Duke Starts Work On Power Projects

Duke Starts Work On Power Projects

Construction of Steam Plant, Houses and Camp Started Monday

The Forest City Courier, January 19, 1939

Work on the $10,000,000 steam plant of the Duke Power Company near Cliffside started Monday morning, with a skeleton crew of workmen, laying out the plans for construction of the temporary houses for the workmen, a construction office, a commissary, a mess hall and other temporary buildings. C. T. Wanzer, construction superintendent of the Duke Power Company, announced that C. W. Pierce will be the resident engineer and J. P. Jones will be the construction superintendent for the job.

The actual construction of the steam plant will not be started until the temporary houses have been erected. When the real job is started, a large force of probably several hundred men will be employed: This will be in about 30 days, it was said. The steam plant, second to the giant River Bend plant of the Duke Power system, will require around 18 months for construction. Preliminary survey for a spur track from the C. C. & O. Railway to the site of the project was made several weeks ago. Engineers are now engaged in surveying the actual route of the line, and in mapping the project.

Large numbers of men who are employed on the new project have been in Cliffside looking for rooms and board. All rooms in the Haynes Memorial Building have been filled for weeks. Cliffside Inn and all boarding houses are filled to capacity. The room and board situation is serious, and it is proving difficult for workmen to find places to eat and sleep. It is reported that over one hundred automobiles were at the steam plant site Monday.

Reprinted with permission from The Forest City Courier. Copyright owned by The Forest City Courier.