NEWS NOTES

POWER AND LIGHT.

Meadow Lake, Wash.—The Washington Water Power Company will build a power-house.

Eugene, Ore.—It is reported that the Willamette Valley company which supplies Eugene with electric light and power is soon to install an entirely new equipment of engines and dynamos in the generating plant at this place.

Republic, Wash.—The county commissioners granted to Arthur Phillips and H. D. Merritt franchises, each for a period of thirty-five years, to lay water mains from Deer Creek to the town of Orient, water pipes throughout the town, and for a pole line and wiring lighting the town and furnishing heat and power.

Twin Bridges, Mont.—Henry Pankey, superintendent of the Easton and Pacific mines, above Virginia City, has returned from California and will at once push matters connected with the erection of an electric power plant at Blaine Springs, which is intended to furnish electric power for the lighting of the county seat.

New Westminster, B. C.—Managing Director Buntzen, of the British Columbia Electric Railway, held a conference with the city council recently to discuss the necessity of erecting a new dam at Lake Coquitlam. Mr. Buntzen agreed that it was necessary, the present one being but a temporary affair. He will recommend the erection of a dam of the best construction to be put up this year.

Cranbrook, B. C.—The mining and general industries of southeast Kootenai will be vigorously stimulated by the fact that Wisconsin capital has now been secured to put through and fully equip the undertaking of the Bull River Power and Light Company on Bull River, near Fort Steele. The enterprise involves the production of over 10,000 horsepower of electrical energy from the river.

Lewiston, Ida.—Development of power on the Clearwater River at Lewiston is at last to become a reality. Work has begun on a power plant within the city limits of Lewiston, which will eventually develop more than 50,000 horsepower. The North Coast Power Company, represented in this field by Engineer Frank McKean and George W. Tannahill, is the concern undertaking the work, and it is understood that the power so developed is to be used for an extensive system of interurban lines connecting Lewiston and vicinity with Clarkston, Asotin, Anatone, Cloverland, and Pomeroy, and extending into the Craig Mountain timber belt and to the cement, lime, and coal deposits on the Snake River above Lewiston.

Tacoma, Wash.—With the granting of a franchise by the county commissioners to Donald Fletcher, the electric power plant to be established on the Teanaway River, at Cle Elum, in Kittitas County, is expected to be a reality. The franchise calls for the beginning of work within two years, a completion of one-fourth of it in five years, and operation in ten years. By the franchise, permission is granted to Mr. Fletcher to string his electric cable along all of the roads in Pierce County. The line will also have to pass through King and Kittitas Counties. Mr. Fletcher’s plan is to build his power plant below the government dam on the Teanaway River, where he believes that at least 110,000 horsepower can be developed. The current brought from the river will be used in supplying light and power in Buckley, Puyallup, Sumner, and Tacoma, and other cities in Pierce and King Counties, according to present plans.

ELECTRIC RAILROADS.

Columbus, Mont.—There will be an electric railroad built between Columbus and Cooke City, a distance of sixty miles, and work on the proposition will commence within the next two months.

Helena, Mont.—It is possible that the Helena Light and Railway Company will expend $70,000 in constructing a new car line to the fair grounds this summer, and in purchasing cars and equipment for handling the crowds which attend the annual State fair.

Turner, Ore.—The Oregon Electric has just finished its survey from Salem to this place, and Turner people confidently expect an electric railroad in a short time. There is an impression that the road will continue on south to Albany or that a branch line will be built east into the Stayton neighborhood.

Okanogan, Wash.—The financial aid of English capitalists, who will take over an issue of $3,000,000 in bonds at 85 cents net, practically has assured the construction of the Okanogan electric railway, a road 75 miles long, which will pass directly through the Okanogan country, according to A. M. Dewey, who has offices in the Empire State Building, Spokane.

Woodburn, Ore.—A standard-gauge electric railroad will be built by the Valley Railway Company from West Woodburn to Woodburn, three miles, and thence through Monitor to Scotts Mills, and on up into the foothills to Wilhoit Springs, a health resort in the Cascades. A branch will be extended from Monitor to Silverton. Construction work will be commenced May 15.

Portland, Ore.—An electric railway company organized by Portland and Seattle men will build a line from Condon to Bend, crossing the John Day River and securing power from that stream, also erecting a dam 200 feet high in the Deschutes River and developing power there. Among those who are engineering the deal are Dr. H. I. Keeney, George C. Mason, and Mark W. Gill.

Pendleton, Ore.—An electric line from Pendleton to Irrigon, touching at Echo, Fosters, Hermiston, and Umatilla, and tapping all that vast section of country now being reclaimed by the government and other private irrigation concerns, is one of the plans of Dr. H. W. Coe, of Portland, who is promoting lands under the Furnish project. A preliminary survey has already been made. The proposed road will be a little more than 50 miles long. It will also eventually be connected with the Milton-Walla Walla electric line.

INCORPORATION.

Santa Barbara.—The Monterey Oil and Development Company has been incorporated with a capital stock of $100,000 by Santa Maria people.

Bakersfield.—The Golden Gate Oil Company has been incorporated with a capitalization of $500,000. The directors are E. D. Gillette, G. R. Neill, W. H. P. McDonald, H. Lucas, and M. S. Platz.

Santa Ana.—Articles of incorporation have been filed by the Consolidated Petroleum Corporation. The incorporators are A. W. Casey, K. A. Snyder, James McDonald, and others, all of Los Angeles. The corporation is capitalized at $1,000,000.

Modesto.—Articles of incorporation have been filed by the Tuolumne Water and Power Company. The capital stock is $1,000,000. The incorporators are Warren Gregory and H. H. Rolfe, of San Francisco; Geo. Whipple, of Alameda; Winfield Dorn, of Oakland; and J. L. Lamson, of Berkeley.

