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History of Laramie, (Albany County) WyomingOur database does not include an historic photo for Laramie, (Albany County) Wyoming, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us! 15% - 35% off all Products ยป The Ready Store Local Historical and Genealogical Records:Robert M. Jones Family Robert M. Jones possesses a natural love for, and the ability to understand and manage intricate machinery. In 1870 he joined a government surveying party and went to the Indian Territory. Within six months he was appointed Deputy United States Surveyor and placed in charge of a party, a business which he followed the most of the time until about 1885. During this time he invented and secured a patent on the application of the latitude are to the engineer's solar transit, which has come into general use. For a little time he followed mining, but soon turned his attention to electricity, and equipments by which it might be controlled. Space forbids any but a notice of the principal results of his genius. He made drawings of and had constructed the best electric drill known to modern engineering for mining purposes, for which he has received letters patent.Another novelty which he introduced is, placing the large generators on the same base frame, as, and directly connected to the waterwheels. This was first done in works hereafter noticed, and the idea originated with Mr. Jones, and has grown to be the common practice. As to this one plant (the Big Cottonwood), it has been said, that it alone would be a monument to the ability and genius of the best mechanical and electrical engineer of the time, for after years of continuous use it demonstrates that there was no error in design, or execution of construction. Ordinarily we appreciate little of what we do not fully understand. We see results, but can only conjecture as to the cause which produces them. A short notice from a scientific journal will express more understandingly the work Mr. Jones has planned and accomplished than can be done in any other way. Robert Mills Jones originated the scheme of supplying Salt Lake City with electric power from the falls on Big Cottonwood Creek, fourteen miles away. A company was formed of which Mr. Jones was the engineer. He perfected his plans, built a dam 535 feet long, from 92 to 135 feet wide at the base, from 19 to 31 feet high, and 24 feet wide at the top. It is constructed of sand, clay and gravel, riprapped with stone on the upper side. This furnishes, with the static head of 380 feet at the power house, a theoretical horse-power of 2,450 at low water, and 3,600 for eight months of the year. Between the reservoir and the power house, it was necessary to tunnel 430 feet through slate and quartzite, and the tunnel is 7 feet wide by 7 1/2 feet high. One pipe 1,420 feet long, built of Oregon fir staves, and heavily banded with steel, 50 inches in diameter, conveys water to an intake, or receiver, from which a steel pipe 2,300 feet long and 50 inches in diameter conveys it to the power house. The site was located in 1891, and in 1896, 68 per cent. of the total theoretical power at the power house could be delivered at the city; that is 40,000 horse power hours a day, net, with the plant as then equipped. Later, Mr. Jones was engineer for the Pike's Peak Power Company. Here is located what is said to be the largest steel faced granite back-filled dam in the United States. Machinery was manufactured in accordance with special plans and specifications made by Mr. Jones, a full description of which may be found in the June, 1900, number of Modern Machinery, published at Chicago. These works have developed engineering skill that seems incredible, and a person may well wonder what will come next; for in this undertaking, blasts were fired equal to the explosion of 35,000 pounds of powder, which raised the entire tops of mountains, and made way for what seemed impossible. In this work, Mr. Jones' brother, Stiles D., lent his aid by bringing order out of chaos among the workmen, and directing understandingly the work which had been planned; so that success crowned their efforts and gave to the world one of the most difficult feats of engineering skill ever attempted.
From: History and Genealogy of the Ancestors and Family of Captain Israel Jones of Barkhamsted Connecticut. By Asahel Wellington Jones. Published by Laning Co., 1902.
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Wyoming Facts:
Laramie is situated 2184 meters above sea level. |