The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-02-04
Water Power Development on the
Clarks Fork by Montana
Power Company.

According to the Thompson Falls
Ledger, the great power plant of the
Montana P,wer company at that point
Is only one of string of plants that
will be constructed along the Clarks
Fork, and that another great plant is
now actually in process of construc-
ton about nine miles below Thompson
The magnitude of these operations by
the Montana company open wide
field for speculation as to the use that
will be made of the vast electric ener
gy that viii be developed, and this sub
ject Is discussed in more detail on an
other page of The Miner In ylWe of
the rapid extension of the transmission
wires of the Montana Power company
into the Occur d'Alene district, tht
subject is one of absorbing interest
here. The Thompson Ledger says;
Thompson Permanent Headquarters.
at is said that before the big plant
another plant will be started about 3
miles down the river near Blue Side.
Instead of moving the big conssrGc-
ton camp away from here down 70
the second power site it is proposed
that the company build an electric
road miles In length, following the
river grade to the new site and that
the workmen be transferred by cleo
trio trains to and from their work.
at Is claimed that In the end 1t will
be cheaper to retain and use the camp
already established here and transport
the men and material by this road, op-
Grated by their own power than 1t VIII
he to tear down this camp and estab-
fish new one at the second power
site.
every likely the same method will
he pursued in the construction of
third and fourth power plant still fur
Their down the river, at or near Trout
Creek and again somewhere between
Heron and the Cabinet gorge, the cleo
trio road simply being continued on te
these proposed sites. 1t would taxi
but a few moments for an electric en-
CINE and work cars to run from here
miles down the river to the second
power site, and when night shift L
needed the same train will take one
crew down and bring the other back
Camp Represents a Big Investment.
"The erection OF the power camp
here cost an immense amount of mon
ey. more than the majority of people
realize, with a complete sewer syS-
tenn. city water supply, steam heat
permanent office building with apart
ments for officers, kitchen and dining
room to accommodate 600 men, BUNK
houses for nearly that number wood
workers and blacksmith shops, DIG
warehouses, roundhOuse, barns, ma
chine shops, bath houses, etc. 1t Woulc
mean a big expense to move or dupll-
cate in another place Not only vii
this electric road be used for convey
ing the men to and from work but al
so for the moving Of machinery lum'
her. cement and all sorts of material
loaded cars will be switched from the
n. p. main line onto the company'
spur here and will then be handled bN
the companys electric motors to the
plant down the river
Many Of the men now employed
own their own homes and have then
families here In Thompson Falls, many
of them live with their families in com
Portable rented houses, hence the pro-
position of living at home while work
ing on the second plant will be OF grea'
convenience and comfort
LARGEST Crew Since Project Started.
The Thompson Falls Power com,
pany has now employed, under the aplt
superlntendency of w. L. Christie, be-
tween $50 and 500 men, the number
constantly varying, as nearly every
day some quit or are discharged ane
new men employed.
"'rhe Golfer dam on the south side Of
The river is completed and the waters
of the Clarks Fork are now almost en-
tirely diverted through the gateWay'
provided through that portion or the
+, concrete dam on the north side OF tho
river, completed last year. large
crew of men is now employed blasting
out and preparing the river bed rHcF
for Introduction of concrete to the sec
ond or south half of the dam.
at is necessary to excavate into the
solid bed rock several feet before The
original bed of the river in order t
have footing or base below the wa
ter. In a short time the concrete woFf
will be started and special effort VII
he made with a large crew to tlnisF
the base of this portion of the dam oe'
fore the river commences to raise II
the spring.
Down at the site of the big power
house concrete work on the founda'
tIou is well under way ana q mos
substantial piece of worl. being done
as on this foundation will rest the o'}