Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1909-08-21
THOUSANDS OF UNDEVELOPED
HORSEPOWER IN N. ".
Interesting Report by Prof. Waller
About Different Propositions-Large
Number of Rapids and Rivers Can
Develop Unlimited Amount of Energy
Spokane Supplies Many Cities.


in the state of Washington, according
to special bulletin just issued by the
United States department of agricul-
ure. The report, prepared by o. l..
Waller, professor of civil engineering
in the State College of Washington,
under the direction of Samuel Fortier,
chief of irrigation Investigations, says
in part:
cat Cabinet Rapids the fall is 10
feet in 5000 cubic feet, and the energy
equals 10000 horse power. At Priest
Rapids the fall is ~ feet in 10 miles,
and the energy of the stream is $4,000
horse power.
"In the section known as Grand
Dalles, which includes the cascades at
Cello, Ten Mile Rapids. The Dalles,
Three Mile Rapids and Two Mile Rap
ids, the fall is so feet, 20 feet of which
is sheer fall at Cello. The minimum
flow is rated at 10000 to 81 900 cubic
feet a second and the minimum energy
of the stream is $4,000 horse power,
of which the fall is "a feet in 5000
feet and the minimum energy of the
stream is $1,000 horse power.
Il" Besides the large falls and cascades
referred to, there are many others from
Kettle Falls down to Rock Island.
While the Snake river has much swift
water, the removal of dangerous rocks
would make it navigable from its mouth
to some distance above Lewiston, Ida,
and consequently it does not afford
many promising power sites
"The power in the Spokane river has
already been developed in several
places, namely, Post Falls, the city
pumping station at the series Of rapids
and falls at Spokane, and at a point
nine miles below Spokane, and at a
point opposite Reardan. In all, 1O0,-
600 horse power has been developed.
Some of this acts directly on the tur-
Dimes Of the city pumping plants or Of
flour, feed and sawmills. The greater
part, however, is converted into cleo
trieity at high voltage and transmitted
long distances for light and power. In
general, nearly all the light and power
used in the state, with the exception
of that developed by the lumber indus
tries, which burn slabs, edgings, saw
dust, etc. is supplied from hydroelectric
developments.
80 Most Of the towns and cities in the
Inland Empire are supplied with light
and power from the Spokane river,
while interurban railways supplied with
power from the same source are rapidly
threading the rich wheat and produce
belt of Washington and Idaho.
1.-THE fail of the Methow river is 20
feet per mile, with minimum discharge
of 400 cubic feet a second Along It's
course from Iwisp TO its mouth there
are many fine power sites where dams
could be thrown across the river aud
economical development bo made.
'Ihe minimum dow from Lake Che
ban rs about sl2 cubic feet "a second,
the fall 300 feet and the energy about
$4,000 horse power The development
here win bo simple and quite ineXpen'
siye IL tho lake storage We're used 10
oqualizo the dow the above could be
greatly increased
"Ihe minimum noW Of the We.
natehee river ~ about 800 cubic feet
"a second, only about 26 per cent Of
which rs used for irrigation purposes
and that only in the lower valley. For
AZ miles through iho IumWaier canyon
and before emerging into the agflcul
iural valleys iha stream NJ p raging
iouopt Tho lreai Norihorn Railroad
company bias almost completed q poWor
plant AZ ChlNaukum, in the lumWator
canyon, Nhero ~ Nill develop 10000
hono power VIII Which NJ operate
Trims through ihe Cascade tunnel,
1hofe are yei great updeYelopod pQWor
poaslplllilef along ile nYoG probably
, mQr ihpp con le uiililea for many
yeala NJ come
'h|pce much NJ iho water nor uaea
and mpeh of ile stored NaiW lAtof N
hp uaod ip ihe fHkImp valley nil pp
alalllpuiod NJ lands pleliY Hell aoNp
iNp fAllpy ~ Nlll ho possible M M
, felQp considerable amount NJ p0HW
non ihe Haiu before ~ leeoho0 ihe
ARnellinlal lands won Hh|eh "A n N
. be Vhed inellyi api lhef NJ Weaf need
~ Al'l poN9 fW nso NJ dlWNHi|e M
aNailfa nna M M a|siFpulnd over M
aen0ely populated alslg|ef ~ l|sNi aee
pQnef"