Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-17

IS L. Mitchell. the president. recently
made a report to the bureau of corpora
tons at Washington. I'm answer TO an
Inquiry. I'm which he said:
The only water power companies in
which We own stock or bonds are as fol-
lows:
Animas Power and Water Company,
southwestern Colorado.
Central Colorado Power Company.
eastern Colorado.
Carolina Power and Light Company,
central North Carolina.
Little River Power Company. north
Mccall Ferry Power Company. Penn
sylvania. near Philadelphia.
Rockingham Power Company. south
central North Carolina.
Stanislaus Water Power Compary
central California.
Two only OF the above mentioned COM
panies are controlled by us. They are the
Carolina Power and Light Company and
the Little River Power COMPANY
The American Gas and Electric Com
pany owns the stock OF the Rockford
Electric Company. Illinois, which i'm turn
owns a fractional interest in the water
power or the Rock river. at Rockford.
We own the stock OF the Alabama
Power Development Company at ITALIA
dega. Ala. which owns water power
site on the Chocolocco river, upon which
there was an electric plant al one time.
but ii was partially washed away and
dismantled something over a year ago.
and may he rebuilt i'm due course The
old plant developed less than GO horse
power.
The Little River Power COMPANY has
no plant at all. but contemplates build
one when the titles To sufficient property
can be acquired and business conditions
justify.
Profit Is Small.
There is a mistaken impression about
the profit that has been made in water
power electric plants" said Mr. Mckee.
AS a rule the companies which have
invested enormous sums OF money in
them pay low dividends Not one OF the
plants at Niagara Falls has ever paid
dividend. although every bit OF their
power is sold, because the cost OF install
ing and maintaining them is SO great and
the competition with steam is so close.
The development OF steam and gas en-
gines has been SO rapid and has brought
about such increased economy that the
electric companies have found great diff
ficulty in competing with them. Very few
electrical water plants in the United
states have ever been installed at
cost per horsepower as low as modern
steam plants. The water power generator
mas not kept pace with recent develop
ments in steam engineering. particularly
In the economy of installation and main
tenance.
A modern, up-tO-date steam plant for
generating electricity can be installed for
S15 per horsepower while water power
plants for generating electricity will aN-
erage 500 per horsepower and perhaps
more; but they are a necessity where
fuel cannot be obtained or where IL has
10 be hauled a long distance.
rake the great plant on the Susoue-
mamma river. for example. liz was erected
al cost OF more than eight million dol
lars 10 develop between forty and fifty
<arIynr fsar
Baltimore. Philadelphia ard other cities
In competition with steam plants operated
by West Virginia and Maryland coal. 1t
was as bold an invasion of the coal mar
ket as ever was made.
But the estimates of the cost of con-
struction and maintenance were too low.
SO the company was compelled to reor-
ganize. to scale down its securities and
TO secure more capital
CALIFORNIA; Big Plants.
Where is the largest use OF water
power in generating electricity"
With the exception of Niagara FANS
more electrical power is generated by
water in California than in any other
part OF the country, because fuel is ex-
pensive, and power is needed in isolated
places. where IL would not pay TO build
a steam plant. Altogether about two hun
dred thousand horsepower has been de-
veloped in that state TO generate cleo
tricity. but millions of horsepower are
running 10 waste. There is more unused
water power I'm California than will he
needed for a century.
THAT which has been developed IL
controlled and used by seven or eight diff
ferent companies which have no relation
or financial connections. The undeveloped
power is distributed among a very large
number OF owners. private individuals
mining companies. water companies and
spectators.
THE government still owns an enor-
nous amount Of water power in Califor-
mia. which has not been taken I'D because
there Is no present use and therefore no
demand for it. II will be generations be
fore ii will be needed, and much of IL is
in the forest reserves.
San Francisco is drawing light and
power from several developments located
in the Sierras. and belonging TO three
large companies The longest transmits
river and it's tributaries. belongs to the
Pacific Gas and Electric Company and
carries electricity 335 miles over a wire TO
light the streets and houses OF San
Francisco.
The next longest transmission is that
OF the Great Western Power Company
from Feather river, 165 miles, also for
lighting and for general purposes. The
street railway company OF San Fran
cisco is operated by a water power plant
on the Stanislaus. 10 miles from San
Francisco. which is owned by New York
Philadelphia and local capitalists who
have recently reorganized and increased
their capital.
Large Washington Plants.
There are some very large operations
In Washington state. Tacoma and Seat
tie get their electricity for street rail-
ways and lighting from three plants all
run by water power from Mount Rainier.
and develop about fifty thousand horse
power, which varies according TO the sea
son Of the year because II depends upon
the melting of snow. Tacoma is the only
city that does a commercial business in
electricity. II owns plant on Cedar
river. where II also gets its water supply
and in addition to lighting the streets.
sells electricity for general manufactur-
ing purposes at moderate rates
Buffalo. Syracuse. Albany. Troy,
Schenectady. Utica, St. Paul. Minneapolis,
Boise City. Butte. Helena, Tacoma. Seat
tile. Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco.
Los Angeles. Ogden and Salt Lake City
are all lighted by water power. but Ia
coma is the only municipality that owns
its plant.
I'm Colorado and other western states
the water belongs to the state and is be-
ing rapidly appropriated for irrigation.
which spoils il for power purposes.
There is a great deal of power going
to waste in Montana, for there is no pres
ent demand TO justify its development.
The Missouri river can furnish water
power enough to satisfy several genera