The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-06-17

lake varies from few feet to twenty
or thirty feet.
One Pump Now in Operation
One pumping plant is in opera
ton at the southern extremity of
the lake. 1t is an electric plant and
now operates two centrifugal pumps
of the size known as thirty-six
inches. The pump is situated in a
cement building at the edge of the
lake and a canal leads from the lake
into the pump house. Another canal
on a level twelve feet higher starts
from the south side of the pump
house and conducts the water to the
lands where they are to be used.
The canal is rounded on the bot
tom and we were unable to obtain
definite dimensions but appeared to
be about thirty feet wide with five
foot depth and was carrying about
5000 inches at the time of the
writer's visit.
Mighty Pumps at Work
Each pump forms a connecting
link between the low canal tapping
the lake and the high canal drawing
the water for irrigation. The two
canals are connected with steel tubes
laid in cement construction. Each
tube is four feet in diameter and
the three foot pump connects the
tubes. These pumps are of different
construction from anything that peo-
pie are accustomed to for lifting
water from their wells.
This pump built for irrigation COM
bines some of the features of ships
propeller, slicer in a, beet sugar
factory, and a meat cutter. 1t has
some features resembling the gills
of a fish. When ship is resting in
a body of water and it's propeller
is put in action, either the ship has
to move thru the water or the water
has to move past the ship. This
pump we are speaking of has spin
ners in the center that act upon the
water compelling something to move.
The pump itself is securely anchored
so that the pump cannot move, there
for, when the spinner begins it's
the water has to pass on
ward and pours thru the spinners
and on up the stopping pipes until
it is set free in the canal. 1t ap-
proaches the spinners in four foot
tube tapering like funnel to three
feet and as it comes IN contact with
the spinners it moves sideways and
passes away in other tubes much
the same as water passing thru the
mouth of fish moves sideways, pass
ing out thru it's gills. The spinner
receives its whirling motion from the
action of large shaft operated by
electric power The shaft at the
pump house we are speaking of was
about nine inches in diameter and
perhaps twenty-five feet long. 1t
lad motor on each end and room
'or three pumps to operate between |
hem, but only two had been in
stalled. The spinners are attached
% the shafting.
. The pumps make very little noise,
making merely a purring sound,
similar to the purring of an electric
motor when operating smoothly.
Where the water passes into the
;ubes approaching the pump it moves
with an even draft and where 1t
lows out into the canals on the high
evel it makes no noise and there
s very little whirling and eddying
If the water, it simply moves away
Town the canal.
Such a pumping plant is an
achievement in mechanical science
hat challenges the admiration of all
visitors. Each of these pumps
handles 1000 inches of water. There
ire two pumps in operation and two
more are being installed. They are
operated by electric power cabled
rom the Ashton-St.. Anthony power
plant about sixty miles away. Water
thru the power plant in the
Snake River canyon turns the shaft
ng and generates energy. A cable
it with motors sixty miles
lway and these motors whirl a shaft
hat lifts other water from the lower
evel to the higher level.
So long as the machinery is kept |
ubricated and in perfect working
order it runs automatically and if |
equipment did not wear out and burn
,ut by use the lift of water could
20 on forever.
Who Owns the Power Plant?
The Ashton St.Anthony power
liant is owned chiefly by men living
It Blackfoot, Shelley and Idaho
Falls. The stockholders of Blackfoot
ire Alexander Younie, E. M. Ken
ledy, A. Written, Mrs. A. Written,
William Marley, Ras Hansen, l.. M.
Japps, l.. B. Dore and James Hull.
The Shelley stockholders are Soren
forgensen, N. M. Holm, John F.
Shelley, John orgensen, c. l.. Moore,
'hn Blomquist, Nels Thompson and
and Larson. The Idaho
Falls stockholders are w. r. Pit
niger, Dan Martin, A. M. Hayward,
Roy Olson and perhaps few others.
Who Owns the Land?
The lands that are being irrigated
" the use Of the pumping plant near
Iud Lake are owned by many set
lers and spectators. There are
omething like $4,000 acres and may
'e increased to 100000. The first
was done with the pump
ng plant in 1918 when about 5000
orao xroro oraJ io tho xur;far,o