The amount of work
done, or of water used, has not been carefully determined; judging from
the indicator cards taken from the old steam-engines, the managers of the
Idaho believe that an efficiency of fully 80 per cent. of the theoretic
power of the water is obtained on the main driving-shafts of the
machinery. The substitution of water for steam-power has resulted in a
large saving of expense. Although the hills near by are covered with fine
forests, thus making wood cheap, and although a round price is charged for
water by the company furnishing it, the cost of the water is considerably
less than that of the wood formerly used as fuel. The cost of attendance
is altogether in favor of the water-wheels, which hardly require any
attention. The cost of the change from steam to water-power was
$46,496.32.
* * * * *
TEXAS CREEK PIPE AND AQUEDUCT.
A description of this work will be of interest in showing the general
practice followed in California for carrying water across deep mountain
gorges. In order to augment its water supply, the North Bloomfield Gravel
Mining Company desired to conduct water from a stream known as Texas
Creek, in Nevada County, California, across the Big Canon branch of the
South Yuba River into the main Bloomfield flume or aqueduct, which was
located on the side of Big Canon Creek, at a vertical elevation of 620
feet above the bed of the latter stream.
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