TRANSPORTATION.

Douglas, Ariz.—Douglas and Bisbee are to be connected by an interurban traction line, which is being projected by Cochise County capitalists under the name of the Cochise County Electric Railroad Company. The men interested in the project are James S. Douglas, W. H. Brophy, and George H. Neale. The capital stock is $500,000.

Walla Walla, Wash.—The County Commissioners have granted a franchise to the Mt. Hood Electric Railway Company to construct and operate an electric railway along the edge of the cemetery. The only condition attached is that the company start construction by the first of the year and have the road completed by January 1, 1910.

Los Angeles.—The City Council has passed ordinance 16,320, granting the Los Angeles Railway Company the right to construct and, for a period of 21 years, to operate and maintain a double-track electric street railroad, commencing at the intersection of San Pedro and Thirtieth Streets, thence southerly along San Pedro Street to its intersection with South Park Avenue.

Pasadena.—The City Council has agreed to turn down the request of the Pacific Electric Company for a franchise from Lake Avenue to east city limits on California Street and to turn down the proposition of the company to vacate rights to build on several streets in Pasadena, but voted to grant a franchise on East California Street for a short strip of railway between Mentor Avenue and Tournament Park, where the company has no franchise.

Klamath Falls, Ore.—The Klamath Falls Electric Railway Company is making arrangements for the extension of its street car line this summer. C. N. Hawkins and W. K. Brown, directors of the company, will superintend the work. E. R. Reames, local manager, states that the Belt Line will likely be completed, as negotiations are now under way for enough steel for the entire circuit. The old horse car will be replaced by some kind of motor.

Portland, Ore.—The announcement has been made simultaneously with the increase of the capital stock of the Oregon Electric Company from $2,000,000 to $10,000,000 that the company would begin actual construction on the first of 283 miles of extension branches and laterals to the Portland-Salem electric line, which was placed in operation within the last few weeks. The roads mapped out are from Portland to Tillamook via Hillsboro; Portland to Eugene via Corvallis; Salem to Mill City, Salem to Dallas, Salem to Albany, and Albany to Cascadia.

Woodland.—T. C. Gregory, president of the Vallejo & Northern Railroad, states that he has taken up the condemnation proceedings against the Reed Orchard Company for the large tract of land which the company wishes to acquire opposite Sacramento. The promoters of the road say that they now have all the strategic positions, and a request has been filed with the attorney-general for permission to bring suit in the name of the State against the city of Sacramento, in order to obtain the freight franchise in that city, regarding which some trouble has been experienced.

Portland, Ore.—An electric railway company has been organized by Portland and Seattle capitalists, among them being Dr. H. I. Keeny, Geo. C. Mason, and Mark W. Gill, with Eastern capital also behind them, for the purpose of building an electric railway from Condon to Bend, crossing the John Day River. A dam 200 feet high will be erected in the Deschutes River and power developed there. It is proposed to tap the coal field near Madras and serve the Oregon King gold mine, controlled by Jack Edwards, near Ashwood. The concern will be known as the Portland Construction Company.

TRANSMISSION.

Oroville.—The new Humbug Valley power plant is but one of a number of plants that the Oro Water, Light and Power Company is preparing to construct.

Placerville.—James O’Brien and Robert Duncan have filed notice of the location and appropriation of 5,000 inches of water of the main fork of the Cosumnes River, for power, mining, and irrigation.

Lewiston, Idaho.—Commissioners Salsberg and Miller have reported favorably on the application of the North Coast Power Company for a tract of ground near the water plant for a period of three years, to be used as a site for a power plant.

Chihuahua, Mex.—The Aguila Amalgamated Mining Company, which has taken over eight properties in the Hostotipaquilla district in Jalisco, is planning to erect an electric power plant on Santiago River. J. Burpee Melly, of Boston, Mass., is president of the company.

Placerville.—R. H. Sterling, manager of the American River Electric Company, is at the company’s power-house near this place to inspect the recent work of repairs which has been going on at the power-house for the past two months. Four Pelton water wheels have been installed at a cost, including setting, of $10,000. The new wheels have a capacity of 6,000 horsepower and take the place of those placed five years ago. The large switchboard has also been received and other improvements made. Assistant Superintendent H. McGuirk and twenty-five men have been employed on the job.

San Francisco.—Agents of E. H. Harriman have secured valuable water rights in the Sierra Nevada and Siskiyou Mountains of California at four strategic points. Harriman is planning for the future, by means of these water rights, to generate electric power for the movement of Southern Pacific trains on various sections of its lines. The rights are located in the mountains of Kern County, east of Bakersfield; in Fresno County, east of Fresno; in El Dorado County, on the Rubicon River, and on the Klamath River, in Siskiyou County. It is stated that fully $15,000,000 ultimately will be spent in developing power at these points. The power generated on the Rubicon River will operate Southern Pacific trains between Sacramento and Reno, Nevada. When this electric power plant is completed, Harriman will have finished his proposed 35,000-foot tunnel in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

ILLUMINATION.

Porterville.—Z. G. Peck, representing the firm of Bennison & Bruntion, Los Angeles contractors, has asked for a franchise to lay gas pipes and mains.

Portland, Ore.—The County Commissioners have granted a franchise to C. L. Pritchard for an electric light system complete for the town of Washougal.

East Newport.—Test work has commenced on the natural gas locations in the big asphaltum beds just across the bay from this point, which were filed on recently by W. W. Wilson, P. T. Evans, and Archie Sharpe, of Riverside, and Lew W. Wallace, of Newport. If the supply of natural gas is found to be sufficiently large to warrant it, a plant will be established and pipe lines will be run to Newport and East Newport for lighting and cooking purposes.