The herald., 1897-02-25
WATER POWER GOING TO
WASTE

w AS l.
In all of Southern California the pro-
duction of power for use in manufacture
ing and transit lines has been a problem
difficult of solution from the standpoint
of cost The importation of coal from
Australia and British Columbia, or the
long railroad hauls from the mines of
New Mexico. have kept the expense
item up to high rate, and this has oper-
ated to prevent the extension of manu-
featuring interests.
Recent improvements in electrical
science, both in the machinery of dc.
velopment and in methods of transmits
sion, make X quite possible that South
ern California may yet have power for
all purposes as cheaply as it can be had
in any section of the United States. The
success of the project to harness the
waste power of Niagara Falls and Its
transmission in the form of electrical
energy to Buffalo and intermediate cit
les, is an object lesson by which the
Pacific slope can we'll profit
In no part of this country is there a
city located as Los Angeles is with re-
! spect to the cost of the production of
power by the ordinary methods. Until
very recently fuel has always been high
here. and even crude petroleum at pres
ent prices is prohibitive in some lines
of manufacturing.
But we have al hand a source of power
scarcely touched as yet, which needs
only a little intelligent development to
make it a mine Of wealth to Southern
California. Backed as we are by a range
Of mountains, whose to.s reach into the
sun-heated in summer. we have in the
waters courslng down their canyons a
source of power which only needs utiiiz-
ing to become of surprising value. The
waste energy of these mountain streams
is already used in small way at ontario,
San Bernardno and Riverside in light
and power for electric lines But there
is enough power going to waste to light
all the towns from RedlanGs to Santa
Monica. and to drive all the street car
lines in Los Angeles and passadera. The
waters coming down from Bear valley
for instance, could be used from twenty
I to forty times in the descent from the
great reservoir to the mesa back of Red
lands in producing electrical power
easily transmitted over wires to the
neighboring settlements and sold for Il
price which would produce a larger in
come than that which the water now
yields for irrigation purposes. In this
single quoted instance there is enough
power to turn every wheel in san Ber-
nardino valley from Pomona TO River
side. It is quite likely, also, that the
San Gabriel Canyon has power F:oing to
waste which if properly utilized would
do more for Los Angeles than all the
oil developments yet made in the city
limits.
The recent organization of corpora
ton to transmit power to this city from
the Kern river is a step in the direction
here pointed cut and may some day re-
salt in calling attention 10 the power to
be had much nearer home.
About two years ago Mr.. Jesse Grant
organized a company in San Diego to
carry power from the river d above Ocean
side to Los Angeles and elsewhere, but
the financial depression temporarily de-
layed the scheme.
Having the power now going to waste
in mountain streams seeking a level
with the sea, having a need of that
power in the towns and cities lying be
tween the mountains and the Pacific,
and having the genius of the Anglo
Saxon to deal with these two problems
it is not too much to expect q satisfac-
tory solution within a very brief period.