Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1910-09-01
RUSHING AT
HALE'S BAR
Current Promised at Lock and
Dam in One Year.
c. E. JAMES ENTHUSED
OVER PRESENT PROSPECT
Provision to Be Made for
Storing Surplus Current
at Night.

CnaUCduOOSd 1lmoo'
Announcement was made Friday by
C. e. James. Chattanooga's highest in
local authority in matters pertaining
to the lock and dam at Hale's bar,
that the great plant which has been in
progress of construction several years,
will almost certainly be completed
within the next twelve months, with
possibility that power will be turned
on even sooner than that. This de-
claration, coming from so substantial
and conservative source. will be re-
ceived with pleasure and confidence by
people of this city, especially the man
ufacturing and commercial interests,
who realize the quickening impulse
for progress and new industries that
will result from the large amount Of
cheap power to be furnished Chatta-
nooga.
When the immense plant at Hale e
bar, representing years of toll and mil
lions of dollars investment, is complet-
ed, it will mean at the very minimum
65, 900 electrical horsepower for Chat
tanooga and vicinity. This is the cap
acity of the plant for direct transmits
sion during the entire twenty-four
hours of the day. That is to say, there
will be available 65, 900 horsepower
during the daylight hours, and $50
horsepower at night. The consump-
tion in the daytime, with manufactur-
ing plants and other large consumers
running, will, of course, be much
greater than night.
A feature of the lock and dam pro-
ject, hitherto not even intimated, de-
veloped yesterday. 1t was in effect
that through the use Of storage batter
les any portion of that 56, 600 horse
power made in the night can be saved
for use in the daytime. That is to say
if the consumption at night amounted
to 80, 900 horsepower, equipment could
be installed to store the surplus, or
26, 900 horsepower, to be delivered the
next dav. Equipment for this addi-
tional daytime power represents large
investment, but ON the other hand a
small sum compared to the total cost
of the plant.
On the theory, for example, that the
demand for power at night from the
lock and dam will be 26, 900 horsepow-
er,-which is probably very high es-
timate-30, 900 horsepower could be
stored for daytime, making the total
SO, 600 horsepower. This would be ex-
cess of any power project now on foot
in the territory adjacent to Chattanoo-
ga, as based ON announcement already
made. The total claimed by the East
ern Tennessee Power company, with
two plants on the Ocoee river, is S5,-
900 horsepower.
The lock and dam promoters have
not decided upon the storage battery
system to increase the daytime produc-
tion of power, but it was announced
yesterday that the matter is being con-
sidered. It will, of course, hinge up
on the entire Sc, 900 horsepower, pro-
duced independent of storage, being
sold, and any surplus derived from in
stalling the storage plant being sala-
BILE. The cost of installing the storage
plant will readily be seen from the
statement that to store 30, 900 horse
power requires an expenditure of 5000,
900. The largest item Of cost is that
of the storage batteries themselves.
Probably an additional building would
be required, but this item would be
comparatively small. The batteries
themselves, ..of enormous weight for
horsepower that runs up to thousands,
can rest on the ground. This plan,
storing surplus night horsepower, is
being used at other plants in this
country with success.
In the following inter view, portions
Of which we're given above, Mr.. James
tells of progress of work at Hale's bar
and the prospect for completion.
''Work at the lock and dam is pro-
crossing very fast. All the difficult
part of the work is practically over.
The concrete work on the lock ON the
west side of the river is completed. A
very large per cent. of the concrete on
the powerhouse is in place and all the
water assures have been stopped. Con-
crete is going in fast on all parts of
the powerhouse and some sections of
the dam.
1T is very certain that the whole
plant will be completed and in opera
lion within the next twelve months.
would like to have any citizen visit