A Power Surge for Newport
The Northern Idaho & Montana Power Co. completes a major infrastructure investment, signaling a new era of industrial potential for the town.
The Northern Idaho & Montana Power Co. this week moved its office into the new sub-station building at the corner of Pine Street and Washington Avenue. The building is a fine ornament to the town and is in line with the substantial character of all the undertakings of the company. It is now about a year ago that the company purchased the broken-down plant which had been giving Newport an indifferent light service. The company promised an improvement in the service and that they would keep pace with the growth of the town. All told, the investment for the Newport plant will be in the neighborhood of $140,000. In order to make the company's investment a profitable one, it will be necessary that industrial plants be located here to make use of the power offered, and it is a part of the company's program to assist in the securing of such industries as soon as the plant is ready for service.
“Cheap power, transportation facilities and an abundance of raw materials are the requisites for the establishment of an industrial center.”
This story highlights the historical reliance on private utility monopolies to drive local industrialization. The transition from 'indifferent' local service to a large, corporate-backed grid is a recurring theme in the electrification of the Pacific Northwest.
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