The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-02-15
WATER POWER VERSUS STEAM

WAFER POWER VERSUS STEAM
The Chicago Record notes the fact
that steam as motor power Is rapid
ly giving away before the resumption
OF water power. and congratulates the
cities, that are now so annoyed, with
prospect of relief from the smoke Of
furnaces.
Water power Is regaining its ascen-
dency from the fact that it furnishes
double motor power, Its own and its
adaptability under the present meth
DDS of converting it into electricity,
which is also uPed Os a motor power,
and Is becoming cheaper than steam.
This combination of power, water and
electricity, promises great advantages
to the South in a manufacturing way.
The South has many more streams
that can be utilized for manufacturing
purposes than the section OF the coun-
try in the North and East that has
almost monOpolized manufacture.
Several months since we called
attention to the fact that
Engineer Ferris, the inventor
aud constructor of the Ferris wheel,
80 well known to all visitors to the
Chicago Fair, had written an article
In which he declared that the time
was rapidly approaching when all
available water power would be In
equisition. In the same article this
eminent civil engineer congratulated
all clties and towns adjacent to q
water power, as he declared such places
would have great advantages in
growth over others not 30 favorably
located,
We builded even better than we
knew when the sagacity of some Of
our citizens suggested the dam across
the Colorado, At the time we began
to build the dam the extent of the
uses of electricity as motor power
was not fully understood, nor had
there bean machinery invented
aud constructed by which it's vast
power could be harnessed and utilized
for the many purposes which later
inventions have demonstrated.
1t really seems almost a
prescience by which men anticipate
development and prepare for 1t be.
fore its actual efficiency is known.
Most fortunate was the city of Adstin
in Lerceiving the shadow OF coming
events and in having the faith and
enterprise to get ready to meet its
growth into practical utility. We are
nearly ready to take advantage Of
this ascendency of water power over
steam, and we have the double ad
vantage of having the water power
and having 1t harnessed for immedi
ate work. There can be no doub
that when the ascendency of watel
power over steam Is fully established
that manufacturers will seek thu
locality best adapted to The least cos
and the largest profits, nor can Their,
be any doubt that the South will b,
that favored locality by reason of iii
having the water power more genera
AMI capable of use all through thu
year and by reason of having
the staple OF manufacture right at it,
doors. If this Is true Austin has il
its dam the advantage of all other 10
calities In the South, and even if tn,
present manufactures of the Nortl
and East made losing fight to retail
the factories ttoie, we may take int
consideration the fact that the presen
manufactures of the country are in
significant compared to what tn
natural development and growth Q
the vast products Of this country vii
finally make them.
Under these circumstances the citi
zens of Austin may look with indiffer
ence upon the temporary hard times
knowing full we'll that nature an,
science and their own foresight an,
sagacity have assured them in thei
magnificent dam a combined waite