The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-07-28
MONSTER PLANTS
ATTRACT MUCH
ATTENTION
CONTINUED from Page ID

/ Men familiar with the INSTALLATION
! of water power carefully went over
the Wenatchee from Leavenworth.
A place at the head OF long series
of falls and rapids was selected as the
iamsite.
/ Modern Power House.
When the roar of the waters in
January will have told of the moment
when the big dynamos are ready to
turn out the Juice" that will mean
so much to the Great Northern Rail-
way, electrical engineers can say they
have stood in the most modern power
house in the world, seen the most adj
vancei ideas in electrical equipment,
both in the production of electricity
and the use to which it is put.
/ Back at Niagara Falls, where the
cunning of man has made water pow
er displace 100000 tons of coal an
Inually by furnishing electrical power,
heat and light cheaper, there are ga
thered the brains of the technical
electrical world, for it was there that
genius had full swing experimenting
with 100000 horsepower to get the
best results commercially. The Great
! Northern engineers sought the aid OF
some of the famous consulting engi-
( neers at Niagara; benefited by their
experience, observations and their in
ventive minds. The power plant on
the Wenatchee, then, will have Mag
ara standards as basis, with many
years improvement added to it.
Steel Tower % Feet High.
j Were it not for the steel tower, 2l0
feet high, holding in place the equal
ization tank, the building would at
tract little attention from the outside,
| for it's plainness is severe. But 1t was
built to be as strong as the rock OF
Gibraltar.
The excavation of the ground to
depth of twelve feet below the bed OF
the river was trying task, for i'm
mense pumps were necessary to keep
1.-THE water clear while the men work
led. A solid cement foundation was
built up from bedrock to several feet
above high water level of the river,
which at the power house is roaring
rapid.
The house is &c feet by 1T feet,
three stories in height. The two up
per stories are brick. Steel frames
are used throughout, and the build
ing when completed will have an iron
roof. In the pit room are entrances
I for the three feed pipes which are
to drive the three Pelton wheels, each
in turn driving a 1000 horsepower
dynamo. for the three-phase system
has been adopted.
/ Not a thing in Connection with the
Operations of the entire plant but will
be new. The upper floor will have
machine shop with all the tools and
paraphernalia to make repairs.
Plant Generates 10000 Horsepower.
The plant will generate 10000
! horsepower. The $500 volts will be
carried by three wires to the east end
of the tunnel, where there will be
substation. To equalize the pressure
and prevent a collapse of the pipe IN
case of accident, and to make the
pressure more steady steel tank 2lO
feet high has been built adjoining the
power house. 1t is to be surround
| ded by bridge work of structural
steel, ana is considered a valuable
indeed, necessary part of the power
establishment.
At the substation near the tunnel
will be located the transformers, and
ithe' voltage will be stepped down from
F6,6O0 to 1900 volts; which will De
transmitted from Cascade to yelling.
ton by wire.
sS6me idea OF the power furnished
f.may be gained when it is said that
1.-THE Voltage for the streetcar system or
Seattle and on the Seattle-Tacoma IN
kterusban lis only s0o. The. three 10!
locomotives will have Z hauling power
of 1900 tons on the q AIDES on each
side of the tAnnel. The locomotives
will each weigh 100 tens, and again
something new and modern will he
put into service for these are being
made from New de agrs. -:
Biggest Pipe in Northwest.
re AT, the power house 10 the Or llllary
observer the immense Steel and wood
j en- pipes that carry the aafe. from
dam to power house will be the first
thing to attract attention. 1t is the
biggest pipe in the Northwest.
| Some idea of the magnitude of the
| pipe line may be gained when 1t IS
| said that to deliver the goods and pro-
wide a grade the Great Northern last
July began the construction OF rail-
road grade on the line surveyed for
| the pipe line The wooden pipe line
required so carloads of slaves, Is car
loads of cradles and 200 carloads OF
lsand The wooden pipe line when
completed will be 10,954 feet long.
The steel pipe line is 700 feet in
length.