The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-04-29
'IOWA'S WATER POWER.
Resources of the State in This Line
Are Enormous.

sources have not been carefully sur
veyed, it is known that they are O
enormous value. BY drainage under
! ground and reservoirs to store sur
plus water, IL is estimated that the
state will have very nearly 1,000,00(
horse power for use in manufacturing
and for operation of machinery in
general. ~
1t is estimated that the horse pow
er of Iowa rivers is annually equal to
100000 tons of Iowa coal. This is
worth $20,000,000 at lowest average
cost at the furnace door. This amount
of power generated by coal by the
| present methods of generating in
Iowa would cost $6O,O00,00O.
Power is a larger item in the cost
of manufacturing. At the present
time Iowa digs about $12,0O0,O00
worth of coal annually. Coal lands are
limited, and if we can begin to ease
up the strain ON the coal beds now,
they will last hundreds of years to
supply places where electric power
cannot be applied. ."'
What advances manufactures rapidly
is cheap power and good transporta-
tion facilities. This cheap power is
entirely within the reach of Iowa peo-
pie, and it can and will be brought
about If the plans which are fast be-
ing given form by Iowa's thinking
men are carried out. These plan are
to bring about an orderly develop
ment of the resources of the state in
a thorough and comprehensive man.
ner.
First there will be a careful survey
of the resources of the state. This
will include a survey of the water
power supply now going to waste.
Maine, New Jersey, Wisconsin and
other states have determined their
available water powers and the prop
er conditions under which they should
be developed.
In the rapid growth of electric lines
much depends upon cheap power.
Cheap power is water power. Iowa
has it, as soon as she develops her
streams. These water powers of Iowa
are but a part of the general plan of
river control and development They
depend entirely upon the flow of the
streams. Some believe the worst
menace that threatens this power is
the filling of stream channels by mud
and sand from the once tree clad hills
now rapidly eroding and the big open
drainage bitches which are now pour
ing hundreds of thousands of tons OF
wash soil in the stream channels. 1t
is said California washed so much
mud into her navigable rivers above
Sacramento, by hydraulic mining, that
$24 100000 would be required to make
them again navigable.
THE trouble with water power is
that there is too much of it when we
do get it and on many rivers of the
state the flow is so uneven that it is
not worth developing the power until
the flow is regulated" said G. e,
Wheat. an order to develop the
water powers and reclaim the flooded
river lands of Iowa we need a survey
which will show the present condition
| of all overflow or flood plain lands o.
Iowa, showing losses due by floods IN
the destruction of property in the
cities, towns and built-up districts
| the losses due by withdrawal from
crop cultivation of such flooded lands
| and the recommending of plans ano
proper methods for prevention o.
| these floods. ....
1--WE need survey of at least one
| representative Iowa river to ascer
| tain the available dam sites and the
| potential water power, and report the
best method of procedure to bring
about the development of the water
powers of the state, at the same time
retaining the ultimate conrol OF the
water supply in the state.
"In the United States there is about
| 30, 100000 horse power. By regulat
ing the flow of streams this can be in
! creased to 50,0O0,O00. Congress re
| Gently signed away the right to de
| yelop the power of the MISSISSIPPI
| river rapids at Hamilton, ILL.,, ant
| Keokuk, Ia. This is 10000 horse
power, and may be developed up t.
$50 900. A good keen business MAJ
of one of these towns told me will
| great apparent satisfaction how thu
bill granting the power right to cor
poration composed of citizens o
these two towns was passed by con
/ gress in week, and how the corpor
| alton then sold out to two men whit
were to undertake the development
of the power project, how $7,oOO,0O
to $4,000 will be required to develop
the project, and now it will yiel'
power worth from s1,000,O00 to $4,000
900 annually He dilated further OF
the great leadership which those tw'
cities would have as manufacturing
centers on the greatest waterway o
the world.
IS. S. Mcclure, editor of Mcclure
Magazine, recently said in publ
address, a monopoly of the waite
powers of the United States would b
monopoly beside which the Stanc
ard Oil and all amalgamated interest
would become forgotten pigmies. MI
Pinchot practically repeated thi
statement in Des Moines March 20.
M. IL n