The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1922-11-30
Idaho Editors Beard
sPOzveY Trust IN Den
(BY n. ID. READl

which lights our homes and turns the
wheels OF our industries.
The first thing that met our eyes
on approaching the power buildings
we're forbldding signs bearing the
legends Keep OUT" Danger
Hot Wires" and other words, plain.
~ limiting that the occasional visitor
Is decidedly unwelcomo But. as this
was a personally conducted" affair.
we strobe boldly past the signs and
entered the forbidden territory. Once
inside we realized that the signs con-
veyed very good advice. indeed. for
70 the unwary the place might have
been veritable death-trap. Even
while keeping close 10 our very com
petent guides. little shlyers persist
ed In chasing each other up aud down
our spines as We stepped glngerly be-
tween whirling dynamos on the one
side and a maze OF wicked-Iooking,
shiny copper wires on the other. The
while our hosts discoursed Interest
ing and ito u.s. quite unintelllgibly
on dynamos. horsepower. voltage.
kilowatts, busses. transformers and
what-nots. all or which slipped
through the editorial mind quite az
readily as the waters OF Snake river
rushed through the mill-races under
meath the power house.
Gradually the feeling OF awe sub
sided aud We came 10 take more in
':ercst in our surroundings. which.
while entirely strange and totally
different. gave a familiar feeling OF
the busy. bustling print shop az
home. Each place visited gave Inn
pressions OF spotless cleanliness. per-
fection OF functioning and marvellous
One thing which seemed
almost incredible. was the few OPP
orators required to run the instltn-
ton, as IN none OF the plants were
here more than two employees on
SHIFT az the same time. However.
al Of the plants. while OF necessity
located far from the haunts OF man.
are connected with each other and
with the general offices by telephone
and help may be- summoned when
any OF the machinery refuses TO
function or tho forces Of nature over
power the works OF man.
A brier history OF the Swan falls /
power plant. the first in Southern
IDAHO. might be Of ints<ess here. and
Quo.e from a descriptive circular 4
BY the power company Of 4
'lcials
The Swan falls power plant IL To-
'afed on the Snake river. about 35
niles southwest 81 Boise. between
Ada and Owyhee counties.
II had its oriFin 10 the days Of
he heavy mining sctiFlty In the
liver City district some 20 odd
niles south. when the famous Trade
Dollar mine. she FLORIDA Mountain.
nd the old War EaFle were heavy
lrodVcefz Poser vas needed Tor
reatsr economy IN ,Te mining proc
80. and the fuels we're difficult 20
.ef becauses Of the long distances
rom source. The Trade Dollar Con
Mining aud Milling COM
any. which owned the Trade Dollar
line. conceived = plan 81 water pow
2 Development az swan falls and
ommenced construction IN 1909. At
lis time the development Of water :
overs vas IN Is infancy and the Z
orklng out OF the plans vas fraurhf }
.ith many problems new 70 the de-
clippers. The work Of Initial de- ?
siopmeut was completed Ia 1901. !
tier the construction Of rock-filled
- dam and q small building.
hich housed the original inxfslla-
on Of turbines and generators pro-
lcing about 1900 horsepower. and
Continued on page 81