The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-10-19

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Failure OF Wafer Power in New England.
For a series of years past a gradual change
has been taking place In the motive power OF
New England factories. z Formerly water power
was the rule, now it is the exception. Facto-
Iies we're built and; towns located solely with
reference to the supply of water. Hives OF IN
dustry have been established along the route
of rivers and streams that afforded facilities for
procuring a "head of water" Many districts
in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island and Connecticut have thus been
rendered rich and prosperous which would
otherwise have afforded only scanty subsist-
ence to a few farmers No doubt it was the
extreme cheapness of the water power of New
England that first stimulated manufacturing in
a region that is almost entirely destitute OF all
the raw materials used in industry. Itisprob-
able that this section is very much more IN
debted to the material and abundant supply of
water than to the artificial influence OF the
tariff and protection. rli.ia"' -.
But, however this may be, it is quite certain
that the water supply Of New England IS grad
ually failing, and that steam power Is being
more generally employed as a substitute. 1t Is
also apparent that this change is destined to
continue with constantly increasing rapidity.
Every winter enormous quantities of timber are
cut down in the Maine and New Hampshire
markets, and are foatedi down the river, and
sawed and cut up for commerce to the lmme-
date profit no doubt of all concerned. But
this, change takes place at the expense of the
water supply of VAST regions In few years
it is probable that the Connecticut river will
cease to be nayigable to Hartford; solely in
consequence of the telling ofrforests LII the
country in the districts farther north where the
river has its source Of supplies We hear OF
streams that formerly flowed ihtothe Connecti-
cut year in and year out, turning; numerous
small factories along their route, which are now
-eonvertedii1 into mere watercourses aater ram
fall, and which are actually dry nine months OF
the year. The Naugatuck Valley in the State
OF. Connecticut, is now dotted all over with
steam engines in place of water power which
formerly prevailed in that section. All this
arises, of course, from the cutting down OF
trees. Twenty-Five years ago this valley was
full of valuable timber; now: there are very
few trees in existence, andthere is not suhclent
water in nine months out of twelve. ;ti'.
The exchanges which are taking place In New
England are common all over the country. and
for the same reason. !, Our, forests are disap-
pearing with fearful rapidity, and with the in
eyitable results of ruinous droughts in summer,
and disastrous freshets in the spring and fall
and general drying up of small streams and
ia adin1i1ution Of. large rivers. In other cbui-
tries; as.in Spain; Greece, Asia Minor and Airi-
ca. fertile districts have been rendered Inin-
habitable in consequence of the destruction OF
trees. The axe of the woodnian is more de-
.structite to wealth and population than the
sword and fire of war; In France the govern
ment was obliged to interfere and plant new
forests in place of those destroyed by the short
sfghced cupidity of-man, in order TO restore
large districts to fertility and prevent ruinous
inundations In the not remote future 1t Is
probable that the United States government
restoration of the forests to repair the ruin and
Wwanton waste of which we are now so fatally
Indifferent. 'Is'i 49, 80
q But, in1the meantime, manufacturing indus
try is experiencing seEious.resuits from the de-
pletion of the New England forests. The
woolen and clothing trades still feel the effects
of the drought of last year, which stopped so
MANY mills. The home cotton trade also eX-
periences considerable huctuation from the
temporary deprivation of water power. This
is still going on to an extent that compels
MANY manufactures to cast about as to the
substitution of steam for water power. In
too many cases the question has; been already
decided, and we hear of numerous mills that
have been abandoned because it was not profit
able to replace the water wheel with steam
engine. /.
But this is by no means general, and large
proportion of the machinery of New England
is now driven by steam in place of water. This
proportion must constantly increase. 1t there
fore becomes an important problem to Ne"
England manufacturers to what extent they
may, rely on q cheap and abundant supply Of
coal. Unless this question is satisfactorily an
swered it. is evident that New England indus
try must be seriously crippled. Upon this
point we had significant illustration of the
tendencies of 'the,times in the almost unani'
nous support by coal duties in the last session
of Congress. The Pensylyanians, naturally
deemed this action inconsistent with the prini'
ciples of protection, and complained accord
ingly. But protection is no longer popular IN
New England. Unless cheap coal can be OBJ
taid, her industry must be seriously crippled
and scores of manufacturing villages Will be
deserted. 1t is the same in relation to wool
hides. dyes, chemicals, iron, steel and Other
raw materials New England in self defence
must soon commence agitation to obtain the
privilege of buying her raw materials in the
cheapest markets, and it is destined to become
at no distant period the centre of the grea
! Free Trade movement in the United States
u S. Economist and Dry Goods Reporter.