The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-08-03
WHAT ELECTRICITY
"a IS DOING IN WEST

The representatives of the CONSOLIDATE
ed Gas Electric Light and Power Com
pany have just returned from the annual
convention of the National Electric Light
Association at Seattle, Wash. They are
Douglass Burnett, commercial manager,
and R. H. Tillman, industrial engineer,
both of the electric division.
The G i and Electric Co. sent these
men Yves. in order to learn fully of the
developments in the past year in the cleo
trical industry, so that any new i'm
provements or suggestions might be ap-
piled in promoting the service of the
company to it's patrons in Baltimore,
and also for the purpose of informing
the electric central station people in
other cities of the progressive move
ments now under way here The meet
ings at Seattle occurred from June 10 to
IA, and on the way west the rapidly de-
veloping communities, including Vic
toria and Vancouver and other points of
interest in the Canadian Northwest were
visited. On the return trip inspections
were made at Tacoma, Portland, San
Francisco, Salt Lake City, Colorado
Springs, Denver. st. Joseph and st. Louis
Messrs. Burnett and Tlllman report
that wonderful development in the use
of electric service for Industrial resi-
dence and other purposes is in progress
and that the demand for the use of cleo
trio power and lighting is very rapidly
increasing The increase compares very
favorably with that which has been TAX
ing place in recent times in Baltimore,
where the economy and convenience of
electric service is fully appreciated.
Western communities are now being
served very generally by the water
powers that are available. In one i'm
portant respect, however, conditions in
Baltimore represent a considerable i'm
provement in that the water power cleo
trio service in Baltimore is guaranteed
by ample reserve equipments in general
ing and storage battery stations. m the
Western cities there is no such protec
tion against possible failure of the
\ alter supply through shortage of water,
or through line interruptions. 1t may be
said that Baltimore has the most perfect
service that it is possible to maintain
1t was interesting 10 pass unrough
many communities which depend abso-
lutely for their actual existence upon
electric power for pumping and irrigat-
ion. Valleys formerly growing nothing
but sage brush have been converted into
fruit bearing orchards, commanding val
ues of two to three thousand dollars an
acre through the application of electric
power. This is another demonstration
of the wonderful development of com
munities that comes from the use of
electric power which facilitates manu-
featuring and even the growing of the
food necessities of life.
The people in the West seem to hest
tate at nothing. In Seattle the high hills
that prevented the expansion of the city
were washed down, 50 as to permit OF
building operations, and IS acres " lana
across the har0or have been recla imcd
with the soil and will be used for dock
purposes Seattle is eXpanG.us INTO the
neighboring communities, notwiIhstand-
ing that the hills running back FROM the
water front are of such grades as to re
quire the use of cable cars for ordinary
passenger service In communities
where what water under pressure from
the neishboring mountains is not avail
able. electric pumps are installed and
sluicing operations are conducted to re-
grade the slopes for purposes of build
ing and construction, locations of rail-
roads and manufacturing plants. The
lesson of these observations is that per
sons in the East should be more willing
to take radical steps to make improve
ments in conditions and should not hest
tate at Obstacles