Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-11-24
NERNOtv'S "WUITE COti,.'

NERNONr's "WUITE COAL"
When state Superintendent Srhast-
fer OF Pennsylvania told the teachers
Of Vermont at their state convention
in :his city that one of the great re-
sources OF Vermont and other States
in the future would I've the enormous
supply of white coal and that one Of
the States chief problems would he
the storage Of tho same in the noun
tains in time OF food in order to sup
ply power in time of drought. no
touched upon ono of the most import
ant questions that conf: ont tho people
on both sides Of Lake Champlain os
VOL of all Vermont.
Enough water flows from our hills
cvory season to furnish all the power
Vermont can possibly use but the
greater part of 1t now goes to waste
for lack of proper measures to CON
serve this great store of white coal"
There are hundreds of places wherc
great natural reservoirs might be
| created amid our hills and along our
streams. When the snow. were melt
ing In the spring and great showers
of rain were falling the swollen streams
would FIJI these reservoirs. a~d later
! on IN the season when dry time
came the water could be released
fron hes, storeaouscs Of white coar.
to turn scores Of water wheels on it's
way toward the sea
That this problem is awakening In
terest in other directions is indicated
by the following from the Plattshurgh
| Star:
With wise guidance strong de-
mand from democrats and republicans
in these counties and with earnest
work by the men We now have in
power from this section. we may be-
gin to hope for real progress. and 1t
Will be much to the credit OF the
northern dem ocrats If they can help
along so good cause As the coneerva-
ton and development Of the Great
North Woods and the rivers which
low from them.
To show the Inducements TINT exist
Cor earnest and intelligent work. we
may take the example of the Sarauac
and Ausahle rivers and consider what
might be done for Clinton county
alone by water storage and the reru-
lation Of the annual flow Of these riv-
ers Tho same thing would apply -
all the rivers lowing out Of the Ad
irondacka
Tho Saranac river if regulated coul
be made to supply work for thousands
of additional workmen. Plattsbure.h
would he incalculahly benefited and
hundreds of thousands Of dollars Of
added value could be dis tributed along
the course of the river.
The same thing would he true OF the
Ausable river. and Keeseville. Ausablc
Forks and the villages of the upper
Ausable valley would he very mayc-
rally benefited.
All around the edges Of the woods
| are rivers that pour their foods in
the spring and dry up in the SUNNI or
and all these streams If regulated arc
capable Of fringing the Adirondacks
| with industrial Developments that
would rival tho busiest sections of
New England which have derived their
prosperity from hydraulic develop
ment.
Tho creation Of Morrisvlles beautl-
full lake was so easy an engineering
problem and so comparatively tnex-
pensive, that we wonder scores Of
other communities have not spied out
the land for the purpose OF develop
ing reservoirs Of this character, bu
now that public attention is being
called to the necessity Of conserving
water power and preserving It for thu
neople In tho face OF vigorous efforts
Of great corporations to grab all tn
water power in sight. we may hope
that Verm mt viii make great progress
in this direction in the immediate fu
ture.
The present Vermont Legislature
should make n beginning in the worl
Of conserving the States supply o
white coal" and 1t is to be hoped tina
following the THANKSGIVING recess
move In this direction may be mad
by our lawmakers at Montpelier