Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1922-04-27
Big Electric Plant Almost
Finished.

The largest electric plant in the
world. known as the Calumet Station
of the Commonwealth Edison Co.,
supplying the City of Chicago, is now
nearing completion This new plant
represents an investment of $25,000,-
600, and will develop a quarter of a
million horse power. 1t covers forty
eight acres of land.
A second plant still larger is being
planned at Waukegan, on the shore
of Lake Michigan by the Public Serv-
ice Company of northern Illinois.
Both of these companies are part of
the Middle West Utilities Company,
as are also the Mineral Point Public
Service Company and the Wisconsin
River Power Compay, and number
of other Wisconsin Companies.
These new plants are constructed
with view of the great superpower
development for Wisconsin, Illinois,
and Indiana. 1t is proposed to tie
the plants in all three states together
so that each plant can be made to
operate as efficiently as is humanity
possible. By doing this, the water
power plants will be able TO carry a
large portion of the load of the en-
tire three states, and not waste water
when they have an excess, as is done
sometimes now.
1t is conceited fact that small
plants operating in individual COM
munities are wasteful and inefficient.
The greatest engineers of the coun-
try, both in government service and
out, have therefore been working on
this super-power plan, which not only
takes into consideration the three
states above mentioned, but many
others. However, these three states
are grouped together as beginning.
This is a condition that the far
seeing men of this country realize
that must come about. Edward
Hurley of Chicago, states that cleo
trio power has ceased to be a Local
Problem 1t has become state
wide and even an Interstate Prob
lem" This can be readily seen by
the immense progress that is being
made by the different electric COM
! panies; for instance, the Middle West
Utilities Company, which operates
| largely in Wisconsin, Illinois. and
Indiana. and is serving current to
| the City of Mineral Point, added
23,15O customers during the past
twelve months. They added $500
horsepower in that $4,000 custom
ers. The horsepower that they ad-
ded during the twelve months is
nearly twice as much as is produced
| in the great Chicago Drainage Canal.
If all these $4,000 new customers
| added in twelve months were group
ed together at one place, they would
make a city, counting five people to
family, of 115,750; a city as large as
| Albany, N. T., OF w WuHlHStoh' DOi'
| This great advance was made in 1871
in a year when nearly every industry
was operating at from 80 per cent to
so per cent of capacity. And yet men
who are in a position to realize the
progress and development made, say
that we have merely scratched ths
] surface
Milan r. Bump, of New York City.
| states that less than one-half OF the
homes in America are wired for cleo
trfcity. Only 40 per cent of the total
industrial wheels are turned by CEN
trail station power and with few not
able exceptions, practically none OF
the steam railroads have been elecc-
! trified. He further states that 10 per
cent only of the total possibilities OF
the electrical field has been made.