The Alaska daily empire., 1916-02-15
BIG ANNEX CREEK PROJECT WONDER
 lN ENGINEERING


 As stated in yesterdays Empire the Annex Creek project of the Alaska Gast,neau Mining company is now reality. Early yesterday morning the final shots were successfully fired and the project was handled by the en- glneerIng department entirely. II. l.. wonenberg being chief engineer Mir. Wilcox as his assistant, Paul Prick general foreman of construction work. and Mir. Pullen .n charge of the electfic installation and power lines construction.
 It may be added that they are the same group of engineers who con structed the Salmon Creek project which has been in successful opera tion for the past year The comple- tlon of this project now gives 10000 all.the.yearround horse power, which including depreciation, furnishes pow CT to the entire company at a cost not to exceed cents per ton.
 This power, while not all needed immediately. win be required in com nectIon with the company's operations during the present year.
 The following Is a condensed form of an official report of this mining achievement:
 Early last year it was determined that the milling plant of the company situated at Thane, has capacity ap- proximately twice the original plans. The mill was originally planned on a 6.O00 ton basis. and the mill when constructed was capable of doing 12,- 900 tons per day. The Salmon Creek power development produces 6,OOO all- the-year-round horse power, which is sufficient for the original coco ton basis. However. 1t was necessary to obtain additional power. lnvestiga- tion of the power sources adjacent to Juneau by the company brought about the discovery of what is known as tho Annex Creek project This is made up of lake about one and one-half niles in length and a quarter mile in width. located ct an elevation of 500 feet above sea level, and about two miles back from salt water. A careful study of this project and of It's watershed. determined that 1t was capable of producing at least 4,OOO all- the-year.round horse power original development. to be obtained by driv- ing a 1900 foot tunnel through the mountain at an elevation of 500 feet from sea level. tapping the lake l5O feet ln depth and the connecting of this tunnel by means of @ 42 Inch pipe line two miles in length with pow CT house situated on the shore of Ta- ku Inlet
 Construction work began in May and the work was rushed through with all speed. .n al loi its branches. which comprised the building of a 4,ooO- h. p. generating plant with proper wat CT wheels; the installation of two miles of heavy steel pipe 42 Inches in diameter. the driving Of the tunnel and the building of the all steel tow cred transmission line up Sheep Creek basin, over the Sheep Creek divide, and on Carlson Creek Into ralSu in- let. and along Talu Inlet to the Power House in question
 All of the construction work was entirely finished and put into opera ton on December 18th water being obtained directly from the surface Of the lake to start with. From the face of tho tunnel, which was driven as close as possible to the lake, diamond drilling was undertaken to locate safe place to break through. Proper head gates, outlets, etc. installed in heavy concrete to withstand the high pressure.
 When this was finished, the tunnel was completed up to within six feet .of the lake proper, and the inal round drilled. By drilling some seventy-nve holes. through this last r.b, within a few inches of the water. all of these were loaded with dynamite and con- nected with the wire system to be shot by electricity. Preparations were made in the tunnel proper to take care of the rock material which would be washed Into the tunnel when the round was broken and likewiae pre- parations were made to take care of the shock of the explosion as well as the thrush of water under the l5O feet of head. 80 that 1t would not de- stroy the head gates of the pipe line, where 1t connected with the other end of the tunnel.
 The final round was fired yesterday morning, and successfully crowned the venture.
 GOOD NIGHT, FLAMEs;
 GOOD NIGHT, FOR SURE