The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-07-08
POWER DEVELOPMENT GREAT AID
TO COEUR D'ALENE PROPERTIES
ELEcTRlFIcAToN OF RAILROAD DEVELOP LATENT
FoRcEs-MlLWAukEE s1soooooo TO CROSS THE
ROCKY MOUNTAINS ELECTRICITY

district with electric power from tt
Thompson Falls plant, attention
the mining world is attracted to til
development of the wonderful re
sources of that concern as never be
fore. Four large producing mine
have installed the Montana powe
thus placing in the field two powerfr
rivals for the electrical business of tn
district, the Washington Water Powe
company of Spokane, generating it
power at Post Falls, Idaho, and tn
Montana Power company.
Not only has the mining industr,
felt the impetus derived from the us
Of electrical power in operating mine
but the outlook is now clear for tn,
electrification of railroad line
throughout the west as the laten
power is developed from the rich re
sources of the mountain streams
Contract for $40 Miles.
The Montana Power company has
already entered into contracts to sun
ply the western lines of the Chicago
Milwaukee & st. Paul with power to
operate 440 miles of main line traffic
and work has been rushed on the sew
eral power sites to provide for this
immense service. In addition to this
the power is now available for mining
purposes throughout Montana and
now in the Idaho fields.
The Montana Power company has
several sources to draw from, all In
terconnected by transmission lines
The total power capacity developed
and undeveloped, as estimated by en-
gineers for the company, is 244 900
XIV. The sources from where derived
are Madison river, 1000 XIV; Canyon
ferry. 1900 XIV; Hauser lake, $4,000
XIV; Big Hole. 5000 XIV; Butte, steam
turbine, 5000 XIV. Rainbow Falls, 21,-
900 XIV; Great Falls, $4,000 XIV; Hol-
ter. 10000 XIV; Thompson Falls, 30,-
900 XIV; Snake river 10000 kw.; Mis-
soula river, 10000 XIV; small power
plants 1890 XIV; making a total Of
244000 XIV: for use by this one com
pany,
With the development of this energy
on one side and the expansion Of oper-
ations by the Washington corporation
on the other, the time does not appear
far distant when the Coeur d'Alenes
will be assured electric haulage and a
rapid connection with the outside dis
tricts by net work of electric lines.
May EIectrify $50 Miles
The gigantic operations now under
way in the electriticaton of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee & st. Paul railway
marks the first step in an extensive
program of developments in steam
road electrincation, especially as it
pertains to heavy haulage in western
districts. The General Electric COM
pany is now turning out the electric |
locomotives, substation apparatus anl |
line material to the railway concern |
to cover the first division of the main |
Deer Lodge, in Montana. Four divi- |
sions from Harlowton, Mont, to Az |
cry, in this county a distance of 44O |
miles, aggregating $50 miles of track,
sidings and yards, will be
equipped as fast as possible and pow
er supplied by the Montana Power
to operate the several divi-
sions. 1t is also understood now that
k-, IAry Ga, f1I1 al n,a1
plans drawn to extend the electrifica-
ton from Harlowtown to the coast,
distance of $50 miles.
Officials of the railroad company
have stated that this scheme of gem
eral electrifcation of the road
through the Rocky and Cascade noun
tain ranges is taken purely on eco
nomic grounds with the expectation
that superior operating results with
electric locomotives will effect a suffi-
Client reduction in the present cost of
steam operation to return an attrac-
tive percentage on the large invest
nent of $1300O,0OO required to finance
he work. Should this prove true, the
'esult will be of worldwide interest |
ind will foreshadow great develop
nents in the future in heavy steam
'oad Identification The west has
mammoth power service unused and
;iven an untrammeled rein by gov
,rnment and state. the future develop
nents in this line will revolutionize II
traffic.
Costs Less Than Coal.
Engineers who are now at work on
he details of the construction state
hat the cost of power for locomotives
will be less with electricity than is
low expended for coal Contract rates
With the power company by the rail-
Dad are reported to be made on
asis Of S0.0O5,36 per w.-hr., with
0 per cent load factor. 1t is also
tated that the contracts between the
wo concerns calls for a completion
I the electrification between Har-
owtown and Avery, comprising four