This large two story brick building was constructed in 1897 as the power house for the Arizona Copper Company Smelter. A newspaper account in 1897 stated that the new power plant would be the largest in Arizona when completed. In 1902 a one story addition was constructed on the west side of the building to house additional gas-powered electrical generating machinery. In 1907 a second addition was constructed to the north of the building for a steam generator. This second addition no longer remains. Two events pushed the A.C.Co. to construct the building in 1897: a fire that year which destroyed a large portion of the smelter facility and the conversion to the Bessmer process of smelting which required larger amounts of electric power. Gas engines in the building powered turbines which produced the electricity. With the completion of the new A.C. Co. smelter south of town in 1914, all electricity for the mines, smelter, and town were produced by steam generated turbines at a facility in the new smelter location. The 1897 building continued to see use as an electric substation and the 1902 addition as a warehouse. After the smelter was closed in 1932, the power house at Morenci supplied all power to the Clifton-Morenci area. A new power plant was constructed in Morenci in 1941 with the new smelter. In addition to its importance by providing electrical power to the mines, smelter, and town, the A.C. Co. power house played a role in the 1915-l916strike against the Company. At the beginning of the strike on Sunday, September 11, striking miners seized the power house and shut down the Arizona Copper Company Smeltery Power House works for three nights. On Wednesday, Sheriff James G. Cash took over the operation of the plant after persuading miners and mine owners that electric power should not be used as a bargaining chip in the strike. Nonetheless, the Sheriff shut down the power at 7:00 oclock p.m. each evening until December 24 when he turned the plant back over to A.C. Co. officials - Historic American Buildings Survey September 1994.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 03:42:57 +0000