Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-10-07
CORRESPONDENCE.


w6allh OF Watfr FOwerd near 0tffe6s
ADVANTAGES TO MILLS OF RAILROAD CONNEXIONS
INFLUENCE OF WATER POWERS ON THE
GROWTH OF cITiRs.
WILMINGTON, Sept. Goth, 1869.
WILLIAM G. PHILLIPs, ESQ. my Dear Sir
l am requested by you to give you some facts on
the reciprocal influences of water powers, cities
and railroads.
You ask If It be true that as o city grows the
water power in Its vicinity, If 1t possess any, be-
comes neglected, steam taking Its place, and also
If the cheap transportation of coal by means Of
railroads does deprecia,e the value of water pow.
ers by increasing the economy of steam power.
l have not ready access to oil the authorities on
this question, aor much time in which 10 make
any reply, but | think have ut hand sufficient
amount of fact to satisfy you
First, That the facilities OF railroad transport
tation are necessary to proper Improvement of
great water powers and
Second, That the propinquity Of cities, in con-
nection with railroads, leads to their highest
development.
1t would seem to be conclusive and compre-
hcnsive reply to your Inquiries that in Great
Britain filed with cities and covered by railroads.
where coal and labor are cheaper than anywhere
else In the world, there Is improved water power
to the extent OF more thin twenty-four thousand
horse powers engaged in the manufacture of cot
ton, woollrn, worsted, silk and linen.
Water power possesses an economical SUI
peiiority over steam for hedry or extensive manu-
featuring, which no cheapn' IS OF coal or other
steam material can counterbalance.
fifty horsepower engine will use ton Of
coal In day OF ten hours, requires an engineer
aud an assistant or fireman, aud the removal Of
its cinder and ashes, to say nothing OF repairs
and Insurance rates of dollar per thousand
more than the water power.
The water power requires no extra hand to
attend its motions II buns no coal and makes
no litter to be cared for
Suppose coal worth So per ton, the running Z
pense Of u fifty horse engine will be Si2 per day
more thnn water power of the same power, If
We reckon repairs and interest on Investment and
all other expenses rs otfsrtling each other in the
two machines; which, indeed, Is overestimating
the cost of repairs In the water power. there Is,
to be sure liability to accident ut the dam aud
race; there Is the counterbalancing liability OF
bursting boiler.
The present manufacturing business of Red
Clay Greek. within the Influence of our proposed
road would cost S45, 900 more per unnum than il
now costs, If 1t were done by steam at an average
price of 70 pei ton for coal. The cost Of trans
porlation to the same powers in that valley Il
lbout S20,OOO. Thus we see how men afford this
immense expenditure for tcamng.
The vast economy Of water power Is seen In
Rhode Island, which, by very perfect develops
| ment OF its mill privileges, Inns become the
| wealthlest State, In proportion OF population, In
the UuOn It's water power has led the way To
All turlS III Silu b'iulc III lnn
stationary steam engines are made IN Providence.
That little State Ii dotted over with cities aud
| manufacturing towns, and covered with lines Of
railroads; these first brought into existence hy
| the mill streams, have led t. the pcrfecting OF
| the power to be- obtained from those streams.
remarkable end easement Of the value of
| water power, alter the mot extensive experience
| with both water and steam, is exhibited in the
| new enterprise of the Spraguea, who, having got
all that eau be obtained from the water powers Of
l.,,tt.s t,i tt,atas1 lufi
on the kennebec river. in Maine ilear the city oi
| augusta and establishing the a. ts w. Srragnu
| Manufacturing Co have entered on n vast sys-
TEN of improvements; bought 600 acres of land,
| extending one and half miles on each side of
| the stream, for their town; have established a
| brick yard, which is turning nut 1O00un bricks
| per week, with which they are building fact ries
and operatives houses have bought also town
ships of timber land, which are being CLEARED
| while slw-mils bought and built are preparing
The lumber Tor building purposes.
An important manufacturing city viii come M
there nj oucc, which will be eight hours by rail
from Boston, and three hours from Portland.
Bangor, one OF the most important cities ol
| Maine, owes It's whole importance to the manu-.
