The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-03-17
TALKS
OF CONSERVATION
OF WATER POWER
Wonderful Possibilities for Ap.
plication on South Dakota
Streams.
BY A

Pierre, s. D., March 15.--In an ad
dress made at a luncheon served by tn,
Fort Pierre Commercial club las
Tuesday, Governor Vessey advanced
latent possibilities OF water powers IL
South Dakota.
He recited the action taken by the
house of governors in it's recent convo.
cation and the purpose of the Garter
Dill to invest in the states the water
powers in n~avigable streams. Governor
Wesley said he believed the Carter
Dill was a just n and that
1t should pass congress, and once
the law, he should strenuously
oppose the surrender of those water
powers to any n but should urge thai
the state develop them with the view
that the people should get cheaper pow
er and that the burden of taxation for
state purposes be greatly reduced II
not wholly removed.
He told the experience of a life long
friend OF his wi who Is at the head of
q syndicate that is developing a four
teen thousand horse power on the Pes
tigo river In Wisconsin. Four thousand
horse power is already in commission
and the current sold on long contracts
at one cent per kilowat which is re-
to the owners of the power plant. The
cost OF operation Is but nominal.
On the Missouri river In Central
South Dakota there is at a mean stage
OF water, which can be maintained
throughout the year by conservation
methods in h upper valley, zoe, 900
horse power available, which when q
demand for the same has been created,
at the low Wisconsin rate would return
a gross annual revenue Of over six
million dollars, or enough to pay cost
or operation, maintenance, interest on
the Investment and leave enough profit
to practically maintain the state gov
eminent and institutions.
The Missouri river powers are but a
fraction Of the powers Incorporated
In h state and the carrying out of
the policy proposed by the governor
means very much for future genera
tons in South Dakota. Whether or not
the people will desire to undertake
these enterprises and will vote the
necessary constitutional amendment
and the cash remains for the future to
determine but it is certain the execu-
tive met with a most enthusiastic re-
Spouse from those who listened to his
views on the subject.
At the same function Mr.. Charles z.
DeLand spoke upon the Navigation Of
the Missouri n among other things
advanced a rather novel suggestion.
From the map of North America he
demonstrated that the head of naviga-
ton upon the Missouri is the nearest
and most convenient port to all the
vast wheat producing region of western
Canada. With the impulse given to
commerce outward, by the opening Of
the canal at the isthmus he foresaw
the immediate utilization of the Mis-
souri, to carry Canadian wheat to tide
water.
Colonel P. F. Mcclure at the same
TINA onnko ac tho ,dxyaaata ~ ssNyax rt
cation in Our Time" He has been at
great pains to inform himself upon the
subject and is ready to back his faith
with his means. He proposes to build
light draft boats equipped with steel
compartments to prevent sinking Inc
s%nagging, and to put them into the
carrying trade on the river; to insure
constant business he will engage in
heavy merchandising establishing
warehouses in the river towns where he
will carry stocks Of cement, nails,
heavy hardware, machinery and the
like for distribution to the local deal
ors. Colonel Mcclure is an exceedingly
conservative business man who has
matured his plans with the greatest
care n will push them into effect with
characteristic energy. The b~riqueting
Of Ignite is a feature Of his plans to
keep his boats supplied with business.
Colonel Mcclure suggests the equip
ment of his boats with powerful hy-
draulinc pumps to be thrown into COM
mission at n time required to wear
out sand bars when they hold up the
boats. Ordinarily navigators can make
pretty good progress on the river II
they do not get grounded on bars. Once
hung up the process Of getting off is a
slow one. He believes this difficulty
can be overcome with the use of such
pumps.