Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1905-01-27
FOR WATER POWER
Diminishing Coal Supplies Of the
World Hasten the Era Of
Water Falls.

Every day sees more and more OF the
wasted power of waterfalls. which lies
at mans disposal In every hilly or noun
famous country, turned tO use in fur'
nishing electric energy The power of
waterfalls, writes Garrett =. Serviss, 10
Success Magazine, is driving the great
est OF all tunnels, the double Simplon
bore, through the Alps; IT Is sending
another tunnel, by devious ways, behind
precipices and under glaciers to the sum
init OF the snowy Jungfrau; and a plan
ID now being perfected for constructing.
once more with the ala Of waterfalls,
and to be run by them, when finished,
4 rival to the Simplon road, which shall
ross the Alps between Turin and Mar
igny.
Everybody knows what Niagara Is do
Ing, and how the waterfalls of Califor-
1ia, and of other mountainous states,
are being harnessed.
A. A. Campbell Swinton, at the re-
cent meeting OF the British Association
Tor the Advancement OF Science, pre-
scented accurate statistics, which he had
personally collected showing thatnoless
than 800, 000-horsc power derived from
waterfalls Is now being utilized in vari-
Gus parts Of the world for the develop
mcnt Of electric energy. OF this great
total, which he believed did not repre-
sent the full truth, for he thought II
probable that the real aggregate -
200, %000-hOrse power, nearly one-third
must be credited to the United States.
There Is one feature of this utilization
If water power in place Of steam power,
which Mr.. Swintou brought out, and
which is seldom thought Of and that
Is the saving Of coal which it effects.
On the basis Of 1000, O~OO-hOrsc power
derived from waterfalls, this saving
amounts to nearly 1900 600 tons Of coal
per year.
But the maximum amount Of water
power that IS available has not yet
begun TO be approached in actla! utiIi-
cation. 80 that the annual saving Of coal
must become larger and larger every
year. This, in view Of the Increasing
IImculty Of WORKING many coal mines,
owing to the great depths 20 which
they have penetrated, and In view Of the
approaching of some Of the most IA
nous fields, becomes a highly important
consideration. Every little while the
world IS reminded. more or less scnsa-
tioually, Of a coming coal famine. The
fact Is hat coal, Of the better grades,
possesses 50 many advantages and con
ycnicnces as "A fuel that the earth's sup
plies Of il should be conserved for hui
man use as long as possible. Men OF
science have more than once sounded
a warning against the waste Of coal,
or Goa Is the gift Of "A geologic age
which cannot be renewed. Thus water
falls, by enabling us to spare coal, are
performing an indirect service only less
important than their direct service in
supplying electric power. But for them
The growing use Of electricity would
IOOn make a drain upon the coal mines
If the most serious character.
The era Of waterfalls seems certainly
10 have dawncd. Every great cataract
viii become a focus Of industry, just "a
every great river valley has always been
a center Of population, and Prof. Brig
hams prediction that Niagara Is To be
the Industrial center Of America, may
be fulfilled within a generation.