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371:(BPA). Ross supported Roosevelt's intent that the BPA should give preference to rural communities. In a 1937 interview, Ross predicted "All the energy in the Columbia River Basin may not be needed right now, but the time is going to come when the country will use it—every single kilowatt of it. Just as someday there may be insufficient oil or coal in America, there also may be a shortage of electric power."
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forest fire, and a shortage of electricity. Although Ross had estimated that the Skagit River operation would provide electricity to
Seattle by 1921, those various delays pushed the date to 1924. Ross oversaw the construction of three dams for the project: one on Gorge Creek, one in Diablo Canyon, and one at Ruby Creek. The Gorge Dam generators were formally started by
244:. In 1903, Ross was appointed assistant city engineer and chief electrical engineer for Seattle. He began the Cedar Falls project with a timber dam which raised the river's level by 18 feet (5.5 m). The water was directed by the dam into an 49 inches (1,200 mm) diameter pipeline that was 15,407 feet (4,696 m) long and connected to a steel
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During the early decades of the twentieth century, Seattle was a battleground between private and public utility interests. Ross was a proponent of municipal ownership of utilities, and felt the duplication of infrastructure by competing privately-owned utilities was wasteful. Puget Sound Power &
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In 1938, Roosevelt was concerned by the results of a survey of the nation's power facilities by the FPC and War
Department. Ross was directed to investigate the feasibility of linking power resources across the country, an idea that expanded on Ross's vision of a regional power network in the west.
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published a special late evening edition carrying a story by Ross and urging voters to pass the charter amendment. The amendment passed, and partisans of Ross began a recall campaign against the mayor. On July 13, 1931, voters elected a new mayor, Robert Harlin, who promptly appointed Ross back to
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to the top of the dam. Next, they rode a barge or tour boat to Ruby Creek, then returned to
Rockport. Over 100,000 people visited the Skagit Project by 1941. After the war, shortened tours resumed. Ross would personally narrate slide shows for the tours. Ross's hobby was gardening, which he put to
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to control access to the area. After the railroad reached the site above
Newhalem, a two-mile tunnel was dug between the dam and the powerhouse. Work was frequently delayed by floods, mudslides, and avalanches. The schedule was further delayed by workers leaving to hunt for gold, labor troubles, a
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J. D. Ross, one of the greatest
Americans of our generation, was an outstanding mathematician and an equally great engineer. He had also the practical ability to make things work in the spirit of public opinion and successful business. More than that, he was a philosopher and lover and student of
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In 1931, a charter amendment that would give Ross authority over engineering projects for City Light was on the ballot, which was opposed by political opponents and which local newspapers predicted would lose decidedly. On March 9, the day before the election, Seattle mayor Frank
Edwards abruptly
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a national model for municipal ownership, such as encouraging the use of electricity for home heating, cooking, and other appliances, and directly selling appliances to customers. He staffed each branch office with an appliance salesman, offered free appliance repair, and arranged for
299:, because Puget Sound Power & Light, which held permits to build there, had failed to begin construction within the required time. The city council approved $ 1.5 million in bonds for construction. The construction camp was set up at the mouth of
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435:. Ross was buried at Mount Ross, in the heart of the Skagit Project. Alice died on April 5, 1956, at age 69, and was buried with Ross. Their graves are marked with a granite tomb with a bronze plaque embossed with a statement written by Roosevelt:
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that turned two 1,200-kilowatt generators. The generators supplied power to the light bulbs in the powerhouse for the first time on
October 7, 1904, and to the city of Seattle by January 31, 1905 through the newly-established Seattle City Light.
326:, visitors rode City Light's steam locomotive 23 miles to Newhalem. Dormitories were provided, as were meals in The Gorge Inn. The next day, visitors boarded another train to Diablo, where they toured the powerhouse and rode an
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Fascinated by science from a young age, Ross became an expert in electricity through books and experimentation. In 1891, he graduated from
Chatham Collegiate Institute. After teaching school for six years, he headed to the
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to give lessons on new labor-saving devices. In the 1914 mayoral election, due the popularity of Ross's programs, both candidates promised that Ross would remain superintendent of lighting.
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fired Ross for "inefficiency, disloyalty, and willful neglect of duty" and for "participation in politics". Although the mayor had expected the firing to become public the following day,
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A masonry dam to replace the timber dam at Cedar Falls that Ross pushed for against geologists' warnings caused two floods, one in 1915 and one in 1918, the first destroying the town of
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Ross was appointed superintendent of lighting for
Seattle in 1911, a position he would hold for 28 years. As superintendent, he instituted programs to make
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Light, a private utility company, frequently attacked City Light, and Ross personally, through the local newspapers, public campaigns, and in lawsuits.
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trees and flowers. His successful career and especially his long service in behalf of the public interest are worthy of study by every
American boy.
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172:(November 9, 1872 – March 14, 1939) was the superintendent of lighting for Seattle for 28 years and was the first administrator of the
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He advised the President that underground cables linking electrical supply would be "safer from aerial attack in time of war".
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In 1931, Ross accepted Roosevelt's invitation to be a consulting engineer on New York's Saint Lawrence River project, the
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473:"PWA POWER ADVISER IS APPOINTED TO SEC; Ross, Advocate of Government Ownership of Utilities, to Succeed Pecora"
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dams with backbone lines connecting south to California, east to Montana, and southeast to Idaho.
