The Alaska daily empire., 1914-10-05
SPIEL RIVER IS
 TO BE DEVELOPED

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 The managers of the "Speel River Project have established headquart- CTS in the Valentine building, Juneau, where definite plans are being com pleted for the utilization of the Speel River natural water power for indus trial and manufacturing purposes. The men back of the project are well known in the mining world, as engin- ecrS of exceptional ability and they have not become attached to the proposition without a thorough inves- tigatiou as to it's possibilities.
 What is Contemplated.
 The "Speel River Project" contem- plates the formation of the Speel Riy- cr Electro Chemical company, for the manufacture of calcium carbide and various ferro-alloys that require the high heat only obtained by the cleo tric arc.
 The "Spcel River Project" has for it's aim the formation of a power com pany to develop hydro electric power from the Speel river and it's lakes adjoining. The amount of such power that may be economically developed is said to be approximately one hun- dred thousand all year horse power more than one.third the amount of the power developed on the American side at Niagara Falls or by the large Miss issippi River development at Keokuk, Iowa.
 It is proposed to use the Speel riy- cr power for industries especially adapted for Alaska by reason of the cheap power and cheap transportation afforded by a harbor open the year round for the largest ocean going yes SCls.
 The cost of generating such power, 1t is urged. would be less than half the present cost of either the Niagara or the Mississippi power and will com pare tayorably with the large Nor wegian developments at present be- ing used in the manufacture of ni- trateS from the air.
 The "Speel River Project" contem- plates a larger development than would be justified for ordinary min ing or manufacturing purposes and the aim will be to form a company for power and manufacturing purposes, Speel river offers an attractive prop osition to all those industries demand ing a large amount of cheap power for their operation.
 Water powers are local resource and are utilized in the vicinity of pro- duction. Therefore the benefits of such an industry as is contemplated would rebound to the benefit of the people of Alaska.
 Men Behind It.
 F. ?. Kennedy and w. P. Lass mean to devote their entire time to the "Speel River Project" Mir. Kennedy, late assistant to General Manager R. A. Kinzie. of the Treadwell group of mines and works, and who had under his direct charge the purchasing and installing of the Sheep Creek 2O0O K. ". hydro electric plant in 1910, and the Nugget creek hydro-electric plant in 1912. is now engaged with the as sistauce of w. K. Lindsay. engineer in charge of the Nugget creek develop ment. and M. l.. RascoyiCh, formerly mechanical engineer for the Tread we'll company. in completing the de- tail surveys and estimates of con- struction.
 It is generally understood that Mir. Kinzie's resignation as general man. ager of the Treadwell and Alaska Ju. ueau companies, was OCcasioned by reason of his sympathy with the SpeeI River project.
 W. p. Lass. then superintendent of the Alaska Juneau mines. was select ed seven years ago by Mir. i;in2je 70 investigate the treatment of the Treadweu concentrates. At this tine the Treadwell company were shipping all of their concentrates to the smell tpr at Tacoma. Chemical tests made by Mir Lass in the laboratory indicated that it was possible to make a satis. factory extraction by cyaniding the concentrates. and under his direction, the cyanide plant was planned, con structed and operated. The complete success of this plant is shown by the high extraction and low costs. Mir.