The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-06-05
MORE POWER
FOR BILLINGS
BUTTE ELECTRIC COMPANY TO
OPERATE LOCAL PLANTS.
OFFICIAL IS in THE CITY.
Current Generated at Madison River.
company's Plant Will BE Brought
Here by High voItaoe-Line to Be
Constructed Soon.

From Thursdays Daily.
H. W. Turner, general manager Of
the Butte Electric & Power company
which recently acquired control Of the
Billings Water Power company's
power plant together with that of the
Yegen Bros, is in Billings looking
over the properties with the intention
of installing several improvements in
the way of new power generating ma
chinery that his company has under
contemplation.
In speaking of the probable i'm.
provements that are to be made and
what the controlling company intends
to do, Mr.. Turner stated last night to
a representative Of The Gazette, I'VE
intend to ultimately develop at least
5000 horse power OF electric current
from the two Billings plants that We
have recently acquired. Instead OF
the present capacity Of 1,76O horse
power that is being developed In the
two plants combined, we will shortly
increase the output to nearly 2,40O
horse power by adding machinery ca
pable Of generating 600 horse power
for which an order was sent some
time ago. Both the Billings electric
stations will be connected and operat-
ed as one.
Current From Livingston.
mot only will the power developed
in the local plants be utilized in Bill
.ings and the Galley but also a large
amount of current generated at the
Madison River company's plant which
will be brought here by a high volt
age line to be constructed soon be-
tween this city and Livingston. BY
the additional current from Living
ston all chances of a possible break
down in either of the Billings plants
and leaving this city without power
will be eliminated as any desired
amount can be easily and quickly
switched to these stations with little
or no inconvenience to patrons here.
Such a plan has been prepared to
meet emergencies that might occur to
any of the plants that our company
owns. We generate a current Of 49,
900 horse power at the plants Of the
Madison River company besides addi-
tiona1 currents OF about equal strength
at Butte, Great Falls, Belgrade and
Divide on the Big Horn river. All Of
these together with the Billings plants
and others that we operate are most
" connected in parallel so that the
Gripping OF any n would not incon-
venience It's customers because of our
ability to cut out or turn in current
from the other combined plants by
simply turning a switch"
Company Has Influence.
Concerning the relation that a large
electric power corporation bears to-
wards the public and other corpora
tions, Mr.. Turner said, ''The develop
ment OF electric power has a great
influence on the enterprises of a COM
munity especially when 1t is conduct
ed in a proper way. Many resources
OF a state a be stimulated by the
building Of electric railroads and
power lines through different valleys.
Transportation facilities for the move.
ment OF farm produce and stock are
brought in, thereby cheapening and
expediting the marketing Of all pro-
ducts"
To show the size and financial in
vestments Of the Butte Electric &
Power company which is the co%ntroll-
ing factor in the generation of power
in the eastern and southern parts of
the state, Mr.. Turner gave a list of
the companies that 1t controls.
Controls Many Companies.
The Phoenix Electric company, and
the Butte Gas & Fuel company In
Butte. the Belgrade Electric company
at Belgrade, Great Falls Electric
company at Great Falls, Montana Pow
er company on the Big Horn river
near Divide, and the Madison River
Power company which owns plants
ct Bozeman and Livingston together
with the Yegen and Billings Water
Power companies' power houses In
Billings, are all operated by that con.
Germ.
With such q net work Of power gen.
Grating plants in this state the com
pany expects among other things to
use much OF the current in the pump
ing Of water to levels not possible to
reach in any other way for the pur-
pose OF irrigation. He stated that 1t
would not be long before the company
would be moving transcontineutal
trains in Montana over steep grades
and through tunnels which would.
point to the utilization OF electricity
on all railroad locomotives in the near
future.
The deed for the property, which
the new owners purchased from the
Billings Water Power company, was
AI4H A. nA1