The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-09-07

MIR. EDITOR: 1 am much interested in the
communication of yesterday, with the above
heading, from Walter Wells, gentleman wei
known as the author of that most valuable
work, recently published, "The Water Power
of Maine." 1t seems inquiries are frequently
addressed to Mr.. Wells, by parties who wish
to establish some line of manufacture, and tc
do 1t in the best place, and under the most
favorable circumstances. For example, gen.
tleman ofample means, Mr.. Wells says, "resi-
dent in an adjoining State, desires paper
mill, say of two tons per day capacity, situa-
ted upon tide aoater."
You mentioned in your paper, some days
since, that you had witnessed some expert
ments at Mr. Noyes' machine shop, on Union
street, made to show that compressed air, as
a power for the propulsion of machinery, will
be transmitted long distance, without loss.
1 understand these experiments are TO be con-
tinued further, as soon as Mr.. Goodwin re-
turns from Boston, when our citizens will
have further opportunity of satisfying them
selves Of the feasibility of this new scheme
Mr.. G. is an accomplished engineer, and has
been for many years connected with the Light
House Department. 1t is understood he in
tends to remove to Portland, and to devote
himself to the introduction into this State of
this new mode of bringing the water power of
the interior to the tide waters.
There is, in this immediate vicinity, water
power equal to about double that now used at
Lowell. There has been some attempt made
heretofore, as is well known, to bring this
seems to have been abandoned Mr.. Good
win, or Mr.. Spear, for whom he acts, now
claims that he can bring this power into the
city, in the form of compressed air, at com.
paratively tri0ing expense.
Compressed air, as a power, IS not new. II
has all the force ofsteam, and many advanta-
ges over it. 1t has this special advantage
that it is not subject to explosion or con-
densation. These things are well known in
the mechanical world. But i: has no great
advantages over steam, so long as 1t must be
used in the immediate vicinity of where it is
made-you may use your steam as well.-
This new plan, however, undertakes to trans
nit it, without loss, any required distance
This is done by peculiar construction of the
transmitting pipes. BY the insertion of rings,
at intervals of five feet, in the interior of the
pipe, lining of dead air is produced between
the rings, so that the column of compressed
air infringes Only against the stationary lin.
ing or circle of air, and suffers no appreciable
loss by friction. This is shown by the expert
ment by placing pressure guage in the
pipe where the air enters, and another at the
end OF the pipe, some eight hundred feet long
where it. is delivered. Other similar tests
such as sending the air alternately through
the whole tube, and then through short
pipe, are made.
1t is said there is expended $250,00O every
year, in this city, for propelling machinery by
steam. About 650,O0O horse power is required
to do that work. The projectors of this new
arrangement say they can furnish this power
for one half the sum how expended, and that
they can send their power into every part of
the city, in the same manner and to the same
extent that gas and water are distributed
Ihope the people will wake up to the i'm
portance of these new discoveries, and that
we shall be one of the first to avail ourselves
of these apparently wonderful facilities fol
adding to the growth and business of Port
land.
presume some notice will be given in th,
papers OF the time and place when further ex
hibition is TO be made of Mr.. Spears improve
ments. X