The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-07-17
Worlds Biggest Electric Plant

the transmission line for Los Angeles
pleted by September
= Auxiliary Plants.
There are two other reservoir sites
below the second power house. one
has a drop Of 1900 feet and the other
has drop of 600 feet. In addition to
carrying the water from the storage
reservoir, these two additional power
houses will take large volume of wa
ter from the main San Joaquin river.
The construction Of these projects will
go forward as soon as the work now
under way Is completed
In order that this work might be
carried ON it was found necessary to
construct railroad--the San Joaquin
q Eastern--from Eel Prado into the
mountains east of Fresno distance
Of Sc miles, at a cost Of more than ST.
100000 1t was also found necessary
to construct two inclined railroads,
both Of which are longer and sleeper
than the famous Mount Lowe incline
above Pasadena.
System Of Railroads.
Up these inclnes freight engines,
cars and steam shovels have been
hauled to construct and operate a
system Of railroads IS miles In length.
in the bed Of what Is now the storage
lake, to clear off the timber and to
carry to the dams the cement, gravel
and lumber required for the work.
In the dams themselves. which are
shortly to be raised so feet to increase
the amount Of water that can be held
in the reservoir thus enlarged. and to
aid, through the construction of other
units of the development in the ulti-
mate project. over $500 cars of cement
alone have been used to mix the con-
1rctc necessary for the work.
Approximately Fl 900 tons Of provi-
sions have been consumed by the $500
men who have been employed by the
company for the last Is months.
Freight Handled.
The total freight required for the
work up to the first of the month had
the greatest single freight shipment
ever sent across the continent, while
the total shipment to he used before
the transmission line Is complete and
the power and substations in Los An
yeles are finished, will be around 800
900, 900 pounds. or 1000 tons.
There are 100000 pounds Of i'm
ported steel pressure pipe to carry the
water to the power plants These pipes
are feet inches wide at the top and
gradually decrease in size az they near
the base where they are but 26 inches /
vide They are fitted with 4-inch noz-
les through which the water will |
With a concentrated force pressure of
nearly half mile of water. strike !
he huge water wheels that operate the |
generators. The force of this water Is |
estimated to be 1000 pounds to the |
square inch Pure nitro glycerine, by |
way of comparison, explodes with 500
pounds pressure to the square inch.
Largest Voltage in tho Works.
From Big creek to the substation at
"a gle Rock near Los Angeles the pow
r will be transmitted with voltage
f 10000 and a frequency of 80 cy-
les. This Is the largest voltage 50
ar handled in the history of the world
nd over O transmission line longer
han any other in existence.
Each of the six lines will be of 81
minum with steel core aud Will be
Kicker than the Atlantic cable. They
Ill be carried on a duplicate system :
specially constructed steel towers.
wen with aluminium as medium
lore than 100000 pounds. the total
utput of tlais country for year. win +
e required tn carry the power The !
lspension insulators necessary weigh
900. 600 p FUNDS The total weight of I
lie material for the towers Is tA,50o q
ms. Fourteen construction gangs .
e now at work on the series etweeu -
e plants and Los Angeles and s., $
r $500 tons. Of provisions have been .
dered to feed the men at work In y
ese camps. !. Ii