Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1905-03-10
MEM ENoLANp MlLLa


Streams Able 70 Furnish Electra
Power for Many Industries.
When Niagara falls was. first tapped
to furnish electric light and power FOX
all sorts OF purposes many miles
around, 1t was a revelation to the
world Of the possibilities in the prac-
ttcal application OF the new force, and
80 strongly did it appeal 20 the pTac-
teal not TO say the greedy side Of 10
ciety, that there has been great dafa-
Guilty In preventing the destruction Of
the cataract as one q natures won
ders, and making 1t simply 4 source
OF power for the benefit OF q monopoly.
But while there has been danger that
proper bounds might be broken, and
while that danger viii doubtless exist
as long as legislatures are mercenary,
the history OF electrical operations al
Niagara has furnished a great and sug-
gestive object lesson for the rest Of
the country, says the Boston Tran
script II a great water power can
serve such q wide expanse Of pOpulOus
territory as the figures show could
be done in this case, then smaller
streams with sufficient descent can
render a similar service TO more linn
tied territories, ana there is now 4
stronger tendency than has ever been
manifested before 10 develop that idea
even in the most obscure quarters.
Another great power center has now
been established IN Pennsylvania,
where the falls Of the Susquehanna
River, near York, have been put in
shape 10 meet the needs OF wide
stretch Of country at a cost Of $1,000
600. The electricity generated at this
point will be distributed TO a large
number Of towns and eitdes, Of which
Philadelphia will very likely be one.
Another large plant at Spier Falls on
the upper Hudson has been established
and IL serving large and widely scat
tered population In all those respects
that the larger developments OF our
modern civilization demand.
But even the great plants are not 50
significant Of the vast expansion Of the
water power Of the country as the
multiplicity Of smaller plants actual
and projected in places that have aD-
parently become decadent, but need
only the touch Of this new force 10
awaken them to new life. There are
hundreds Of streams in New England,
and we have In mind several such In
Massachusetts, and Connecticut that
fifty years ago furnished power for all
sorts Of small but prosperous mana
factories wooden mills, paper mills,
cutlery works, ana 90 forth. In the
last two or three decades these enter.
prises have gone by the board. swaL
lowed up in the absorptions OF their
business by the large centers .,Bu4
the streams remain, awaiting new uses
which seem to be cOngesbed by the ser.
vice we are considering.
The central purpose OF almost ali
invention IL the increase or multtpi-
cation Of power and the development
Of electrical force and its practical an
plicatdon performs that once for the
streams OF New England. Once their
power at a given point was only sum
cient to run Single mill and that IRE
quently not very large; but now work
ing through electric engines they can
light the streets Of towns, prOpel their
cars and supply power for almost any
number and variety Of industries that
may be desired. AS water power is
cheaper than steam power, many
venture that would otherwise be nm
promising can now be made profitable
and new leases Of life be brought 10
sections long threatened with atrophy
and abandonment.