Electron Hydro

Electron began to generate energy for the first time in its history on April 14, 1904.  For the past fourteen months, a crew of 1,500 to 2,500 men had worked to build one of the most innovative examples of hydropower of its time. Bihler and Rydstrom, a company from Tacoma, Washington, worked to design and construct a powerhouse that would be forty-two feet deep and 150 feet long. The Porter Brothers of Spokane built the diversion and intake structure.   The ten mile long flume and reservoir were the brainchild of Stone and Webster, an engineering firm from Boston. Stone and Webster faced many challenges in their design.  It was estimated that the slope of the hillside was greater than fifty degrees for more than fifty percent of the length of the flume. They also incorporated numerous curves into the flume to help steady the flow of the water moving through its channel. These famous curves are responsible for the flume's most popular nickname: the Crookedest Railroad in the World.    Most of the materials used to construct the flume, as well as other aspects of the project were brought in by pack trains. An estimated 600 teams of horses towed lumber, while workers cleared timber and built roads on the unforgiving land.  To this day, much of flume is accessible only by a rail car that travels on top of the structure, on which only Electron Hydro employees are authorized to ride.