Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-07-09
STATES WATER POWERS.
University Issues New Book Describ-
inc Most important of Resources.

university issues New Book DeScflD-
inc Most important of Resources.
The wonderful water powers of Wis
> consin and the unusual opportunities
for valuable development at nominal
cost are graphically described in a
new book about to be issued by the
state geological survey under the title,
'The Water Powers of Wisconsin"
The book, which is the work of Prof.
Leonard S. Smith of the topographic
and geOdetic engineering department
of the University of Wisconsin, gives
the records of the survey of some 600
miles of rivers in the state at a cost
of $1,000 daily measurements for six
years of the flow of the principal riV-
ers of Wisconsin, costing $4,000; a
complete description of the physical
geography of the state, including not
only geology and topography, but the
photography soils and forest and eli
matte condition, with valuable charts
and tables of precipitation and tenn
perature records. The book is profuse
ly illustrated with twenty-five maps,
$50 tables, figures and charts and six
ty-one fine photographs showing the
falls and rapids in various streams
where vast quantities of power may
be developed. An appendix of consid-
cradle Importance gives a synopsis of
all the dam charters granted by either
territorial or state legislatures of Wis
consin since 1888.
Probably not more than half a doz-
ell other states in the Union are SO IA
vorably situated with reference to wa
ter powers as is Wisconsin" says
Prof. Smith in his bulletin. The i'm
pOrtance of these water powers, he
points out, is greatly emphasized by
the remarkable development in cleo
trical generation and transmission of
power which now makes possible the
generation of power at points where
it is found in quantities, even though
distant from the market. The 10000
horsepower plant being built at Kill
bOurn, on the Wisconsin river, is an
example of this. If properly husband
ed and developed, these powers may
be made as certain and eternal as sun
light and cannot but exercise a most
important influence On the develop
ment of the state, especially in the
northern part Prof Smith urges the
continuation of the survey of the wa
terways, that plan and profie show
ing possible power developments may
be made and printed for general dis
tributiOn, to encourage and assist
manufacturers in the establishment of
plants and the development of latent
power now being wasted in wild rap
ids and untrammeled waterfalls.
While single developments of from
10000 to 10000 horsepower are not
wanting in Wisconsin, it is the gen
eral distribution of possible power
centers throughout the whole state
that characterizes the Wisconsin wa
terways. The total water power now
developed, approximately calculated
at 10000 horsepower, is only small
proportion of the total power awaiting
development. When completed, the
water power plant near Superior, on
the st. Louis river, will call for the
generation of more than the present to-
tai developed power of the state-200,-
900 horsepower at least-which will
make it second to none but the great
hydraulic plant at Niagara. Other
large water powers are merely await
ing the surveyor, the engineer and
the manufacturer to contribute largely
to the states valuable assets.
So far as known, no single impor-
tant river of all the network of water
ways has yet been made to produce
its full capacity of power The lower
Fox comes nearest, with a total of 81
1913 actual horsepower produced in
the thirty-fve miles between Green
Bay and Lake Winnebago. This large
water power has caused the district
to take high rank as a center for the
manufacture of paper and pulp. The
Wisconsin, the Chippewa and the ST.
CroiX rivers are all capable of produc-
ing power equal or even exceeding
that of the lower Fox.-W.