Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-22
GREAT FALLS OF THE POTOMAC.

GREAT FALLS OF THE POTOMAC
| citation 10 call the attention of those VINO
| are giving consideration to the PROJECT OF
| establishing manufacturing plants on the
| banks of the upper Potomac to the splendlo
natural water power which can be supplied
| by the Great Falls of the Little Fails, just
above Chain bridge.
statement prepared by Mr. Alex D. An
derson and now In the hands of Mr. Howe
makes interesting showing In this par
| ticular. 1t follows:
1.-The utilization of Niagara FaliS
| for the generation and transmission of cleo
trical power to Buffalo and other places the
complete success of the project and the pro-
spective benefits to be derived therefrom not
only by the capitalists Interested but by
many towns and cities In western New
York has stimulated a renewed interest in
both the Great and Little Falls of the 70
tomac. Located, they are, just above the
city OF Washington which requires an enor-
nous motive power for the operation OF It's
various street and suburban electric ran
ways, its lights and other industries, both
governmental and private their utilization
becomes matter of great practical impor-
lance
Great Falls of the Potomac
THE Great Falls are but ten miles from
the District boundary and fifteen from the
business center of Washington. The mag
ninent and picturesque country around
them and the excellent fishing of the upper
Potomac make the place a favorite resort
for Westinghouse and others
But, while the scenery is familiar to all,
| the magnitude and value of the water power
| for industrial purposes has not until recent
| ly been duly understood and appreciated.
by reference to an official report on water
| power by George f. Swain we find that the
drainage area above the Great Falls is H.
416 square miles. In his description of the
/ Great Falls he The
| over solid mass of rock, with banks of the
| same material, often very steep and precip-
| itous just at the edge of the water but with
| level or nearly level places on top of the
| bluffs extending back in some places hun
| dred yards or more, the facilities for build
ing being ample on both sides of the river.
| The stream descends at the principal fall
| perhaps thirty-fve or forty feet in 100 or 100
| yards, and the total fall in a distance of
| about a mile a mile and a half is eighty
| or ninety feet
| and intelligent idea of the extent of the
| power of the Great Falls than by contrast
| with the water powers at wel-known manu-
| featuring and industrial centerS.
| Several years ago it was believed to be
very desirable that the United States should
acquire this entire water right and thereby
secure for all time a sufficient supply for
I the District of Columbia, and use the sur
| plus water as power to generate electricity
| for lighting the government buildings and
the District of Columbia and for power to
| run the elevators, printing presses anu
other machinery in the government build
| ings and at the navy yard
I'm event of such acquisition by the gov
eminent there remains for manufacturing
and other private enterprises an ample
water power still nearer Washington-the
| Little Falls-but six miles from the business
| center of the city,
One of the Purposes.
| AS one of the principal purposes of the
| recently formed Jobbers and Shippers As
| ISOLATION of Washington. d. c., is to build
| up wholesale trade with the southern
| states, and as this city has come to be re-
| garded as the gateway to the south" the
members of that organization are taking
unusual interest in everything that pertains
| to sunny Dixie Mr.. Charles E. Howe, sec
rotary OF the new commercial body, has re-
ceived interesting data from Mr. Festus
j. Wade, president of the Mercantile Trust
Company of st. Louis, on the independence
| of the SOUTH Mr. Wade saws that "a n
the world knows the south on account of
the beauty of the women, the chivalry and
courage of the men. All the world knows
the south, where his majesty King Cotton
reigns. All the people of the United States
know of the solid south, and they all know
of the new south as proclaimed by Henry
w. Grady, when he opened the eyes of the
| north to his new south in his last address
delivered in Boston seventeen years ago.
proclaiming that the new south that year
had crop of 1900 coo bales of cotton worth
$3.50. 600 600, and its equivalent in other
products of the farm and factory
Few indeed know of the independence of
the south today. 1t is independent In its
agricultural resources, manufacturing in
dustries, commercial establishments and fl
nancal institutions Take for instance the
resources of its banks and trust companies
We find that the percentage of increase be-
tween the years 1896 and 1905 Is the largest
of any secion of the United States. not even
excepting & western states. where we think
we are gro ing at an astonishing rate
1T will ~. found from the reports of the
controller OF the currency that the percent
age of increase in deposits of banks and
trust companies of the southern states is
GAG per cent within the time mentioned
Increase of Financial Deposits.
1.-THE percentage of increase in deposits.
of financial institutions in the eastern states
during the period named was about one
half wha 1t in the south.
"A United States senator, fifteen years
ago. made the forceful observation that If
| one-half bushel five dollar gold pieces were
| emptied in the soil anywhere west of the
Missouri river south of the Ohio, every
one would be rolling toward New York be-
| fore shutdown.
THE banks and trust companies of the
| entire United States had in individual de-
| posts Sc, 400 100000 more In 1905 than in
| 1896. OF that increase more than ne-third
| was In the south and west
These southern states now raise nearly
| 600,000,0O0 bushels of corn each year: they
| have over 100000 head of hogs and raise
| more than 2oo,000.000 pounds Of rice an
nually.
while cotton is the main product of
| the south, yet only A per cent of the farms
/, of the south now derive their principal in
/ come from cotton. Nevertheless, the cotton
production Of the south has shown steady
Increase since the production 100000 bales,
nearly twenty years ago. About that time
| the valuation of the crop was nearly $780,.
| 100000 year; last year 1t exceeded 49,
! 100000 bales. with valuation of $62S 000,-
COO.
"The cotton exports in 1902 amounted to
| 5,S91, eco bales, having valuation of s25s,-
/ 481 600. In 1901 the export cotton amounted
| to 6,50S. 600 bales, having d valuation of
/ s3l3,67s.o 600.
/ 1.-The home grown cotton demand by the
mills of the United States is now over A.
100000 bales annually In 1890 1t was 2s325.-
GOO Yet, notwithstanding this remarkable
Increase in cotton manufacturing. a large
percentage of 1t in the south. we are sell