The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-01-12
MILLIONS FOR POWER PLANT.
On Completion of Contemplated Con.
stTuctiOn Big Generator Will Have
Capacity of $50 Horsepower.

f1ANfOAtD, Jan. Sine HanfOrd
irrigation company within the next
Is months will spend 100000 in
developing is hydro-electric power
plant at Priest Rapids, on the Co.
.umbia River, and so extend and am
plify its distributing system of can
ais and laterals as to reclaim 100000
acres of arid lands situated in Ben
ton county, in eastern Washington.
President Michael Earles of the Han
ford company, today announced that
work would be begun within a week
on the new concrete dam at Priest
Rapids and in installing the new
power machinery.
The wolk on the new dam will be
pushed as rapidly as possible DUR
ing the low water in the Columbia
river this winter" said Mr.. Earles.
I'VE are now assembling a working
outfit at Priest Rapids, consisting of
steam shovels, steam drills for work
in the solid rock and locomotives and
cars to handle the material.
When the present plans are work.
ed out and the new construction fin
ished, the electric power plant at
Priest Rapids, where we have been
generating 1900 electric horsepower
will have d capacity of $4,000 horse
power"
Greatest in Size in State.
1t is admitted that no electric
power plant in the west that is a
part of an irrigation project is COM
parable in size to what the Hanford
plant will be when the extensions now
planned are completed. Major H. M.
Chittenden, U. s. A., when he was in
charge of the local United States
lrmy engineers office, made a survey
of the Priest Rapids project and
drew up report, which was pub
ished at the time, showing that the
Columbia river at Priest Rapids
would furnish 100000 electric horse
power. More than a year ago the
the present plant as completed and
water turned onto the lands owned
by the Hanford company.
The amount of rich but now arid
lands to be reclaimed by the Hanford
company will place that project
ahead of any private or government
work now under way in this state.
The largest of the government pro-
1ects in this state which is approach
ing completion is the Teton in Yak
ina county, where 10000 acres will,
be reclaimed. The Teton enterprise
was officially Endorsed by the re-
clamation service four years ago, and
the work has proceeded slowly since
that time, the settlers now expecting
that a considerable amount of the
irrigable land under the Tieton canal
will be watered next spring.
Formed by Seattle Men.
The Hanford Irrigation & Power
company is strictly a Seattle organi-
7ation. The company was formed
four years ago by Manley B. Haynes
John Fl. McGraw, Judge c. H. Han
ford. c. ], Smith, E. S. McCord. H.
c. Henry, James A. Kerr, and other
we'll known Seattle men. w. r. Rust.
the northwest representative of the
American Smelling & Refining com
pany. and Jacob Furth. president of
the Puget Sound National bank. later
became heavily interested in the en-
terprlse. Mr.. Earles nearly a year
ago bought large block Of the stock
of the company, and with his asso-
''ates now controls. in the affairs of
the corporation
The whole Hanford plant was de-
signed and constructed by Henry K
Owens, well known irrigation and
Nvdraulic engineer of this city, and
the original power canal, two miles
in length, which will be doubled in
capacity. was built by Mr.. Earles I'M
or contract with the corporation.