The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-07

In the swift creeks in other eectionn of the State there can be cheaply de- veloped reasonable amounts of power. In fact Alabama has two classes of streams affording power. C) those streams of large size running over rock beds and within rock banks; @ those creeks running through formations giving a gravel bed and alswitt, con- stafit How of water, type of which may be found in the creeks of Autauga County.
 The first will afford the large develop ments, and the uecond will be such as will be more in proportion to the sizs of the stream. 1
 There are in the northern part of the State a number of creeks and rivers emptying into the Tennessee. which can be made to furnish power. These are streams with rock beds and with shoals at frequent intervals.
 In South Alabama, will be found limestone formation causing shoals in the Conecuh near Andalusia. in Pea River near Tlha and in the Choctaw- hatchie near Geneva.
 However. in undertaking any work of this kind, be sure before hand that you will be beset by all sorts of claims and difficulties.
 savants of steam practice will rise up with figures to prove conclusiveiy that water power costs far more in the end than steam power; yet they will be siezed with violent symptoms at the intimation that you propose to test the matter in a town or city in which they are interested in the production of electric power by eteam. These incon- sistencies occur in this. as well as in other walks of life. and are not to be noticed. except to be encouraged there- by. Ht When your town or city needs power, look around you and find such a stream and site as will supply that power. Ascertain by reliable investigation what this power will cost developed transmitted and distributed and the | true cost of operating. Then see what this power can positively be sold for and you will doubtless realize margin | in your calculations sufficient to justify your going further in the matter and ] probably completing the work to the | consternation of steam prophets.
 There are many streams in Alabama l today which are being wasted in chaf- ing the rocks with power that would readily bring a good price in the right sort of market. The price at which this power. can be sold practically de- | termines the limit of its profitable | transmission. Where coal Is cheap, say 1 $2.00 per ton, the transmission could be up to fifty miles. and much greater distances where coal is more expensive although coal is not the only serious item of expense in steam power pro- duction.
 The great manufacturing interests which have developed in the South At- lantic States, owe their beginning prin- cipally to water power. The first ef- forts were largely on account of the cheap power available and from this beginning other large mills have been erected. We have an illustration nearer home. It cannot be disputed that the presence in Alabama of the graet Tallaesee mill Is the result of a small beginning, and today owes its existence to the water power of the Tallapoosa River.
 The famous shoals at Tallassee at- tracted two South Carolina planters who erected a small mill which soon grew to greater proportions and re- gently has undergone another great ex- pansion, go that we now have one of the largest and most successful cotton mills in existence.
 Just as 1t would be an endelss task to locate and describe piece by piece. Alabama's rich deposits of mineral, or choice bodies of timber pr agricultural lands, so is it hard to locate and des- cribe the numerous sites available for profitable water power development.
 Some States have great agricultural resources. some have strictly mineral and some have water power, but the great State of Alabama has them all.
 Henry C. Jones'