The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-05
VAST WATER POWER.
Utilization Of Great Natural Forces
In This Country.
Possibility Of Bringing Into Service the
Tremendous Energy of Lakes, Riv.
ers and Waterfalls for Indus-
trial Purposes.


Tremendous Energy of Lakes, Riv-
ers and Waterfalls for Indus-
trial Purposes.
Chicago has it in contemplation te
light 700 miles of streets with power
obtained from its great drainage canal
when the waters of Lake Michigan are
poured through it into the Illinois river;
New York is looking forward to the
day when power may be brought down
from Niagara or from the Catskills;
Boston is within the sphere of the Mer-
rimack falls; Washington can get an
abundant supply Of power to light
every street and public building from
the Great falls of the Potomac, where
100000 horsepower is running to waste;
Baltimore and Philadelphia are situated
near the tide-water step that runs along
the base of the Alleghauies, while Rich
mond is directly on the step, with 5os
600 horsepower in sight. In fact, few,
IL any, of our great cities are beyond the
reach, il we may proceed upon the as
sumption of Tesla (who says that the
power of Niagara may be carried ulti-
1netely over any part OF the American
continent), Of the energy Of some cat
aract or storage OF water.
The sudden awakening to knowl'
edge of an inexhaustible resource OF
power, and the ability to use it, must
result in a great revolution in economic
conditions, far greater than that
brought about by the introduction OF
steam. This revolution will be felt in q
greatly enhanced production, witt,
cheaper cost to the consumer, together
with large increase and general e1,
tension Of the comforts of life, such ~
may be included in transportation, pow
er for domestic purposes, light and heat
including fuel, the cost Of which VIII
be considerably reduced. In the cites
there will be, one may well believe, =
wonderful Transformation, and thai
within the cognizance of the prese5:
generation. The use Of steam III Ire
thousands of isolated plants will be gen,
orally abolished, light and power being
delivered through the agency of cleo
tricity from central plants situated per.
,haps 100 or 200 miles distant. (Wh,
dares set the limit?) The dangers OF
the steam boiler and the furnace Ia
crowded buildings and beneath the side.
walks Of the city, and the discomforts
of the wholesale consumption of coal
will be done away with for a cheaper,
a safer and healthier system.
Nor is it to be inferred that because
we have water power we shall have no
more steam and coal. Not at ALL But
there will be q more rational and eco.
nomical consumption of coal, neces.
STATED by the cheepness of the power
generated by the turbine wheel and
transmitted from the dynamo to the
motor. It will no longer pay, to mine
coal and ship it hundreds of miles to
the cities by our present cumbersome
and wasteful methods Closing 30 to so
per cent.) when its essence can be
better sent by wire. It requires no
spirit Of prophecy to foretell that h1the
beginning of the next century the-co
will be burned at the mine shaft, and
every ton brought to the surface will
be utilized. The power1piant located
at the mine shaft. burning the'r Of
the mine," either az coal orin the form
of gas, can better compete with the
power-plant. at the falls than can the
furnace and boiler in the city. There
will be no more black hills of cuim at
the mines, dishguring the face of the
country and choking. the streams, and
no ashes and cinders to worry the city
consumer. The copper wire in the IN,
derground conduit will carry. the en-
ergy safely and economically to the
point of consumption, and the railroad
or factory engineer. or the housewife n
the home, need but to press a button
to send the train at 100 miles an hour;
to set the spindles or lathes in mo-
tion; to heat the house, OF. to cook the
dinner.
The social phases Inevitably acorn
panying this mechanical revolution
may be far more beneficial fhan the eco.
nomical gains. great as they will doubt.
less be. The saving to the housekeep.
er in time and labor Will make her
new woman indeed. and the general IN.
troduction Of the electric store may
be expected to Gauss de-
cided advance in the health md hap.
piness of The race. u
+ Whether tho distribution Of power
from the falls and the mines will al !
ways remain in the hands Of corpora. |
tions Of capitalists Is aproblem tina. the |
future must decide. There is no de. |
rying, however. that the object lesson |
Of the universal public use Of natural
forces will be 3 powerful ono from q
coilectivist point of view, and shouldsry |
state (as Wyoming or Utah, for ex.
ample) undertake the Distribution Of
electric power, as cities distribute gas
and water. the experiment would be
watched with the greatest interest by |
the whole civilized wcrld.-John T. !
Rr-rnhoO IN TeSlio's Waellv -: