Electrical Power for Valdez and the Copper River Basin-1981

shorp--probablv to facilitate easier transport of supplies and equipmentfrom the l,o,iharf. Civilian quarters and stables formed their own complex.a short distance west of the post.Both permanent and portable buildings were constructed at Fort Liscum.Nearly all of the permanent buildings, such as the barracks, officers 'quarters, offices, amusemet hall, hospital, etc., were occupied in 1900;they were frame structures with wood foundations and corrugated ironroofs. Additional permanent structures were constructed in 1904-05 whenthe post garrison was increased to two companies; these buildingw wereessentially the same in architectural style as earlier structures. Theexception was the commanding officer's quarters, the only building atFort Liscum with concrete foundations, basement, and closed porch. Mostportable buildings at Fort Liscum were assembled from sheets of corruqatediron in 1901; many had boarded interiors, while others were metalshells.For a community of its size. Fort Liscum was provided with a remarkablenumber of modern facilities. The post had its own telephone system,connecting all of the offices and several officer's quarters. The"centra 1" was located in the guardhouse, and operated by a member of theguard on duty. The post also had a telegraph office which, by means of asubmarine cable to Valdez, allmved communications with almost any pointin Alaska and the contiguous United States. Also, the post had a governmentlaunch, which made trips to Valdez on a regular basis. Fort LiscumW(jS not an isolated post in the wi lderness.In the early 1900 ' s, water was obtained primarily from a barrel sunk intothe bed near the mouth of Allison Creek. Water \',as dipped from thebarrel, and then del ivered by water cart to the post. Thi s arduousmethod was modified somewhat in early 1903 when a small pipe wasinstalled to conduct water from Allison Creek to the company and hospitalkitchens, and bath house. Water for the officers ' quarters and barracklavatories was still obtained oy water cart. Late in 1903, however,Chief Surgeon of the Department of Columhia, Lieutenant-Colonel Wilcox,inspected the post and recommended the installation of modern water andsewage systems, noting also that Allison Creek might prove a source ofelectricity. In 1904, a dam was constructed to form a reservoir, and atemporary pipe system installed. The next season, modern plumbingfacilities began to be installed.Completed in 1906, the new water system eliminated the old method oftransporting water by cart to post buildings and disposing garbage andrefuse in dry earth closets. A 4-inch main conducted water from AllisonCreek to distributinq pipes with a pressure of about 75 pounds to thesquare inch. Barracks, officers ' quarters, the hospital, and otherbuildings were thus equipped with enamel bath tubs and wash bowls, showerbaths in the barracks, wash sinks and closets. Two sewer mains drainedinto the bay near the limit of low tide. Fire hydrants were convenientlylocated about the grounds. Water pressure on the lower levels of thereservation was sufficient to throw two fair streams of water over two-F-3