Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1911-01-27
Will ELECTRICITY SUPPLANT
STEAM on TIE o. :. -

line ~ the oregon ci4Dri Line rail-
road company. from Ogden to po-
catello and wesi TO Huntington. Ore.
l. one ol the probabilities Of the
Immediate future, u the firm Dr.
lief Of men vino have kept 10 close
touch with the marvellous develop
ment Of water power in southern
and southeastern Idaho, says the
Boise Statesman In a recent issue.
s The recent announcement Of for
mer governor james n. Brady. own
er Of the hydro-electric plant Of the
Idaho Consolidated Power company
at American Falls. iweniy-ilree
miles west Of pocateii0. 0f Ills in
teniiCH 10 increase tho capacity II
the plant to 10000 horse power: the
commencement If construction on
5000 horse power plant al the
confluence ol the Maiad and snake
rivers: the installation Of additional
units in the plant of the Great SiIo
shone Power company I'll @hosi0ne
falls. enlareeneni~ and additions 10
the mammoth piani of the Telluride
Power company on Bear river near
gsrace-ali ihese ar. direc. udica-
iious of an enlarged market for
electric energy in this part of the
state which cannot be- explained by
lh- ordinary growth 81 towns now
served. Tire American Fails plant
for instance. The present capacity
of which l. 1900 horsepower trans
miis electricity to Pocateilo Ross
Fork and Blackfooi While the
growth Of these towns ami the de-
mand for additional power i steady
still it does not constitute a call for
$500 additional horse power The
towns in the upper valley Of the
Snake are served by a plant at Ida
no Falls which j. steadily being en-
larged to provide for additional de-
inands. The Telluride plant trans
nits its electricity to the towns in
Gentle and Cache valley. thence /
down into Ogden and Utah. The
Great ShOshone plant. with lis 1850
horsepower initial installation. coy
ers the Twin Falls tract adequately +
The throwing on the market Of 90
200 or 5000 additional horse power
within the next year or SO can mean
but one thing-its use by the rail-
road
Annually the Short Line Is con-
fronted with a fuel problem. It's
source of supply Is in western Wy
oming and the mines there are
every year either troubled with la
Dor shortage. car shortage. strikes
OF lack of coal. For wears the Ore
gon Short Line has been forced to
he expedient Of storing coal in its
yards. and last summer
and fall 10000 tons We're dumped +
in huge piles to be held in reserve
for emergencies. These emergen-
lies have already occurred. and the
stored coal l. now being used on
he railroads locomotives.
Another thing which impelS
conclusion that the Short Line viii .
abandon steam and adopt electricity
Is motive power is the known fact
hat whereas all other western road
lnnually place large orders for new
locomotives. the Short Line has con
ented itself with getting along a.
-; If could with its present equip
nent apparently waiting the time
when the steam locomotives are to
,e dumped into the scrap heap and
eplaced By electric engines.
The power possibilities Of the
make river are greater than those
# any other known river. not even ,
Keeping the Missouri. with It's ire
lendous mileage. But at this time
hc power-using possibilities Of
Idaho are limited The
rowih has been marvellous. but no
dong the line Of power-using pos
Utilities. Until large manufactT- 4
~ enterprises are inausurated. the
nlv market for surplus electric q
nergy in this region viii be- the e
ailroads. fact which affords the {
.rong basis for a belief that with I
] another year or 80 electric loco- q
iotiVeS Will replace steam ana mil y
ons of dollars in fuel waste be b
lVed the system. Il
a