I have wondered why there were so many openings for wires exiting the building at Fremont. As I recall the generators are not very big, something like 200 or maybe 250kW each of which there are 2. I had assumed maybe 3 openings 3ph. for a circuit to Red Boy and the other heading toward Rock Crk. via. Granite and Bourne. The transformers are located just behind that wall, though one is missing that I understand was robbed from Fremont to keep Rock Creek operating. This is all getting a long way from railroading, but like Tacoma, these power plants are part of the heritage of the area. SVRy probably hauled the equipment for Fremont to Sumpter. Also SVRy hauled hog fuel from Bates (Batesvelle) to S.Baker to burn in a steam power plant that supplemented the output from these 2 hydroplants. As the whole area of Baker and Union counties were connected in a mini grid power for the dredges was actually comming from any and all of the connected sources.
I believe prior to the 1917 Sumpter fire, there was a hydroplant in Sumpter that ran off the cities water system. I have never heard any details. Up Cracker creek there is also a site that appears to have had a small hydroplant though I haven't asked around about it. They uesed to sometimes use Pelton wheels to power air compressors for mines, so it could have been that.
I had the privelege of knowing a gentleman now passed on that was the son of East Ore. Light and Power Co's Superintendent back in the early part of the 20th century up into probably the 40's. The son told me he spent all his summers doing painting and grounds maintenace at these and the several other small plants around the area. E.O L.and P. as indicated by the Rock Crk. Sw. boards had a line to Baker from Rock Creek which tied into the system them fed off the steam plant. They also had a line to the Grande Ronde Vly as indicated by the switch board. In the G.R. Valley, they had another hydroplant which I think still exists and is owned by the City of Cove and another hydroplant at LaGrande that took it's water from Morgon Lake. This was an independant power system not tied to any outside grid. Not sure when connection to the outside world was made, but I guess it was in the mid 50's as that is when the system in the Grande Ronde Valley was connected to another independent system here in the Wallowa Valley with 2 more hydroplants.
My oppologies for going off on a technological tangent.
