The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-06-02

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there during the summer season when
| rams are not so plentiful. A large
number Of streams, whose sources are
IN snow-capped mountains or in great
swamps, maintain almost a constant
how the year around. Others get
very low during July or August. To
secure reliable and permanent
source Of power in a small stream
which runs low during the summer. it
is necessary to build storage reser-
voirs to store up the water, which
usually runs quickly to waste after
heavy rain, so it can be used when
needed. Swamps and snow-capped
mountains are in themselves storage
reservoirs.
1t Is possible in these days of scien-
tif1c research to determine very accu-
rally the amount of power available
in any given stream. weiring the
stream during the summer months
will show its average flow. A transit
In the hands Of surveyor will quick
~ show the number Of feet of fall
available for any distance. The sur
Veyor can also ascertain the number
OF acres in the watershed, and, by
writing the weather bureau at Wash
ington, the average rainfall in that
section for the season can be deter.
mined, showing just how much water
goes to waste in the spring freshets
and just how how large a reservoir
would be needed to store that water
for use during the dry months. Then
anyone with head for simple figures
can determine the amount of power
available and the probable cost of the
equipment.
So important is the development of
water-power in this country that the
General Electric Company and other
large electrical concerns maintain a
large staff Of engineers whose duties
are to examine prospective water
power developments for enterprising
men who plan to harness the rivers
! and streams.
The building of dams in rivers and
streams is very simyie matter now,
compared to what it was few years
| ago. All the new dams are made of
| constructed where the dam is needed
| and the concrete is simply mixed and
dumped into the moulds and allowed
to harden. These dams do not cost
anywhere near as much as stone ma
sonry and can be erected in a COM
paratively short time. It is argued
that the destruction Of the forests has
impaired the water-power Of the
country. This is true to a certain ex-
tent in that the forests formerly acted
as storage reservoirs, or giant sponges,
which held the water back and kept
the streams from sudden rises during
heavy rains and from becoming very
low when it rained not at all. This
damage can be remedied by construc-
ting artificial reservoirs.
Water wheels Of the very latest pat.
| tern are now made in all sizes from
the little fellow which fastens on the
house-top to drive the sewing ma
chine. to the giant turbine capable of
turning Niagara's thousands Of horse
power into electricity for Buffalo, Nj
agara Falls, Rochester, Syracuse and
| Toronto. The water wheel is connect
ed so as to drive an electrical genera
tor which changes the energy into
electricity so 1t can be used for pow
er light and heat
! OF course, one hears a great deal
about the water-power developments
at Niagara and along such rivers as
the Hudson, Susquehanna; the Kern
and Feather rivers in California; the
Wenachie. Columbia, Yukon and 9TH
er large streams where thousands and
thousands of horse power are avail
able, but the smaller cities and viii
lagos are harnessing the smalls treams
for light and power and even the
| farmer is slipping an electric bride on
the meadow trout stream and bring
ing the six to ten available horse
power to his house and barn to do the
work about the farm and to give him
the comforts Of the city in his rlural
home.