The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1922-11-24
THE SWAN
FALLS POWER
PLANT
SOME OF THE THINGS SEEN BY
THE EDITORS ON THEIR
THREE DAY TRIP.
MILES SOUTHWEST OF
BOISE.

The following is the first of series
OF articles showing the growth OF
the Idaho Power Company in South
eastern Idaho, in the past few years:
The Swan Falls Power Station.
The Swan Falls Power Plant is
located on the Snake River, about
thirty-five miles southwest of Boise,
between Ada and Owyhee Counties.
1t had it's origin in the days Of the
heavy mining activity in the Silver
City district some twenty odd miles
south, when the famous Trade Dollar
Mine, the Florida Mountain, and the
old War Eagle were heavy produc-
ers. Power was needed for greater
economy in the mining process, and
the fuels were difficult to get because
Of the long distances from source.
The Trade Dollar Consolidated Min
ing and Milling Company, which own
ed the Trade Dollar Mine, conceived
a plan of water power development
at Swan Falls and commenced con-
struction in 1900. At this time the
development of water power was in
its infancy, and the working out Of
the plans was fraught with many
problems new to the developers. The
work of initial development was COM
pleted in 1901 after the construction
of a rock filled crib dam and small
building, which housed the original
installation of turbines and genera
tors producing about 1900 hOrsepow-
er. and the building Of $4,000 volt
transmission line to the Silver City
mission line in southern Idaho. Un-
til about 1906 the development was
used solely for the mining purposes,
when the Swan Falls Power Com
pany was formed. composed OF the
same people who were interested in
the mining, which increased the ca
pacity Of the plant by about 2400
horsepower and constructed the $4,000
volt line from the plant to Nampa,
Caldwell and Pierce Park, for the
purpose not only Of supplying the
public service but also power for the
fnterurban traction line between
Boise and Caldwell In 1910, addi-
tional capacity Of about 1900 horse
power was installed.
In 1911, the system OF plant and
lines was purchased by the Idaho
Railway, Light and Power Company,
which, in 1913, installed an additional
capacity OF about $500 horsepower
and constructed the $4,000 volt trans
mission line from the plant to the
niSfvint n the
Wilson Irrigation District for their
sole services.
In 1916, when the Idaho Power
Company assumed ownership of the
entire project, plapt and lines, II
found the plant in part obsolescen1
and inadequate to meet the demands
it must serve, which were largely in
the Boise and Payette territories
where the existing power possibili
ties and developments were slight as
compared with the potentialities II
the Twin Falls section. In that same
year, in order to help out the situa
ton, the $4,000 volt transmission lint
from the plant to connect with thu
Great Shoshone system at a poin
north of Grandview was constructed
thus affording additional means o
power supply to the west end.
In 1917, a transmission line o
$4,000 volts was constructed from tn
Silver City district to the Demmlnl
Mines. about II miles north.
In 1918, the inefficient works 0
the original installations were re
moved. and in their palce were in
stalled six new units. aggregatin
about 5000 horsepower Of normal ca
pacity.
During 1920 and 1921, the main dar
was almost entirely reconstructed
and twenty-one radial gates, eac
7xl2 feet, were set in, in order NOR
efficiently and economically to cor
troll the head of water above the dan