Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-12-11
PROSPERITY IN sMALr. TOWNS

tffstS NrSa 81 Ha t 49,. So =. $50
tricsss 81. &,~rl i@fi t%.ics.
Dr.. Louis Bell, an electrician of Wide
experience and marked sagacity, dis
cusses In the Engineering Magazine Ger.
tain industrial possibilities which have
opened by the electric transmits
sion Of power. He asserts that there
are many streams In this country capa-
BILE OF yielding from 200 to 800 hose
power each which are not yet utilized.
He is personally acquainted with u
score Of them In New England alone.
Most Of these neglected water powers
are eligibly situated for the operation
OF small factories, n distance of several
miles between dam and mill being per-
mlsSible. The necessary water wheels.
dynamoes. house to shelter them Il
wires to conduct the current to the spot
where it Is to be applied to work would
not. in DR.. Bells opinion, Involve an
outlay exceeding 500 a horsepower de-
livered. The rural manufacturer would
obtain his power more cheaply than the
city manufacturer, who relies on steam
and who is Obliged to pay a heavy
transportation tax on coal. The FORMER
could compete on exceptionally advan-
tageous terms with the latter, especially
r ip could find Il market for his pre-
duets comparatively near home.
When once an opportunity Of his
kiud had been improved several result
might be reasonably expected, says the
| New York Tribune. II a little more
electricity were generated than was
needed for the factory, it could be sold
for lighting or for operating IL trolley
line. If on the same stream or another
not more than a few miles away, Il sec
oud water power were available, lmita-
| ton would follow the pioneer venture
| soo,,er or later. Example goes further
ttnu precept. People who are SLOW
to recognize II chance at first are often
quick to seize II after seeing a prac-
teal demonstration of its value.
A chain OF power plants composed OF
several members might In time be es-
ta%blished, each with It's little colony OF
factory operatives and stores. The
formers near by would find IA better
| sale for their produce and might be-
| come stockholders III the trolley Hue
| which carried ii to market. This Is an
attractive but not a fanciful picture "f
rural prosperity. The scheme has been
| realized over and over again. but less
frequently in the United States than on
| the continent OF Europe. The govern
| ments OF France. Germany End Swift
zerland have lent special encourage
ment to small industrial enterprises OF
tile kind here described. But IL Amer
lea has witnessed fewer illustrations ut
the idea there can be little doubt Of rs
practicahiiity in til" right lands.
From the census reports 1t has long
bpcn obvious that Il greater and greater
share of the population Of this country
is TO be found in the big cities every
decade, and hat the farm aid village
have IN a corresponding degree suffered
from desertion. One Of the causes Ut
his unfortunate change Is the concen-
tration of manufacturing at large cen-
ters, while among the consequences OF
it are the necessity for carrying raw
materials and fuel farther. thus adding
to their cost, and the transportation Oi
food For the workman for greater dis
tancee.
BY Il wider md more judicious distri-
button of factories and mills the bur
den imposed OH industry would he
lighter, labor could be enabled to live
more economically and the yalue OF
farm lands IN some parts of the country
would be enhanced. The initiative III
chack,n" the r~nsent tendency must he
taken by w~ide-awake men In scattered
localities. Wherever good water pew-
ers are going to waste opportunities &c
afforded TINT should be improved by n
.erprising people IN the vicinity.