The Hood River News, Hood River, OR., June 19, 1912, page 2

NEW DAM WILL BE WORLD'S STRONGEST

     A small mountain of basalt rock is to be ground into sand for use in the dam which the Northwestern Electric Company is building in the development of its power site on the White Salmon River. The dam, preliminary work for which is now underway at the back of the Kuhne Orchards three miles above White Salmon, will be 100 feet high, 400 feet long and 100 feet thick at the base, from there tapering to a thickness of 15 feet at the top.
     Orders were placed by the Northwestern Electric Company from its offices in Portland last week for three rock crushers to grind up the rock. According to the engineer's estimates 20,000 cubic feet of this material, or 30,000 tons, will be needed in the mixing of the concrete for the dam.
     So far as the engineers know, this will be the first time that crushed rock has ever been used in place of sand in concrete work of this magnitude, but they say the result will be the strongest dam in the world.
     The contract for the dam and power plant calls for its completion by the first of January, 1913. It will develop 20,000 electrical horse power. High tension copper wires will carry the current to Portland, though much of it will be used in Washington towns.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer