Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-05-04
CONSERVE DUB POWER.
EDWARD P. KICKER URGES ITS
IMPORTANCE.


IMPORTANCE.
x.,Nr,s MOTT VALUABLE ASSET MUST
BE DEVELOPED FOR HOME
ADVANCEMENT.
Edward P. Kicker, Of Poland Spring, In
, letter to the papers Of Maine, urges the
;mnortance Of conserving the water powers
=, the State and developing them for
home use. The letter follow:
In an interview few weeks ago, re-
,.rred to the transmission Of electricity
nevond the CONFINES OF the State Of Maine,
and called your attention to the great inn
nortsnce Of careful selection Of repre-
..ntatives to the sevsnty-hfth Legislature
in respect to this matter.
Inow wish to give . few facts In regard
Ia what has been attempted end what has
been done in the past, and Whist shall b
attempted in the future In this direction.
Nv position on this great question has
been previously stated BY me, but In order
that there may b NO mistake ! viii no
state it. In the nrst place, in nothing
that have done or may do do desire Or
expect to curtail In any way the existing
rights Of any corporation or any other in
vested capital, or in any way TO discour-
age any industry or the investment Of new
csoital in the State OF Maine.
I do not desire, ~ has been charged
against me, to convert the State OF Maine
into pleasure resort, to cripple it, powers
or to lessen the income Of capital ono
penny. On the contrary, desire to
bring capital into Maine and have It
secure here larger returns than ever before
I desire to sec Maine become = great
manufacturing State. This has been my
life work and will continue to be. But
also desire to sse the resources Of Maine,
especially in her water power, developed
within the borders Of the State % far %
possible, and not carried scross the line
by electrical transmission and monopo-
lized in our neighboring states, against
all hope or prospect Of the future growth
Of Maine.
Few people realize the enormous asset
Maine has in her water powers. While
large sums have been appropriated and
spent by State and nation for the investi-
cation OF our water powers and the de-
termination OF the amount and value Of
the same, much OF this information
has not been published. The people do
not know the results. They have been
kept for the Information Of the few, and
have no hesitation In saying that the few
have pronted greatly by the information
thus obtained At public expense.
From the best authority that have
been able TO secure, Maine stands third
among the states in the union in de-
veloped water power. New York and
California alone lead Maine in this re-
spect. California, Oregon and Washing
toms water powers have high heads but
small and irregular flow, with very little
possibility of future development by
storage. New York has nearly reached
its limit, unless Niagara is further de-
veloped and additional storage provided.
The area OF Maine 10 equal to the rest Of
New England, while Maine has more than
twice Is mnch water power. In respect
to the possible development Of water
power by storage and BY the use Of un-
developed water power, Maine has the
greatest future Of any State in the union.
From the best information have been
ableto secure, viz, from government ex-
perts, Names estimated possible develop.
ment, without additional storage, 10 $40, 900
horse power, and with storage, 1t is 1900
900 horse power.
The flow Of Maine rivers without stor-
age is more regular than that Of any other
state. Possible development would place
Maine first or second In the country in
the value and amount OF its natural re-
source. With the correct handling Of
storage, these water powers can be de-
veloped without injury to the agricultural
or business interests Of the State, or with
out marring its scenic beauty.
WATER STORAGE COMMISSION.
The so-called Fernaid bill, creating q
water storage commission, was one OF the
first steps toward a definite plan and
method Of handling water powers OF
Maine. That commission has been or
gained, has secured capable engineer
and has begun work along lines which
the commission believes to be broad and
Just to all the interests, and which it be-
heves will be of incaicuable benefit to the
people.
The issues concerned in this matter are
OF no small account. The annual earnings
OF $4,000 horsepower now developed in
Maine, at 30 . horsepower, would be g.
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