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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1913)
2 THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND. JANUARY 12, 1913. BIGGEST POWER PLANT IN WORLD PROPOSED FOR OREGON State Engineer Lewis Recommends Harnessing of Celilo Rapids at Cost of $23,000,000 to Serve People at Low Rate 300,000 to 536,000 Horsepower Available Legislature Urged to Act. i ill f - s-N My -- 5 A III III 8 'k .-lf Ss5 ZTZ fc - - 22 t Z:hi'jX J-'&esgt! tit." yi3 y.. N S Sfc . v- Sa-f, - -A 7- Oc TvTe ' " ' . : ' V y-s ne'af'M' W toe? wr&Zi&t ' , tJ ? ' ' :ZLrf' C"0TveRN"'MF"N"T - CAN . r , L v x "x.n - xX..- ..--, J o - 3 Ifffis - y, I ,ntnr,Ml'eJ -tLMsz --i -I . - if it t -c- 'jw, iw w sv ; . -.1117 - TnnTT - " i f ttl ' ir I H TO HARNESS the enormous -water-power of Celilo Rapids, on the Columbia, thereby creating: the largest power development project In the world, to develop electricity at a minimum rate and furnish itto the people At the lowest possible cost, is the ambitious enterprise recommended to the State Legislature by John H. Lewis, State Engineer, In his biennial report submitted to Governor "West yesterday. Mr. Lewis estimates the cost of this undertaking at $23,000,000, but as the State of Washington has equal inter est with Oregon in the waters of the Columbia, he suggests that half the cost be borne by the neighboring state and that the two states share equally In the. distribution of the resultant benefits. Klectricity can be developed through this proposed project at $6.89 per horsepower per annum, which IS a lower price than has yet been attained anywhere In the United States. The proposed power plant will have a ca pacity of 300,000 horsepower, with the river at its lowest stage of production, and 536,000 horsepower when it Is at its highest stage. Fewer Possible. Power could be sold to the consumer, Mr. Lewis estimates, at 19 per horse power per annum. This figure as sumes Its true significance when It Is pointed out that the present price of electricity In Portland is nearly $100 per horsepower per annum even to the largest consumer. The plan In general calls for the con struction of a dam at the bead of the Columbia river gorge, the diversion of the stream through a canal about oti and one-half miles long, on the Wash ington side, and the erection of an im mense power house containing 21 tur bines for the generation of current. This is believed to be the largest and cheapest water power project in the world. I( is unquestionably the largest so far projected. While perhaps not the cheapest in unit cost, yet from the standpoint of transportation facilities, and marketability of power, it is be lieved to be the cheapest of those large power sites now undeveloped. Seven years ago, when the plan was first conoeived by Mr. Lewis, the proj ect looked ridiculous for want of a market. For 300,000 horsepower is ap proximately one-tenth of the total de veloped waterpower of the United States today, according to the report of the United States Commissioner of Cor porations. During this brief period of seven years, many new Industries which utilize large quantities of cheap electrical power have safely passed the experimental stage, so that within a few years, after completing construc tion, a single Industry could now uti lize the entire output of this enormous plant. Europeans Ape Interested. The market was therefore the first consideration in financing such a proj ect. A circular letter was recently sent to numerous Industries through the East and m Europe, outlining the project in a preliminary way. Several very promising replies have been re ceived. By cablegram from Europe, Mr. Lewis got in touch with the repre sentative of foreign capital seeking a location for a large fertilizer plant on the Pacific Coast. He has been scour ing the world looking tor such loca- KjS&isrv tion, the determining factor being cheap power and convenient trans portation facilities to world markets. After examining all possible locations in Washington and California, and after thoroughly examining the pre liminary plans and estimates for the Columbia River project, he agreed to recommend to his company that they purchase 240,000 horsepower at t9 per horsepower per annum, putting up a $200,000 surety company bond to insure taking the power when delivered, pro vided the state would construct the plant and contract with them for 40 years. It was estimated that at this price the state could construct the project and clear approximately $600,000 per annum, besides having 60,000 additional horsepower, which could be sold, at from 910 to $30 per annum, also a large amount of part-time power. Detailed estimates, which have since been made, substantially confirm the preliminary figures upon which this agreement was based. Until diamond drill borings at the dam site, and along the proposed canal have been made, and final estimates based upon detailed designs have been prepared, such offer could not be ac cepted. Nor could it be accepted or wisely rejected until some comprehen sive water power policy had been adopted by the people requiring also such full and detailed information. The capital which must be invested in the artificial production of nitrate fertilizers is 6.3 times that required In the exploitation of the Chilean depos its. The capital now invested in Chil ean works is $136,000,000. It would require a capital Investment of $860, 000,000 to assure the production of an equal amount of Norway saltpeter, as suming- that sufficient cheap power were available. Mr. Lewis suggests that Oregon's laws and water power policy be ad Justed to meet the requirements .of this Industry, which, is only one of many rabidly growing industries requiring large quantities of cheap power. New Industries Posxible. Some of the new Industries which could be established in Oregon, if large quantities of electrical power could be had at low cost, are: The electrical reduction of iron and steeL The wood distillation Industry, with charcoal for the Iron industry obtained as a by-product after extracting wood