Collection: Books and Periodicals > Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins

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Title: Volume 055-3 - July 2001 Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins # of Pages: 8 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2014-03-12 07:07:20 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:06:01 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:06:01

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

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Nevada City, where his wheels were manufactured at George Allen’s foundry (now known as the Miners Foundry Cultural Center). In the beginning Pelton’s wheel did not sell very well—until a side-by-side comparison with three “> other wheels was made at the Idaho Mine in May 1883. The superiority of Pelton’s wheel was clearly demonstrated and from then on the revolution was underway. The most prominent mine at that time, the Idaho, was on the forefront in the use of this new technology, as they were first to contract for a water supply in 1882. For this purpose the Cascade Canal was extended by constructing the “Leonard Ditch” to the Leonard Reservoir, very near the same site as NID’s current reservoir on Loma Rica Drive. This extension was nearly thirteen miles long, contouring along to the reservoir at elevation 3160 feet—and then continuing on another mile to the reservoirs of the Grass Valley Water Company and the Idaho Mining Co. This elevation was well above the mines, and allowed the mines to obtain a head of water of 200 to 500 feet. The Leonard is now known as the Lower Cascade. William B. Bourn and his associates formed the Grass Valley Water Company late in 1884 to provide water for the Empire Mine. The company was, in essence, owned and controlled by the mining company. A 13,200-foot-long pipe, 22 inches in diameter, was installed to serve the Empire. Later a pipe was extended to the North Star Mine to power its Pelton wheels. Of significance there was the use vem of very large Pelton wheels, 1814 feet and 30 feet in diameter, to power huge air compressors. The North Star Mine Company acquired the pipe system and reservoir in 1899, and the Grass Valley Water Company was dissolved. Steam power in 1893, according to William F. Engelbright, “cost 56 cents per horsepower for 24 hours, calculating 8 hp for a cord of wood, which costs $4.50 per cord. Water at 134 feet head costs the same as steam, but most water is available at 300 to 400 feet.” Starting in 1883, the use of Pelton’s wheels spread throughout the mining world. By 1895 there were over 120 Pelton water wheels used in the mines of Nevada County, replacing over half the steam-power previously in use. Major Nevada County mines and the number of wheels in use by each were the Idaho (18), North Star (10), Empire (6), Nevada City (5), North Banner (5), Pittsburg (4) and the Charonnat (4). The Electricity Era The Charonnat Mine was the site of another very significant event, which used the water of the Cascade. This mine was located 400 feet in elevation below the Cascade Canal, in the vicinity of Little Deer Creek. In fact, the berm of the little reservoir that served the pipeline can still be seen, about a five-minute walk east on the canal from Gracie and Banner Lava Cap roads. On August 5, 1887, at the Charonnat Mine, electricity was first generated in Nevada County, NCHS Bulletin July 2001 The 30-foot-diameter Pelton Wheel as it was being installed at the North Star Power House. (A. B. Foote photo.) and delivered for lighting to Nevada City. To celebrate this great event properly, the 100-volt circuit was extended to the Glenbrook Fairgrounds and lights were hung all around the racetrack. This was the site of the first-ever horse racing at night in the state. The loss of voltage over the two-mile line was too great, however, and the electrical equipment and Pelton wheels were moved to a better location at the Idaho Mine. Hydraulic mining was greatly slowed down by the Sawyer Decision of 1884, and eventually ceased altogether. The Cascade was in the right place at the right time and had successfully made a transition from supplying water to hydraulic mines to supplying hard-rock mines. This went on for a decade, or more, but then a new transition was about to start. The Nevada County Electric Power Company was formed to build the Nevada “Rome” powerhouse on the South Yuba River, 3.5 miles from Nevada City and 6.5 miles from Grass Valley. The express purpose of this project was to serve the mines as indicated by this quote from the 1895 prospectus: The amount of power now in use in the mines of Grass Valley and Nevada City is estimated to be in the vicinity of 2500 h.p., of which about 1000 h.p. is generated by steam, the balance by water power. In addition to this there are at present idle a large number of mines which are unable to work on account of the high