The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-11-07
STEAM vs.. wArEn PoMER

Various correspondents have made inoui
ries respecting the relative value of steam
and water power; and one asks-"Whetbel
an inexhaustible water power or only watel
sufficient for steam purposes, with an unllmit
ed supply of cheap fuel, are most advanta
geous to the development of a manufacturing
town"
1t is not possible to give satisfactory re
ply to the general inquiry respecting til,
comparative advantages Of steam aud water
power but We have no hesitation in answer
ing the correspondent lin Iowa) from whose
letter we have quoted the above extract
An abundance of cheap fuel and steam pow.
er, IN our opinion, possesses the greatest ad.
vantages for manufacturing purposes. Few
manufacturing operations can be carried on
witheut fuel, even where there is plenty OF
water power therefore where fuel is scarce
and dear, manufacturing cannnet be carried
on but under heavy expense.
In giving this opinion we do not forget that
most Of our manufacturing towns and villa.
ges are indebted for their rise to water now.
err. They are built on rivers and creeks
where there are falls of water for driving
machinery, but when they were first estab
lished timber for fuel and buildings was
plentiful and cheap in the neighborhoods. 1t
has now become a serious question with man.
ufaetnrers, using water power, that their sup
ply of water is becoming more unstable every
year, as the forests are cleared of; and in
many places where water power was exclu-
sively used few years ago, auxiliary steam
power is required during certain portions of
the year, on account Of deficient supply of
water.
Forests and swamps are perennial feeders
of creeks and rivers. AS these disappear, and
the soil is spread ont to the direct rays of the
sun, rapid evaporation takes place after falls
of rain, and thus Il has occurred that. many
streams once flowing with power for the mir
Ter are now only water-worn channels The
ruins of grst and saw mills are now to be
seen on the banks of dry creeks, where, forty
years ago, the merry clatter of the hopper
and hum of the saw mingled from morn till
night with the song of the rushing waters
But although this istrue respecting mum
Der of places, manufactures have not decreas-
ed in our country, thanks to the power of
steam. With plentiful supply of fuel, steam
forms a constant trusty power for driving ma.
chinery, and n steam factory can be erected
Independent of rare natural localities, like
waterfalls 1t has thus great advantages
over water-power 1t requires $50. 900 cubic
produce the same effect in machinery that
can be obtained with 90 cubic feet of water
and three hundred pounds of coal by a steam
engine. While the power Of water for manu-
featuring purposes is growing weaker and
weaker in our country, that Of steam is grow
ing stronger and stronger. We have read n
statement that in the year 800 there were
only three. steam engines in all the United
States; who can count them nowl They
number tens of thousands. Steam factories
can be conducted in or near cities and COM
mercial marts and thus effect great saving
in transporting raw material and goods
There are various manufactui es, however,
which need considerable water to carry on,
such as calico printing, bleaching carpet
weaving, woollen cloth making, dc. The
securing, washing and drying, require much
water, but then with steam such factories
can be heated, the goods boiled and dried,
and taking the expense of keeping dams and
water.wheels in repair, we are of opinion
that steam power where fuel is cheap is to
be preferred in nearly every case to water
power. AT any rate, there can be no doubt
but steam factories must increase in or near
our coal regions, and ultimately these will
become the great seats of American manu-
features; just as the coal regions of England
have become the centres of manufactures in
that country. And as we have the largest
corn fields in the world, and these scarcely
touched by the tool of the miner. it makes
lis hold our breath to contemplate the vast
manufacturing power-ihe hundreds of Shelf
fields, Birmnghams, Manchesters, Leeds and
Glasgows-that will yet arise in our country
and make it ION account of its cheap fueD the
greatest manufacturing nation on the globe.
LIFE PRESERVING SEAT.-The "Graduating
Life Preserving Seat" recently brought for
ward, is one of the most simple and effective
contrivances of the kind yet devised 1t is
nothing more than an ordinary school house
stool, constructed of halfinch deal. One of
the feet allows the stool to open latterally by
- Lir,,o 30 o,oloso ord olosn tho swimmar