alcohol, acetic and oxalic acid, wood oil. turpentine, creosote and acetate of lime, from our stumps and waste wood products of the mill. The making of fertilizer from the air by the fixation of atmospheric nitro gen in the electrio furnace.' The manufacture of calcium carbide, which is used extensively for lighting purposes, and also after further treat ment producing cyan amid and used as fertilizer. The making of alkali from salt by the electrolitic process. The making of aluminum from baux ite. The making of carborundum, which is used extensively as an abrasive. The making of graphite in the elec tric furnace, which is now taking the place of oil as a lubricant. For the melting of concentrates. For innumerable electro - chemical processes. For heat, light and power in the home, on the farm, in hotels, bakeries, factories of every description. Development Means Prosperity. Those now living in Oregon are en titled to some of the benefits of the prosperity which will come through the rapid development of our water re sources. "If this is the largest and cheapest undeveloped water power project in the world. It is of vital importance to the public welfare that this fact be definitely ascertained at the earliest moment," says Mr. Lewis. '"The lack of suitable foundation or some detail so far not considered may yet defeat the project. It is, however, believed the preliminary plans and estimates are so conservative that the final plans and estimates will make even a better showing. "The adoption of some plan to ac complish the development of this proj ect will be of great economic advan tage to the Northwest. "Both Oregon and Washington are equally interested in this project. The United States Is also interested be cause of its control over navigation, and to the further fact that it is the owner of considerable vacant , land along the Columbia River in both states which can be reclaimed only by pumping from the river.. It is during the Summer flood period that the greatest amount of power will be available. This is the season when such cheap power can be utilized for pumping purposes. - Problem Called National. "All three of these agencies should co-operate In the preparation of final plans for the development of this proj ect. It is in every sense an interstate and National problem. If the United States or the Reclamation Service cannot or will not co-operate in these investigations, then the two states phould. If Washington will not en. Operate with Oregon, then we should go it alone. If the Legislature will not supply the funds, then the city of Portland could well afford to investi gate the project. If Portland is not interested, then the two adjacent coun ties or The Dalles should promote the enterprise. "It is believed the history of the 200,000 horsepower Mississippi project, which is now the largest In the world, will prove of value to the public in outlining a plan for the promotion of the Columbia River power project. "The physical construction of the Mississippi water power plant in about two and a half years shrinks, as an achievement, when compared with the 40 years of constant endeavor and 40 months of strenuous toil behind the engineering blue prints. "When Robert E. Lee was a Lieu tenant in the old Army and stationed near Keokuk' he made a report to the War Department on the water power present in the Des Moines rapids in the Mississippi River. Congress Hakes Probe. "It was not until a few years ago that prominent citizens of Keokuk ana Hamilton organized a corporation to obtain the rights needed, promote the project and secure the engineer and money to execute the enterprise. The City Councils of Keokuk and Hamilton appropriated public money, by unani mous consent of the citizens, to this promoting corporation, and every cent of it later was paid back into the city treasuries. The Legislatures of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri helped. Congress ordered a thorough investigation, to safeguard the rights of the public; the commission went into every phase of it, found no opposers to it, and ap proved it under proper regulations. Congress passed the franchise act to the people's promoting company early In 1905, after various committee hear ings. "From this history, It appears that. there is some precedent for the recom mendation that the public appropriate the necessary funds for preparing final plans and promoting this project. Even if it is found necessary for the state of Oregon to put up all the money, it can be made practically a lien upon the project by, authorizing the with drawal of the Columbia River waters I in Oregon until such time as the state is fully reimbursed. It need not Da decided at this time whether the proj ect should be considered by private or public funds. In fact sufficient In formation Is not now available to de cide Intelligently this question. Be fore construction is allowed to begin, the state should first be reimbursed for promotion expenses, even if under taken at public expense, as it would be unfair to ask people in Southern and Eastern Oregon to contribute unless a similar project was investigated and promoted in each of these districts. Scenery Not to Be Destroyed. "It is impossible to conceive of any objection to the appropriation of pub lic funds to gather specific informa tion, when such funds can be made practically a lien upon the project or district benefited, and ultimately re turned to the state treasury." The construction of this power plant will not destroy a waterfall of great scenic beauty, but will, on the contrary, create one which at the low stage of the. river will equal one-half the height of Niagara Falls. It will involve the absolute control of a mighty river, carrying at low stage ten times the low water flow of the Willamette at Oregon City, and 28 times this amount during extreme floods, and at a point where there is a natural flunctuation of 95 feet between low and high water. The dam and controlling works will be located at the head of Five-Mile Rapids, from which point a canal 300 feet wide and approximately 20 fet (Concluded on Pans &)'