Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-11-23
REVIVAL or WATER POWER.
THE EASE AND CERTAINTY OF
ire DIFFUSION AsFAcToR.

fufntoneo one o. xho W0sS He"e'N
able Instances Of Industrial De-
cline and Revival In Modern Times
The Reign Of Water:
One Of the most notable instances
Of industrial decline and revival In
modern times is in connection with
the use Of waterpowers. Speaking OF
conditions in New England, the Hart
ford Courant says:
"A while ago waterpowers were ne
elected and were regarded as relics
of a past condition of development
which, with the old MILL had been
left far behind in mechanical prog
ress. It is one OF the curious facts OF
modern industry that today the run
ming water is not only reinstated. but
has a higher value and more i'm
portant work than ever. Electricity
in the arts and irrigation in agricul-
ture have worked the change. AMI to-
day q steady flowing stream has as
sure q value as a coal mine"
Taking Alabama as single ex-
ample 1t is within the memory OF
many yet living that steam mills were
so rare as to be looked upon as curl
osities by most people. 1t was only
In localities where waterpower used
under conditions then prevailing, was
entirely unavailable that steam was
used at ALL And the methods OF util-
izing the waterpower. even half CEN
fury ago, were entirely different from
those of the present day. Then the
huge overshot or breast wheels re-
quired a high fall or they could not
be used at all, and with the old-style
tub wheels it was not muck better,
for a fall of several feet was neces.
sary in order to get SUFFICIENT power
with the wheels then used.
It was while these wasteful and in.
efficient methods Of using waterpower
power prevailed that steam began to
take the place Of water. The rapid
development Of our immense coal
fields was an active factor In the
work of RELOCATING water to the rear.
Then steam mills and factories and
shops began to spring up, and water
power seemed destined to become
thing of the past The mills rotted
down, the great water wheels ceased
to revolve, and fell into decay and the
embarrassed water laughed its way
to the ocean. Steam reignej, and wa
terpower was discredited.
Then electrical development began,
another revolution was the result, and
water is not only regaining what II
had lost, but is becoming mightier
than ever. 1t was soon found that
electric power could be developed al
less cost and with greater ease and
certainty by water than by steam
power, and that settled 1t. Economy
certainty, and dispatch are three lev
ers In the industrial world which will
move mountains, and all work togeth
er for the reinstatement of water. AL
over the country that fluid Is being
again brought under subsection and
made to perform the labor from which
it had for long time been freed.
And the beauty Of 1t is that the wa
terpower need not now be used where
it is generated. It is no longer neces
sary that the mill or shop or factory
shall nestle close beside the running
stream, for electricity. like light, car
be diffused in all directions. The
Saviour. speaking to Nicodemus
said: 1.-THE wind bloweth where II
listeth, and thou nearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence II
cometh nor whittier it goeth."
Almost the same language might
be used about electric power. Mar
can send it where he chooses. We
see it's effects in our shops, in oul
lights, on our street cars and wher
ever machinery Is used. The ordi
nary man cannot tell how 1t comes
nor where it goes when it's work Is
done. A dam Is built across a run
ming stream, machines are erected
wires are laid, and straightway ma
chinery begins to buzz, street cars tc
run, and lights to spring up miles
away as IL by magic. It is wonder
full triumph OF mind over matter.
And, as We have said, the great
value Of this power lies in the ease
and certainty of its diffusion. We
hayS just read in a contemporary OF 9
company being organized in South
Carolina, with a capital Of 100000
to develop certain water powers in the
Piedmont region, and the statement
is made that towns within radius
of fifty miles are to be supplied BY
the company" with electric power
Three years ago just above the city
of Columbus, Ga, dam was built or
the Chattahooche River to develop
10000 h. .. Now we are told that no
more than $40 horse power for electri
cal purposes is left for sale. It 1!
practically all taken and more !.
needed.
Our own city of Montgomery is ar
example of what may be done and
what is done in utilizing waterpowel
thirty miles away. Taliasse's. waters
are running our street cars, driving
our machinery and lighting streets
and houses. The same thing is taking
place all over the land, and we have
only reached the frontiers, so t.
speak, of the unexplored possibilitie.
of electrical development. Wherevel
there is water with fall sufficient tt
operate a generator there one can b'
built and from 1t power will radiatt