The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-07-24


paper. on the subject of Application
of Electric Energy in the Occur
dAlenes." is printed in a recent issue
of Northwest Mining and Metallurgy.
It's author is ], B. Fisken. electrical
engineer superintendent of the Wash
ington Water Power company
After reviewing the progress made
in electrical work In the eighties both
here and in European countries the
writer says the remarkable work done
at this time November 2, 1S91) by
European engineers made possible the
electrification Of the Occur d'Alenes"
Much Of this history will read familiar
to old timers in the camp and they
can vouch for its accuracy. The
writer continues;
Last Chance First Test.
Nov let us glance briefly at the
history Of the early applications of
electricity in the Occur d'Alene
country. l believe the first installia-
ton was the one for the Last Chance
mine, in 1890. This consisted Of two
Edison bi-polar generators 'of 20 XIV.
each, operated by water power, which
were used to supply three wire
lighting system In the mine This
plant was In. regular operation until
1892, when, owing to financial dim
culties. 1t was shut down. The mine
itself went into the hands of receiver
in 1888, and Robert Cheyne got pos
session Of the lighting plant. He
moved 1t to a point near the dividing
line between Wardner and Kellogg,
where he operated 1t with water power
under LAO foot head during high water
seasons, and with steam at other
times. He sold the plant to the
Bunker Hill & Sullivan Co. in 1887,
which later dismantled It.
Black Bear Second.
",The next Installation was at the
Black Bear mine and consisted of two
Edison bipolar generators of $50 XIV.
capacity. This plant was used for
operating Marvin drills, compressor
pumps, and lights. have SO far been
unable to find out when this plant
was dismantled or what became of it.
Again we come back to the Last
Chance mine,, in which a second Edi-
son plant was installed. with a capa-
city of 100 XIV This plant furnished
power for Marvin drills and lights in
the mine and also for lights in Pages
hotel the Catholic church, and few
residences. This plant, l believe, pass
ed into the hands of the Bunker Hill
& Sullivan Co.
I'm 1892 there was installed In the
power house above Burke 250-h. p.
Edison bipolar plant of 1900 volts d.
rect current, and the power from this
plant was transmitted to Burke, where
it was used for pumping purposes
This plant was in use till 1898, when
the present plant was Installed.
The first Installation at the Stand
ard mine was made in 1896, and con-
sisted Of IS XIV. alternating current
generator and Thompson Huston As
XIV. 5oO-volt generator for operating
the mine railway. The latter machine
/ believe, is in operation yet, but / do
not know what has become of the
former.
Used for Kellogg Tunnel.
In 1897 the Bunker Hill & Sullivan
he voC CT
which it had acquired, to it's power
house, adjoining the mill, and I'm ad-
dition installed a 75-kw. 2.S0O-volt
Monocyclic generator. Water power
was used, under $50 foot head, the
water being fiumed from Wardner
Later a Tussel tandem compound en-
CINE was installed to help during
periods of low water This was fol-
lowed in 1898 by the installation Of
a 55-kw. 55O-volt fourpole g. E. gene
rator driven by hydraulic turbine
operating under As foot head. This
plant was used during the driving o.
the Kellogg tunnel. and later fol
general haulage in the mine and abou
the yards.
Federal Begins Use.
In this same year the 1,2oo-volt di
rect current plant at the Burke poWe
house was abandoned and 3O0-kw
23oO-volt 4O-cycle generator was IN
stalled. 1t will be of interest to know
that later the Federal Mining & smelt
ing Co. increased the speed OF thl
machine to get frequency OF SO cy
Giles and now It is running in multipl
with the washington Water PoWe
Co.'S plant.
The next installation was made b
the Bunker Hill & Sullivan Co.. whic
in 1901 increased the capacity of 1t
lighting plant by the addition OF
single phase 50-kw. 2,300-volt general
or and Russell engine similar to tn
one referred to above.
No further additions were made unit
August 25, 1908, when the Washingto
Water, Power Co. commenced furnish
ing service In the district. and sine
that time the additions have been to
numerous to chronicle.
Local Water Power at First
when the mines were first operate
in the Occur d'Alene district, wate
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