.acturc Of lumber, which is sawed Ivy the water
of tile Penubscot and its trlbutafCD
The water power Of the AndroscOggin has
built up Lewistown ard Auburn with u pppus-
zion oi 10000 souls aud, although but imperfect
~ developed, makes annually 100000 yards d
wooden cloth, 100000 900 yards Of cotton cloth
and 3,0UO, 900 grain sacks. This power is an huui
and n half by rail from Portland. !, keeps ut
work capital Of $4,000 QUO, invested BY iilteet
| companies
Bath and Belfast, Maine, owe their importauc,
TO the water powers in the vicinity, without
which they would never have been cities
AT Berwick and the nrighbpring villages
population OF 5000 has been brought together al
| u point where before the erection Of the mill,
there was II bare settlement, aud they now manu-
laclure there annually more Than 81 uO0 600 yard
Of cotton cloth. They arc connected by rail viii
Portland aud eton
saco has been made city by the water powc
oil the saco river which produces ,.nnurlly 81,
510,ulO worth Of cotton aud lumner
Callns, on the St Gro Y, rlnbiigued by the ici
three months Of the year. turns out S2,0t0.0Ol
worth lumher and loar Annually II has gath
errd popul ition OF 2O,O0J souls within radiu,
OF five miles.
The city Of Gardiner employing only ab@u
onc-hali the power Of the CObbus-ec, Coutc
Falls, or 600 horse power about the same rs IN
present improved uowcr Of Red Clay Gre, k. il
the district we have been considering, prouucr
manufactures amounting annually 10 u valuation
If ~ 100000. 1t has railroad connection wit
Boston
Mr. Wells the Secretary Of the TIydrograpli
Board Of Alainr. lays dlwn the law, as the rcsul
Of NJ, Investigations, that railroads should b
baW pefdeH niM the tong mhpafr m,iHY fireys,t
! tev.l'p the capabilities ul the State
Patterson, New Jersey, Is I'M important manu-
featuring city ON the rl'syic, where, now, stcni
as well u water power IL extensively applied
The great Erie Railroad passes through tho town
: whirh Is only IL riius from New York. s., ln
pletcly Is the water OF the river used up that til
beautiful Passic Falls have ceased To exist as
r feature IN the scenery, presenting only bar
! rocks while all the now is conducted throug
the races.
The cities Of Nashua Lowell, Lawrence an
liavrrhill, all on the Mtrrinac are singulir IN
stances Of the reflective influences Of these gica
| agents upon each other.
The water power of the Merimnc literally liz
+ proved and devoted To the manufacture nt c0ttoi
/ built up Low H. This enterprising town hi
down one of The best paying railroads in III
country; then followed the city Of Lawrence q
a | the same stream and milroGd
/, The fact is. Instances 50 multiply, proving III
l. | value OF water power neat imp lrtiut rtic-, III
'ne has little more u do than III ike list OF sue
cities down the cOLst.
@ Troy, with the splendid power of the Iludso
has not aud never will auanion IL for ste IN, a
though 1t has I'D to the Introduction of strni
E machinery, just as the Brandywinc viii and Il
% Rcd Clay Creek when they eet their railroads
ii One would hntdy say that the water pDwtr
:, the Schuylhiil will eoou be- abandoned for stca
. although c4nl isus cheap in Philadelphia N
u any point on the coast The power OF Grnrsst
/, has made Tie city O Rochester famous; the l1i
., | imOrc and Richmond Civ mills aud the eel, br
ted water powers OF the Ohin, III Louisville all II
J. in demonstrating the value Of great city in lr
:. noting this class of improvements.
Ne Finly. the trIih l.. that no water powers al
=, pros cry developed unless they arc near u eli
- and hsye the facilities offered by railroad
D. IN which case they produce new cities and mai
lr lmyirg stuck uf horst railroads.
s., The water powers of Maine beyond the reach
- railroads are ute y unimprOvrd. The fl c p,,
u ers Of the upper Hudson ARE lyiug waste for wa
10 Of means Of reaching mnikct, Here in our ow
neighblrhoOd We see the streams not improy,
10 their high steapacity because all the trin.po
IN taipn must bc done by teams over steep turnpi
IL ryjnds.
A. ] hope ! have answered your ntcrrogatnri
- satisfactorily. II scrtns To Inc clear that wat
u pnwcrs, e los aud railroads seek and enhance /
be value vi rarh other
he Very truly yeurs,
:. AirRrp \. SEARS
Chf. Eus. Wilmington ami Western Railroad
d. rhe Milford COlored school Teachs
y MlLroKp, Sept. u, lsG9.