Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-30

electrics except as any man with good
pair of eyes knows little about every
thing he sees, | confess to a more than
passing interest in what | believe IS the
great thing in this whole subject, the
Transforming of water power into cleo
trio current and the delivery of that cur
rent at neighboring or distant points.
The Board of Trade of Portland is in
q New Industry frame of mind 1t wants
more going on in Portland. To that end
cheap power is one of the important in
ducements to offer What applies to
Portland applies to many other cities
as the germ thought of this desultory
paper that with the development of even
one-half of the potential and at present
undeveloped water power of our State.
the converting of that power into cleo
trio current and its delivery which is
now easily possible by transmission lines
hundred miles or more to shipping
points and labor markets such Port
land Bath. or Bangor. such an industrial
development is possible as would astound
us if we could realize it.
DO not think for moment that | ex
pect to see this all come about in q short
time. Many difficulties in the way
and such things always start slowly.
am talking of possibilities and believe
am well within reason. Four Years ago
it was my privilege to see what was be-
ing done in hydro-electric DEVELOPMENT
and transmission at Spokane, Wash.
where the current is carried up to $50
miles with loss of not more than 1870
in transmission. This month | was in
Western city where a traction company
has just made a ten year contract for
current delivered 100 miles over trans
mission line at the price of ell of a cent
per X. w. That contract by the way
closed down the Traction Coinpany's IA
million dollar power housa. Conditions
here of course are not what they are
. there. We have ice. less even flow of
water, more difficult conditions as affect
but think what it would mean If event
ually in our Maine cities and towns the
small factory could amply to- the electric
company to have wire run in and get
electric current even at 112c to &c per *.
w
While it is known by many of MS that
Names water power resources are large.
doubt If the relative importance of our
State in this respect is understood
Gov. Fernald in a recent address stated
that at the present time not more than
1-6 of the available water power Of our
state is being developed. Mr.. NJ. o.
Leighton, Chief photographer Of the L.
s. Geological Survey. places Maine for
the year 1905 third among the states of
the Union In the amount Of horse power
generated by water. New York being first,
California second. the amount that year
generated in Maine being about 81 mil
lion horse power Mr.. Leighton IS au-
thority for the statement that last year
there was in use in the Unit a States -
Not all of this power could bn supplied
from water power plants, Int at a CON
servative estimate from the available
water powers Of the country within
present limits Of efficient transmission.
40 Of the steam power couid@ he re-
placed with water power. thereby saving
for other and future uses the fuel CON
Sumed. The amount Of fuel thus eaved
would be at least 20 million tons of coal
or it's equivalent When this il conid-
cred in connection with the additional
fact that the consumption of coal in the
United States In 1875 30 million tong
and in 1891 vas 40 million tons. suggest
ing the possibility that the coal of the
country will ere long he entirely con-
stunned or will surely cost much more
on account of its scarcity. the conclm-
sion is forced upon our minds that thu
State OF Maine with its great total vol
urne Of inland water In its rivers. streams
and lakes constantly grayitatipg to the
ocean. must become one of the great in
dustrial localities of the future.
There is one danger The ease. safety.
and economy in transmitting electricity
ut high voltage oyer long distances NAV
strip Maine OF this new economic energy
TO the npbnlding and prosperity OF bfher
states and communities and her own.