The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-08-18
POWER PROJECT
ON YELLOWSTONE
TWO MILLION DOLLAR UNDER
TAKING TO SUPPLY SOUTH
EAST WITH ELECTRICITY
Will Deliver Power to Miles, Forsyth,
Terry, Rosebud and Glendive, and
Pump Water to IrTigate 1O9,OO
Acres of Land Now Arid.

Definite plans for the development
of a 3,000-kilowatt hydro-electric
power project at Buffalo rapids, nine
miles east of Miles City, which will
serve several growing cities in east
ern Montana and also will make pos
sible the reclamation of 100000
acres of farm land in the rich Yell
lowstone valley, will be consummated
in the next so to 80 days, according
to A. c. Leighton of Miles City. Mr..
Leighton and his brother, Joseph B.
Leighton, are the principal promoters
of the project, the latter now being
in New York city, where he is ar
ranging with financiers to underwrite
the cost of the development, which
is estimated at $2,000,000.
Scotch is Engineer
Virtually all of the preliminary
plans and surveys of the project have
been finished, Frank Scotch of Great
Falls, superintendent of the Montana
Power company, being one of the
engineers. says Leighton.
The federal power commission gave
it's approval to the proposed develop
ment last May and the Montana pub
lie service commission has approved
the schedule of rates to be charged
for delivery of current from the plant
when completed.
1t is proposed to deliver electric
current to the cities of Forsyth, Rose
bud, Miles City, Terry and Glendive,
al of these places now being served
1y plants which generate their cleo
.ricity by steam. The project will
lot be in competition with the Mon
ana Power company, says Leighton,
he latter company's lines going no
arther east than Billings.
When tentative agreements are
made with the power companies in
he territory to be served as to the
mount of current desired by each,
o that the earning capacity of the
proposed plant can be definitely fix
d, Leighton believes it will be a suf-
iciently attractive investment to find
he necessary capital in the east. He
now ready to conclude these agree
aents. since state public service COM
lission has fixed the rates.
Has 100 Feet SpiIlway
The project provides for. low
cad system, the dam to be 1900
set lIOD1 Jain W Oohh VI thC AAFCi1
18th a spillway of 100 feet. The
eight of the dam, over all, will be
8 feet. The plant will have a capa-
ty of II 400 horsepower or approx
lateIy $4,000 kilowatts The cur
ant will be delivered to the local
over companies at their switch
cards at a wholesale rate from the
lines belonging to the
over project which will extend from
orsyth to Glendfve, Leighton says.
addition to current sold to power
,mpanies, current also will be sold
the Milwaukee railway for use in
s shops at Miles City and to the
orthern Pacific for use in its shops
Glendive.
The other big use to which the
ectric power from the project will
put will be in operating centri-
gal pumps which will lift the water
ON the Yellowstone river for irri-
ltion at many points in the valley
,tween Forsyth and Glendive, Mr..
sighton points out.
The tracts are isolated and range
ON 10 to 1000 acres in area, to-
ling 100000 acres. Though 1t
mprises some of the best land in
q valley, nothing but sagebrush is
owing on it now, he says.
Average Lift so Feet
The average lift to be made for
e tracts will be 60 feet, says Mr.
sighton, the highest initial cost an
re for any of the tracts will be S25
Id the annual charge for water de-
7ery will be less than So per acre.
The Northern Pacific railway and
e Milwaukee railway, both systems
aversing the project, are interested
its development. Mr.. Leighton
poets that the Northern Pacific will
lively participate in colonizing the
ca when the power plant is COM
sted It is proposed to have farms
larger than 80 acres.