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

lne LABOR OF bV,VuU men, employtL
at the rate of $500 per day during the
past two years and the expenditure OF
more than s12,000.000 In money, fol
the development Of two units of the
greatest hydro electric system IN the
world, draws to close and some time
In September the Pacific Light and
Power corporations superintendent at
the Big creek plant, perched 1000 feet
above the sea, on mountain side IN
the Sierras, will touch little ivory
button opening the longest high ten
sion electric circuit in the world, and
hurl 10000 electric horsepower over
241 miles Of space to Los Angeles
enough power to light a million homes
continuously or operate all the electric
railways in the south.
And this, but a beginning, for when
this Is done, the two power houses
constructed will each be operating only
to half capacity, and there are at least
two more power houses, with their SER
les Of dams and tunnels, still to con-
struct, while even above the present
power houses, where the creates. hy-
dro- electric storage dams in the world
are already built, so additional fee:
are to be added to the height of the
dams in order to store millions of tons
of additional water.
Growth Of Electric Power.
Millions in money are absolutely ne
cessary to keep pace with the electrs
power needs of southern California,
which with the opening of the Panama
canal faces a known growth that is
staggering. and which Is already mark
ed hv the most rapid extension Of cleo
trio railway lines In the world--lircs
that viii, within the next few years,
require almost unlimited electrict pow
er to handle the traffic that already Is
the serious problem in the south.
Facing the need for this power 1t was
impossible tn MI the demand through
any other channel than that of the Pa
oific Light and Power corporation
backed by Henry r.. Huntington, whc
as the successor of the late Coils P
Huntington of Southern Pacific fame
turned his attention to electric railway
building and has already constructed
out of Los Angeles 1900 miles of cleo
trio railways that cover southern Cal
ifornia like a spiders web
Thousands Of Horsepower.
With the construction of the initial
installment the way has been cleared
eral hundred thousand horsepower In
this district, and this work will be car
ried on continuously to keep pace with
the power needs Of southern California
The Big creek project now under
construction is the greatest electric /
power development ever conceived |
There. SIS miles east of Fresno, sur
rounded by the mountain promontores |
If the Gerras Is being stored SOM |
10000 acre feet of water, forming |
AXE six miles long with an average |
width Of approximately one mile, ane !
$50 feet in depth. There are three
lams in the system 100, 90 and 1t
Get in height, respectively
Big Lake Reserve.
The lake thus imprisoned will be Of
uffieient size to store years supply
# water for power purposes The
early precipitation in the mountains
n this district varies between 81 and
SO inches. which the engineers claim
more than a sufficient supply to OPP
rate all the power houses now plan
ed to their utmost capacity.
The water viii be carried throusi, ,
12-foot tunnel and dropped in less +
ran a half mile, distance of 21S0 !
let into power plant No. /, the great 7
It power drip In the world. This Is =
,e first ofStwo companion buildings b
Nv under construction, each Of which G
wers t40 feet above the water line, IL
ID expected that this plant will be 4
working order by the middle Of July +
From here the water. reinforced by a
e flow Of another stream, is to be Il
nveyed six miles In tunnel driven f;
rough the solid rock, to a drop Of O
so feetsinto power house No. 2 where til