The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-07
WATER POWER IS
FACTOR IN
ITALY
Manufacturers Assert Their
Independence Of King Coal
BY Its Use.

iHe chdAslhs aspect or fuel supply
In Italy and the relation of industrial
development, is proving of advantage
to Lombardy and Milan. AS the re-
ceding coal supply effects the indus
trial development of northern Italy,
water power begins to take its place
as one of the chief assets of the Italian
kingdom. This is subject which
should prove of great interest to
American manufacturers, because it is
bound to be through the application of
the vast store of water in the northern
Italy mountain ranges that their COM
petitors in Italy will be able to meet
on what will be more than equal terms,
ii American mills continue to be dom
mated by King Coal. In the Italian
cotton trade the fuel problem, which
is assuming a serious stage through
out Europe, is made scarcely of mo-
ment by the rapid development of
electrical energy generated by water
power IN the not very distant hills. All
the power cotton mills are run by
electricity, and many of the older ones
are taking measures to secure re-
equipment with electrical machinery
to take the place OF their old steam
plants. The prospects of the Milan
cotton manufacturer for the future
are not clouded by any doubts of his
ability to compete with the mills of
other countries on the score of power
cost.
One of the problems connected with
the more extended use of the water
supply in northern Italy Is furnished
by the danger that too much of the
natural flow might be made use of, to
the detriment of the inhabitants of the
upper valleys, who need a consider
able amount for irrigation purposes.
This difficulty is being obviated by a
storage system, which seems to be
working out successfully, and by
means of which all interests seem to
be cared for equally. One of these
reservoir groups was established in
1889, on the river Gorzente, where two
storage basins were built, with a COM
bined capacity of 5,75O,0O0 cubic me-
tres of water, to supply the city of
Genoa with water and electric power.
The company owning these reservoirs
has decided to re-equip it's works and
bring them up to date. so as to pro-
duce total available power supply
of 5000 horsepower Another company,
which Is exploiting the water supply
OF the Apennines, has established
plants at four points in that range.
One of these will supply electrical
power to Spezzia, the chief military
port and maritime arsenal of Italy,
and the other three will be used to
transmit electrical power to Genoa
These three stations have capacity
OF $4,000 horsepower, and the storage
reservoirs have combined capacity
of more than 30,000.O0O cubic metres.
The Italian government, under the
inspiration of the king, whose inter-
est in practical enterprises is unusu-
ally keen, is giving an impetus to the
study or water power and electrical
transmission. Two of the great rail-
way lines of the nation are to be asked
to devote large part of 1907 to the
question of electrical traction. and to
take up various projects for trial on a
large scale. On the line of the Medit-
erranean third rail system has been
tried between Milan and lakes Mag
siore and Lugano, and after three
years of testing this appears to be
satisfactory.
In northern Italy nearly all the
small cities and great number of
villages are supplied with electric
light. while many of them have in
stallations of hydro-electrical power.
Among the cities Of from 10000 to So
900 inhabitants so equipped are Ver-
oelli, Novara. Pavia. Bergamo, Brescia,
Verona. Eerghera. Alexandria, Mantua,
Vicenza and 1ntra. Many of these are
known for their Importance as man.
ufacturing towns and their extensive
contributions to the total of exports
HydrO-electrical installations have
played strong part in the commercial
advancement of these thriving towns
The city of Como, one of the principal
silk centers of Europe. draws its cleo
trio lights and power from a station
near POlezza. on the lake of Lugano,
through wire line twenty-seven miles
long and at tension of 1000 volts
The station includes {, canal and tun-
nels 1000 feet in length. by which
is utilized typical mountain torrent
with fall of S35 feet The station
contains five groups OF generators.
In addition to the installations which
serve the smaller cities there are, in
northern Italy, a number of others
which supply electrical power to
groups of villages spread over terri
tory more or less extended in area.
Throughout Lombardy important man
ufactures are depending more and
more upon electrical transmission for
their power One of the most inter-
esting plants is at Gromo. noted in Eu-
rope as the first in Italy. to use a cur
rent of 10000 volts. The wire line
supplies the Crespi textile mills in
Nembro. Every year electrical trans
mission is developing toward the point
where all the rich country centering
on Milan will be reasonably independ-
ent of receding coal supply and the
increasingly high cost of fuel.
Trimming the Yaps.