The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1920-04-23

IlrSt dropped In front OF the lower
openings, fitting SO accurately that
there was not q drop Of seepage CON-
ing through to affect the consistency
of the concrete that was built into the
openings behind the shield and SO
anchored to the standing walls of the
dam a. to be aa solid as the wall itself.
Slowly the river behind the dam raised
to the other Openings mentioned,
which then acted in the nature of q
spillway. Then the process of elimin-
alton Of the openings was repeated and
today the water has been raised to a
height of eighteen feet behind the dam.
This is continued until the dam is
completed and as solid as the rock of
ages.
There remains much to be done of a
constructive nature after the dam Is a
thing complete before the plant will be
delivering electrical energy.
Besides the conduits to carry water
to the wheels there are buildings to
erect, foundations to be built and ma
chinery to be installed. Much Of this
work is in progress as the finishing
touches are being put upon the big
barrier to the flood, but an item to be
taken into consideration Is the deliv-
cry OF material and machinery, and
this is slow and uncertain. As has al
ready been mentioned much annoying
delay has been experienced In securing
necessary material. In the case of ma
chinery that delay is owing to the In
ability of the factories to manufacture
with sufficient rapidity to meet de-
mands. 1t will probably be two months
before the plant can be said to be
wholly completed and ready for opera
ton, but even then the speed with
which an undertaking of this magni-
tude has been carried out Is remark
able and credit to the efficiency and
capability Of the engineer in charge.
1t Is one of the most important and
expensive industrial enterprises of a
private nature ever undertaken in
Okanogan county for which the Oka-
hogan Valley Power company is to be
commended. 1t Is a very important ad-
junct to Oroville as the electric power
supply point Of the valley, and will be
for all time to come one Of the show
places of the upper country that will
be visited by thousands Of excursion
lists in future years.
While upon this subject it is not out
of place to add the potentiality of the
Similkameen river as means Of pro-
ducing the cheapest power in use in
industries is little understood or ap-
preciated. From the dam to Oroville
there Is a fall of many feet in the
Simiikameen river. The stream has cut
way to the valley through solid rock
and nature has never formed river
better adapted for the construction of
dams and the conservation of power.
Mr.. Broderick has travelled over much
of the world, has had years of exper-
ience in his chosen profession, is a
man whose statements can be cOnsid-
cred authoritative and he has said
that in all Of his observations he has
never seen q river where the waters
could be so easily confined for the pro-
duction of power. There are half
dozen places from the dam to Oroville
where dams could be constructed
without interfering an iota with the
plants up stream and the water used
over and over again. The time Is not
ripe just now for repetition of the
great dam at the falls Of the Similka-
meen, but in future years there may
grow demand for electric power that
the present plant cannot supply. and
then the waters Of the Similkameen
may be repeatedly confined and many
thousands of horse power developed.