Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-04
FORTUNES OF THE FUTURE.
Will Be Gained by Harvesting Water
Wind and Sunshine.

from 81 N1cnOiaS.
TT is not gold, silver nor copper-no. nor
diamonds. either-that will make the great
fortunes Of the future. 1t is the hidden
power in the air, the water and the sun
shine, which will build up the wealth of
the next few centuries"
This statement was made not long ago by
a mining engineer Of worldwide reputation.
The value Of water power, wind power and
sun power as commercial factors Is indeed
just beginning to be realized. 1t is esti-
mated that throughout the world about
100000 electrical horsepower is generated
today from waterfalls and streams. More
than one-quarter Of this great horsepower
is generated in the United States, with
Canada second and Switzerland third.
At the lowest estimate 1t would require
some 25,OOO,OOO tons OF coal to generate
1000, 600 horse-po continuously by the
ordinary steam engine, and allowing IS
ton for the cost of COAL this would repre-
sent a saving Of $125. 100000. There are
thousands of streams capable of producing
from 100 to $4,000 or more horsepower; a
few others. like Niagara, the Victoria Falls
in South Africa and innumerable falls OF
the Mississippi the Colorado and the Mis-
souri,, with powers In this direction that
seem unlimited. If every part OF the
mighty torrent of Niagara was harnessed
it would easily generate sufhcient electrical
power to do all the work Of this country.
But Niagara is no greater than Victoria
Falls, In the heart of Africa-some say not
so great in its unmeasured possibilities
The value of a stream for power purposes
depeuds upon the amount of water flowing
and also upon its head--that Is. the height
Of it's fall. whether in sudden cataract,
or in rushing down a slope: and so the
small mountain stream which tumbles nois-
ily down steep slopes and gullies Is often
worth more than the broad, sluggish river
that flows through low, level stretches of
country One cubic foot of water a second
may equal in energy the total stored energy
of many tons of coal What is even more
wonderful, stream can be made to oper-
ate an electric pump which in turn will
pump the stream itself to levels where ordi-
nary irrigation bitches could not conduct 1t.
In other words. the water could be used
twice, first for generating electric power,
and second for irrigating our farms. Elec-
tricity could be made to light and heat the
homes of the city and country population
and run the threshing machines and reap
ers Of the farmer, as well as turn the
wheels of the cars and factories.
The use Of wind power for mechanical
purposes is Older than that of any other.
But q windmill for electrical generation Is
one of the most recent Of accomplishments.
The first windmill electric plant ever in
stalled In this or any other country was
built privately by DR.. Charles F. Brush.
the inventor OF the arc lamp, in 1880 at his
home in Cleveland for the purpose Of light
ing his house and laboratory. In Europe
commercial windmill electrical plants have
beer built. One such plant, established at
Wfttkeil. in schleswig, lights the town, and
been successfully used in running a factory.
windmill electric plant at Boyle Hail.
Ardsley, in England, has capacity for
running Ito lights in winter.