Enterprise news-record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1910-1911, 1911-02-04
ELECTRICITY MAY
SAVE COAL SUPPLY
WIZARDS WORKING ON
SCHEME OF CONSERVATION
Would Convert Coal Into Electric
Juice at Mines and Deliver 1t To
Consumers-Would Utilize By-Pro-
ducts.

/
Of electricity to save our rapidly de-
creasing coal supply for future gen.
erations. Not only does the harness.
ing of the waterpowers Of the coun- |
try mean the saving of millions of
tons of coal which otherwise would
have to be burned for power purposes,
but it is possible to save nearly
hundred million tons of coal every
year by burning our coal at the
mouths of the mines and retailing
electricity instead Of coal. This the
ory was long since advanced by
Thomas A. Edison and Charles p.
Steinmetz of the General Electric
company, but only recently, with the
end of our coal supply already in sight
has the thought been taken up by
other men.
The plan is to convert our coal into
electrical energy at few centers only
and retail 1t in the form of electricity
to every one who now burns coal
throughout the country. On the face
of it this looks like tremendous un-
dertaking, but so 1t is a tremendous
undertaking for the railroads to trans
port the millions and millions of tons
of coal which now must be hauled
/ across the face of the continent. In
this day of electrical development 1t
is possible to transmit electrical en-
ergy over long distances with very
} little loss. Plants are now being src-
cessfully operated which transmit en-
ergy at high pressure over the coun-
try distances from 100 to 900 miles.
If this plan of burning our coal al
the mines was adopted we would save
: all the by-products of the coal which
; are now being wasted. We would alst
save annually nearly hundred mil
, lion tons of coal. The fertilizer by
product of the coal could be used IL
agriculture and thus increase the fer
tility Of our soil, increasing its pro
ductivity fully twenty per cent.
1t is figured that we would run al
our motor vehicles on the oils save
and make good roads with the ia
which is now wasted.
Summarizing the position, it ma
safely be said that wherever coal, ga
= or power are now used, everythin
d for which they are used will be bette
e done when electricity is the mediur
/ of application.
a Hardly less in Importance in the al
n electric scheme is the question Of tn
n by-products which become availabl
> by the proper use of our coal. Thes
Q, consist principally Of fixed nitrogen
o. together with tar and oils.
D Fixed nitrogen in the forms of su
phate of ammonia, nitrate of soda an
g. nitrate of lime are most valuable fe
l. tilizers, and enable land continual
as to produce the same crop with
IS greatly increased yield per acre. Mut
er has been done in finding out how
a best utilize these artificial fertilizer
1g but no doubt great deal more W
ly be done in this direction. and fertili
p ers will be prepared, with fixed nitr
ke gen as their principal constituei
r. which best suit the particular so
ad and crops that it is desired to de
se with.
IL As there must be an enormous d
ly. velopment in the way of motor ira
x tion, oil by-products will become me
sir important. The necessity for labe
n saving appliances USED IN -agricultu
ek must add greatly to the number
- motors which cannot, according
present knowledge, be replaced
electricity, and these, no doubt, wor
be made to burn the heavier o
which would be produced as a p'
ith of the coal by-products.
Considering the general effect of
In; all-electric scheme, in which, with
he small exception, the whole of the CT
not used is turned into electricity,
did first important effect would be
ley saving of some S0.000,000 to 5000
len 900 tons Of coal year. AS we sho,
produce the whole of our food
lad quirements, we should not have to
will port our capital in the form Of c
ep- to help pay our food bill. In this W
SIT by making these two savings,
could prolong the useful life. Of I
coal measures two and a half tin
hat and still have 2o.00o.o00 tons Of c
Ier. year available for the use Of
attic steamships over and above the c
? required here.
but The saving of labor now emplo.
the in mining the vast amounts Of c
low which we now waste or send abro
rli- and also the labor employed in ira
Is porting this coal and using 1t for
His the various purposes for which II
I It now required. together with the la
or employed In cleaning up and gett
tent rid of the effects Of burning coal
ito cording to our present methods, wo
sey. be available for additional manui
turing of articles now imported.
Cheap electricity would gre'
Ill stimulate all manufacturing op'
tions. which would. in turn. enable
lila. bor To be much better remunera