Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-06-30
DAILY POST lNTgLLIGEECER.


STEAM POwER w.. WATER r0WEE.
In view of the rapid strides of manu-
features in oar country during the past
quarter Of century. the whiri OF the
water wheel and the towering sInose
stack marking the progress OF our CIVIL
cation and prosperity, it has become an
important question in the present econ
omy of industry, says an exchange,
whether the steam engine or the water
wheel il more practical a. the greater
and cheaper prime power.
Nature has indeed blessed the United
States with the means OF motive power
for manufacturing purposes. The State
of Maine alone has water power suffi-
Gent to drive all the machinery that
Great Britain now requires OF ever will
need, while in New Hampshire, Massa-
chusetts. New York, Virginia. and
Georgia especially, there is water power
enough to supply the machinery for
thousand Lowells or as many Manches-
tiers.
Asnear as can be estimated there are
3OO,OcO different manufacturing es!ab-
lishments in the United States, employ
ing 100000 horse steam power and an
equal quantity of wa.sr power. In New
York more water wheel power il en-
ployed than in any other manufacturing
State in the Union, Pennsylvania COM
inc next and Massachusetts ranking
third. The proverbial water wheel that
years ago was inseparabiy connected
with mills of all kinds has not, 1t seems.
wholly given way 10 the hi2h-apecde,i
or ponderous fiy-wheel. The spinning
o. cotton by water power in one Of the
first mills erected III this country. almost
one hundred years ago, Ia still main
tanned. and that, too, on the same site
at the present day.
But at first thought il would seem tina,
water power would give its possessor an
advantage in tho matter Of cheapness
that could not he overcome. This ad
vantage, however, as experience has
proven, is more apparent than real
While the water wheel, as moor. il 10
q location, geographically. that Is en-
forced, the scan engine allows of the
best attainable location. geographical or
geographical. Consequently there is a
certain m tter of expense entai'ed In
the way Of business or demand accom-
modating itself to the enforced location.
Again, tie utilization of water power
is very expensive, the interest Of the cap
ital invested in which would 20 a long
way toward the coal account of the steam
engine.
Steam power is also certain; water
power il uncertain. Manufacturing en-
terprises which run only thirds of
the year by water power do not always
pay we'll: and experience has demon
strated, especially during the past two
years, that those manufacturing con-
Germs which have relied upon Seam
power alone, the same generally being
near the market or along the lres of
transportation, have paid the most sal
isfaCtory dividends. A water power
that has to be reservoiied for manufac-
turing purposes is no match for the
steam engine al motive power.
1t is true that great Improvements
have been made in the water wheel, but
those made in the steam engine have
been of moro important character. 1t
is often the case, especially in large cot
ton and WOODEN mills where water power
IL used, prudence has a powerful steam
engine in reserve to meet the failure of
low water or drOuth.
Nature, too, has fully provided the
steam engine with fuel. The vast bowl
Of the Mississippi basin, along whose
eastern margin, turned up and brought
to the light of day, throughout the whole
length Of the Appalachian system, from
New York and Ohio to Alabama, are
the series of coal beds--exhaustles beds
of black diamonds--which lie like the
leaves Of crumpled book, under the
hill slopes, for manufacturing as we'll as
domestic use, and with the probability
before US Of a doubling of the produo-
tiveness of soft coal in making steam.
there is wide expanse Of steam power
yet to be developed.
The water wheel, however, has proud
and important place in the early history
Of American manufactures. So to speak
1t builded better than it knew. lts use
gave to American manufacturers their
first impetus, and at time when the
steam engine was almost unknown.