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Columbia River Power for the People: A History of Policies of the Bonneville Power Administration
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Ross died on March 14, 1939, age 66, from a massive heart attack soon after an operation at the
385:(FPC) consulted him on the National Power Survey. In 1935, Ross was an advisory engineer to the
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began, the need for power to support war production multiplied. Ross obtained approval from the
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his position. The controversy had gained attention outside of Washington. New York Governor
322:, Ross began a program in which City Light offered guided tours of the Skagit Project. From
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While serving as BPA Administrator, he remained City Light's superintendent. In 1934, the
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788:. National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. p. 89
447:, the third Skagit River project dam which was completed the year after his death,
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553:. Seattle, Wash: History Ink, in association with University of Washington Press.
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367:. In 1937, Ross resigned from the SEC, and became the first administrator of the
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In 1937, supporters of Ross began raising funds to have his likeness carved into
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200:. His mother died when Ross was two years old. When he was 16, his father died.
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When Seattle voters approved a bond measure for a municipal power plant on the
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822:. U.S. Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration. pp. 102–110
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236:, Ross developed blueprints for the infrastructure of what would become the
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hydroelectric power plants. A self-taught engineer, Ross advocated for
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In his first BPA report, Ross revealed a master plan that would link
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and regional power networks. He also later served as a member of the
451:, and Mount Ross were named in his honor. Ross Lake became part of
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good use creating tropical gardens at the Skagit River project.
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Contractors built a 25-mile rail line to Gorge Creek, allowing
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where he was a steam engineer in a cannery. Later, he moved to
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in 1898. After a year and a half of prospecting, Ross moved to
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Ross married Alice M. Wilson in 1907. They had no children.
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sent Ross a letter of congratulations on his reappointment.
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Power for the people : a history of Seattle City Light
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Canadian-American engineer and electric grid administrator
176:. He was instrumental in developing the Cedar Falls and
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Members of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
745:"Accounting, Reports to Stockholders, and the SEC"
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303:, giving the unincorporated community its name.
606:"North Cascades:History Basic Data (Chapter 8)"
785:Prologue: The Journal of the National Archives
743:Kaplan, Maurice C.; Reaugh, Daniel M. (1939).
351:, however the project never came to fruition.
610:NPS.gov Homepage (U.S. National Park Service)
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248:. The water flowed from the penstock to two
782:National Archives Trust Fund Board (1973).
691:"Prophet of a New "Promised Land of Power""
689:Neuberger, Richard L. (November 14, 1937).
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59:August 23, 1935 – October 31, 1937
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238:Seattle Municipal Light and Power Plant
154:Seattle Municipal Light and Power Plant
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272:and the second destroying the town of
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716:Wood, James A. (September 29, 1935).
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216:to open his own electrical business.
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583:"Famous Engineer, J. D. Ross Passes"
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657:Richardson, Vince (July 21, 2013).
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196:Ross was born November 9, 1872, in
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453:Ross Lake National Recreation Area
363:in 1935 by Roosevelt, who was now
361:Securities and Exchange Commission
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297:Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
186:Securities and Exchange Commission
150:Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
47:Securities and Exchange Commission
14:
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631:Barich, Bill (January 4, 1982).
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663:McClatchy-Tribune Business News
369:Bonneville Power Administration
174:Bonneville Power Administration
158:Bonneville Power Administration
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318:From 1928 until the start of
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845:. April 6, 1956. p. 9.
387:Public Works Administration
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718:"Seattle Would Honor Ross"
359:Ross was appointed to the
250:Pelton impulse waterwheels
313:President Calvin Coolidge
289:Department of Agriculture
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156:, first administrator of
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885:American civil engineers
383:Federal Power Commission
376:Moses-Saunders Power Dam
315:on September 17, 1924.
860:James D. Ross archives
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749:The Accounting Review
549:Wilma, David (2010).
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342:Franklin D. Roosevelt
291:to build dams on the
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210:Anacortes, Washington
68:Franklin D. Roosevelt
841:"Ross' Widow Dies".
816:Norwood, G. (1981).
633:"J.D. ROSS'S VISION"
206:Klondike gold fields
45:Commissioner of the
890:People from Seattle
242:Reginald H. Thomson
895:History of Seattle
771:– via JSTOR.
722:The New York Times
695:The New York Times
659:"Powerful history"
477:The New York Times
455:in October, 1968.
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308:Seattle City Light
258:Seattle City Light
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220:Seattle City Light
170:James Delmage Ross
843:Spokane Chronicle
589:. March 15, 1939.
560:978-0-295-98576-3
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337:The Seattle Star
198:Chatham, Ontario
182:public utilities
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120:Chatham, Ontario
117:November 9, 1872
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102:Personal details
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80:Ferdinand Pecora
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133:(aged 66)
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320:World War II
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178:Skagit River
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131:(1939-03-14)
92:Jerome Frank
87:Succeeded by
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880:1939 deaths
875:1872 births
826:February 9,
792:February 9,
642:February 8,
616:February 8,
433:Mayo Clinic
424:Burial site
285:World War I
234:Cedar River
75:Preceded by
869:Categories
671:1406052087
490:2022-01-22
459:References
398:Bonneville
349:Mount Ross
228:1915 flood
192:Early life
138:Occupation
113:1872-11-09
35:Ross, 1930
23:J. D. Ross
761:0001-4826
730:101363097
703:102185058
569:613433169
485:0362-4331
449:Ross Lake
365:president
146:Known for
64:President
55:In office
726:ProQuest
699:ProQuest
667:ProQuest
445:Ross Dam
400:and the
324:Rockport
274:Edgewick
246:penstock
141:Engineer
416:Funeral
270:Moncton
214:Seattle
769:239563
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765:JSTOR
283:When
828:2021
794:2021
757:ISSN
644:2021
618:2021
565:OCLC
555:ISBN
481:ISSN
126:Died
107:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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