Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-04

When Niagara falls was first tapped
to furnish electric light and power for
all sorts of purposes many miles
around, it was a revelation to the world
of the possibilities in the practical ap'
plication of the force. If great wa,
ter power can serve such a wide ex-
panse of territory as the figures show
could be done in this case, then smaller
streams with sufficient descent can rem
der a similar service to more unlimited |
territories, and there is now a strong |
er tendency than has ever before been
manifested to develop that idea even
in the most obscure quarters.
One of the most remarkable engi.
neering triumphs in this country is the
harnessing of Shawinigan falls in the
st. Maurice river, Quebec, not far from
where it empties into the st. Lawrence
river, and about half way between
Montreal and Quebec. This plant was
installed for delivering and distribu.
ting current for lighting and power in
Montreal, "a miles away. 1t is in
tended, however, to supply power at
points all along the line for factories
and for lighting.
Another great power center has now
been established in Pennsylvania,
where the falls of the Susquehanna
river, near York, have been put in
shape to meet the needs of wide
stretch of country at a cost of $2,0O0,-
900. The electricity generated at this
point will be distributed to large
number of towns and cities, of which
Philadelphia will very likely be one.
Another large plant at Spier falls, ON
the upper Hudson, has been established
and is serving large and widely scat
tered population. On the Canadian
side of Niagara falls, on both sides of
the "Soo' rapids, in California, where
the great system of the Bay Countie:
company transmits the current 1O(
miles; in Washington, where power il
transmitted from Snoqualmie falls 3!
miles to Seattle and A miles to Taco
ma, are instances of comparatively re
: cent development of water power oil
an enormous scale.
Many other principal cities of tn
Y United States will soon be utilizers o
i water power to such extent as t
= supplant steam power, but nevertheless
to such an extent as to greatly supple
/ ment it. Chicago will sooner or late
e be a beneficiary from development G
: electric power in the drainage canal 6
o Lockport; the Twin City Rapid Trans
h company of Minneapolis and st. Pal
e will soon be utilizing 10000 hOrs
!, power from it's new plant on the Mi
o sissippi river, which will be about on,
G third the total power it will use. Sa
v Lake City, Utah, will soon be gettin
;, power from the Shoshone falls
s Idaho.
X In the light of recent developmeI
J. it is reasonable to expect that the uti
e ization of water powers will continu
until practically all streams of an
l. considerable magnitude will be put
{, work. 1t is even now proposed
It transmit power from the Alps to Pari
d The only limitation upon power tran
e mission appears to be the point 1
J. which it can be delivered at a prof
y The important uses of electrical eu
e rent also appear to be increasing.
D. appears from recent United Stat'
II census bulletin that the aggregat
r output of dynamos installed in centr
1, stations which supply power exelusiv
lie ly is 1888. The number of are lam
a. is 4l9,56l, and the number Of inca
E. descent lamps is 19,639,729. The tot
G. income from the sale Of current
NJ 500, Ass, ,42O per year.
Two Of the largest American electI
cal companies, the Westinghouse al
the General Electric, have recently d
veloped a single phase motor, whi'
3 gives measure of assurance that mar
," of the limitations hitherto preventiI
x the more extended use of electricity
long distance railroading win short
be overcome.
. Much progress has already been MAJ
- in the application of electricity to ee
" tain portions of the steam roads al
a oreat extension of the use of Oh
power appears to be one of the dew
opments Of the near future. The B'
timore & Ohio has for some years us'
:" electric locomotives in carrying passe
- ger trains through the Baltimore tu
nels, and the New York Central is c
gagged in pretty large undertakings
~. that line.
II is now announced that the Ne