The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-17
TEE T1hlEs RICHMOND. va SUNDAY. FEBRUAEY 1901

used over wide districts where the COST oI
fuel ID prohfbitire and will even supersede
all other power in the uses for which It y
adapted In localities where fuel IS most
abundant, since it is plain that no fuel IS
cheaper than any fuel. The saving Is eI-
fected not merely in the purchase prices
of coal or wood, oil or gasoline p,ft a. ~
in the item of handling these materials
The solar rays are not only tnrIishe ~
without cost, but, by a convenient pro- as'e,
vision of nature, are freely TRANSPORTS te
to the place of use, which IS Wherever ene
reflector snay happen to be erected.
BIG SAVING OF FUEL
The usefulness of sun power will be by
no means limited to irrigation, nor snouiu
it be inferred by the size Of the present
engine that ten-horse power bounds rs
possibilities The new motor will be used
for various Industrial purposes and proc
ably quite largely in connection viii
mining. Plants of 1f0-hcrse power. Win
several raflectors grouped about a ceHtr TIL
engine, are already feasible, and 1t IS
quite within reason to expect thal VIII ~
the improvements which will naturalts
be added as time goes on the present
ma ximum will be much increased.
1T is in its relation to irrigation, now.
ever. that the successful utilization OF
sun power will excite the widest pupic
interest Mining is an Industry Wl1sch
f1ourishes in spite OF all Obstacles lneie
is no country so far nor climate SO seseie
there is no peril and no expense which
can discourage mining, because the pos
sible reward is so great ana the hote
of sudden wealth so allurins IL may
be sad and deplorable, but it is none the
less true, that a man will risk less ior q
home than for a fortune. There are GER
tain heroic exceptions to the rule, but
the fact remains that the conquest or the
desert must be me- easily if made at
all. Here lies the chief significance or
the new power. since its operations are
necessarily limited, for the present at
least. to the sunshine regions OF the earth.
Half of our own continnt, most OF Aus
tralia and New Zealand, most OF AFRICA
and South America, vast porelon u
Asia, Including India, belong distinctly 10
the sunshine regions. Here solar power
is bound to be extensively employed IN
lifting water from under the ground and
from the deeply-eroded channels OF IN
Vulnerable rivers,
FOR IRRIGATION.
Exact information concerning tne ui,
derground water supplies is somewhat
meacre since both public and private en-
terprise were naturally first directed 10
the diversion of streams and the EN-
ployment of the smaller class or reSer-
yoirs. But during the past i've years
humping has become the most agrees
sive feature of the irrigation industry IN
the West and the area of it's operations
has been rapidly widening. A large por-
ton of the precipitation is run OH
which Is carried into the streams. a
portion is lost in evaporation, some IS
absorbed by the ground and remains 10
moisten vegetation, but consloerapie
part finds it's way through porous soli
and the seams in the earth far below
the reach of all growing things to SUB
terranean reservoirs. A portion of these
underground waters burst forth IN
springs or artesian outpourings. but we
know that enormous underground rivers
and lakes exist beneath the crust OF the
earth and that they are regularly rem
forced by falling rains and melting
SHOWS Then there are numerous western
streams that may be said to flow upside
down-the ground on top and the moving
current underneath. A notable instance
is the Platte, which Bill Nye has de-
scribed as zone mile wide and one inch
Thick and to which he ascribed "a wide
circulation but very little influence.
The utility Of sun power will be strik-
inslv illustrated on the Great Plains.
Here the Government has made extern
sive Investigations of the underground
supplies. It was found that water could
be had in narrow strips along the riV-
ers-notably along the Platte and Arkan-
sas-it an average depth of ten feet.
Outside of this belt. is another and Wild
er one, where water is found at depth
Of ten to fifty feet Still further out is
another district, enormously greater than
those already mentioned, where water
may be had at depth so to 100 feet
These three divisions cover the larger
proportion of the areas which will be ir-