The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-07-06

and heaviest line Of its type so far
constructed in this part of the coun-
try. The wires will be nearly q
inch in diameter, of stranded 40
copper and each of the 3 wires COM
posing the circuit will be supported
by an insulator string of Z discs
which will be a feet long. The
wires and insulators will be support
ed in a horizontal plane from the
cross-arm, % feet long which is in
turn supported by two SIS #. butt
treated cedar poles spaced IL feet
apart, guyed and braced where con-
ditions make it necessary. The
standard span between towers is $50
feet but where ground conditions
make it necessary, spans as long as
100 feet are used.
On account of the size and cost
of this line it is impracticable to
follow highways and it, therefore.
runs cross country by the shortest
feasible route from the plant near
Ely, to Virginia, distance of So
miles.
AT Virginia an outdoor stepdown
substation will be constructed which
will stepdown the voltage from no.
600 to $4,000. The low voltage
side will be connected to the 3-22,-
600 volt lines of the Minnesota Utii-
tiles and Great Northern Power
Company which serve the mines and
a number of towns on the Range.
New Line for Western Mesabi.
Another 10000 volt line, similar
in construction to the one between
the Ely plant and Virginia, is being
constructed from the Thomson plant
OF the Great Northern Power Co. to
Nashwauk at the western end of
the Mesabi range, where the voltage
VIII be stepped down to $4,000
through an outdoor substation sim
liar to the one at Virginia, except
that the capacity will be 22.55O kva
instead of 10000 kva. The low
voltage side of the transformers
will be connected to the $4,000 volt
lines which serve the Mesabi range.
AT present these $4,000 volt lines
are dependent for their power sup
ply upon the steam plants at CHS
holm and Virginia and the existing
5000 volt line from the Thomson
hydro-eleetric station of the Great
Northern Power Co., which ties into
the system through the sub station
at Hibbing. Upon completion of
the Ely power plant, the two trans
mission lines and substations, the
facilities for serving business on
the Mesabf range will be second to
none, and the Vermilion range,
which at the present time is depend
emit upon small isolated steam plants,
will have dependable service from
the $4,000 volt line which is being
built from the Ely hydro-elactric
plant to the Soudan mine near
Tower.
Big New Dam at Thomson.
With the enlarged transmission
and distribution facilities, the
sources of power supply will not be
OF sufficient capacity to meet the de-
mands for power, and to meet this
situation work has just been started
on 10000 horse power hydro
electric plant on the st. Louis River,
just above Fond du Lac, (Duiuth).
This work involves the construction
of a concrete dam 100 feet high
above bed rock and $50 feet long,
and a concrete intake with IL #.
diameter pipes 200 feet long lead
ing to the water wheels in the
power house. The ultimate install
lation in the power house will con-
sist of two 1900 kilowatt, or 49,
600 horse power units. At the
present time it is planned to install
one unit only, leaving the second
unit to be installed some time in
the future. Work will be rushed
night and day to make power avail
able from this plant as soon as pos
sible. It is expected to be complet- |
ed and in service by July, 1924. |
The power from this plant will be
transmitted 8 miles to the Thorn
SON plant where it will be connect
ed to the 10000 volt line to Nash
into Duluth and Superior.
1t is expected that the construc-
ton planned and under way at the
present time is only the beginning
of a program Of development which
will do much to encourage and pro-
mote the growth Of the northern
section of the state.