rOckS and sand ant
water were forced above the surface
over 120 feet The boring compan.
found the gas in such quantity thai
they Immediately applied to the tow'
of Payette for . franchise to heat an,
light the place The company is nov
sinking another well in the same vi
cinity, and with. these two wells The!
believe they can secure enough gas T.
heat and light this $500 populat ~
town.
The discovery of gas is not new
thing in this section-many wells nave
been sunk to secure domestic waite
from 40 to 100 feet deep; most OF then
produced some gas. One we'll not ia
from the town of Weiser, about 4O'
feet deep, produces an artesian waite
supply for the farm house and gas suf
ficient to light and heat an eight-roon
J house, all from one well.
Brick and other clay buildings ma
terials are high in price all over south
ern Idaho, because Of the scarcity O
, coal. With this gas discovery there il
bound to be a revolution in the prize
of brick and building tile in southern
Idaho. ! would not be surprised t.
J. see the present prices of these build
ing materials cut in two, because ma
chine made, gas burnt brick can b.
produced at an amazingly low price
This gas and oil discovery will caus
revolution in many other CONNER
: cial lines. Idaho has the finest an
most accessible cement ingredients
no fuel. Idaho grows the best cereal
| 70 ho ,,fo Of hroo IF CT food