1910-08-04-sr-p8-c5-power-on-at-little-falls-dam
August 04, 1910 Spokesman-Review Page 8 Column 5:
TURNS ON POWER AT LITTLE FALLS
Washington Water Power Company’s Big Plant Is Put in Operation.
FINISHED AFTER 2 YEARS
Juice Is Furnished Big Bend, Palouse and Coeur d'Alene Regions—Other Additions Coming.
After two years and at a large expense, the Washington Water Power company again has harnessed the energy of the Spokane river, this time at Little Falls, about 80 miles from Spokane, and with one of four units in operation is sending 9000 horsepower of electrical force to the Big Bend, the Palouse and the Coeur d'Alene country. The “juice’ from the newest and largest plant of the Washington Water Power company was sent over the 29-mile power line Sunday in a test trial. Tuesday morning, when heavy traffic was on, the line began its steady stream of energy and will continue to carry the traffic of the districts now connected.
The building of the Little Falls plant was started in 1908, and it will be several months before the four units, or water wheels, will be connected up and the full power sent across the country. The plant will have a capacity of 36,000 horsepower when completed, each of the turbines having @& capacity of 9000 horsepower. Each turbine weighs about 35 tons.
The Little Falls plant is not as yet connected with the Spokane lines, the Spokane plant supplying sufficient power of the city traffic. The Little Falls plant is larger than the Spokane plant and, except while repairs or improvements or alterations are being made, the local plant will be used almost exclusively at first for the Inland Empire traffic outside of Spokane,
This plant is but one of the many improvements under way and planned by the Washington Water Power company.
