Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-01-16
No. v.

water power ana its possibilities. Even
at the risk OF some criticism, il would
seem best to explain briefly the con-
illusions reached and the methods OF
reaching them, for though the matter OF
computing power may at the outset sound
rather uuinyiting and suggestive Of
abstruse calculations, there Ia really
not hing fundamental In the process at ali
difficult OF apprehension.
The power OF falling water Is simply
/ it's weight multiplied by the distance
through which it falls; that is, any fall
| ing body can Theoretically be made to
| do as much work as would be necessary to
| lit it to the same height. For conven-
| fence in measuring, the unit has been
taken of lifting SO 900 pounds one foot
| 10 one minute, and the name "horse
| power has been given TO this unit.
| The writer made some rather careful
measurements OF our river some little
time ago. These measurements were
made on a winter pitch of water, but
/ before he melting SHOWS bad swollen the
current. They were made, too, al a time
when no dam had been opened for weeks,
and undou btediy showed the natural flow
OF the river at that time of the year.
| The place selected was the narrowest
place below the lowest dam and near the
Royal grist mill on the Mill road. At
that time and place the stream was sew
enty- We feet wide tstrong) and its vel
ocity, measured repeatedly by a spIit-sec-
ond chronometer, was from ten to twelve
feet per second. This velocity was calcu-
| lated py measuring off $50 feet parallel
| with the centre of the stream and then
taking the time of floating objects cast in
as they passed from Il he upper TO the lower
extremity OF this line. There Is no ''desd
water" at this place, it is all moving, top
ana bottom.
The depth OF the water wss then meas
uFed with an iron rod at high water and
the rise OF the tide sublracted. 1t was
found nowhere less than five to eight
feet except within about yard Of either
bank. THE low figures were then taken OF
seventy five feet wide by three feet deep or
Us feet cross section, which multiplied
by tac lowest velocity OF ten feet per
second, gives a volume Of 1850 cubic feet
per second, or 1864 cubic feet per
minute. Water weighs at least sixty
pounds to the cubic foot, which gives
100000 pounds or say 5000 900 pounds
per minute.
Drop this mass of water one foot, and it
yields S 000, 900 # 90, 900. or 242 horse power.
Drop ii fifteen feet, which is about the
height OF our first fall, and 1t yields
3 $50 horse power. This, OF course, is the
potential energy"-t amount that
could be realized theoretically II there
were no friction of water wheels and all
OF the water could be passed through
wheels without leaks. In practice % per
cent. is thrown of for friction, and we
can afford to be liberal and throw of the
/ $50 for leaks and safe measure and have
700 horse power left for that one fall.
The power Is, or can be made, nearly the
same for each OF our six fails within two
miles OF tidewaters. In other words, we
have 10000 horse power good and strong
of the cheapest power in the world, all
close together and ali hsrnessed and ready
nov for use.
There are sixteen square miles of lakes
that debouch into our river almost within
sight OF mountain rock, and many more
farther away. brief calculation on the
lines just followed will show any one that.
head of six 10 eight feet gathered on
} these lakes in the sIring and held till Il e
dry months OF summer (Which can Q
done st but small expense because the
outlets are 80 narrow and the damage
practically nothing} will yield enough
Gu ole feet per minute for four months to
| III .
round fully up TO the ttsge where IT Was
measured, and above.
Do any OF us fully appreciate what this
means and will mean? Users in the aggre-
gate of a similar amount OF power now,
in the plants about Boston say, probably
pay a. mach as s300. 600 TO s400, 600 a year
TO ohi ain their power, and think they are
making a good trade or they would not
do it, IL is the equivalent OF at least
80, 900 tons OF coal year ready mined
for almost anything can be zone with
water power that can be done with coal,
aid more, too aud the mine is renewed
free by nature each year.
The bard-headed business man win
very likely admit all these figures 10 be
correct, end then say: "But what can you
! do with 1t. II you can't use II to some
purpose it isn't worth a picayune," and
he would oe quite right. But 1t will be
used before long, never fear about that.
These opportunities within easy reach, IS
this one Is, are too rare, and the work to
be done TO supply the wants OF tie
millions OF people within easy distance
TOO great for 1t to remain unused or only
partly used.
| 1t is in his direction, probably, that the
future hopes OF Ellsworth lie, and 1t is to
| this end, il seems to me, that the chief
effort should be directed as Offering the
returns best adapted to our circumstances
and it is only these returns that in the
| long run ever come to stay. The nrst very
considera Bile use will naturally be for some