Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-15

probably 1000 Horsepower more un-
/ developed.
Practically similar conditions ex-
/ ist in Montana. Colorado. Georgia and
/ Ut Niagara Falls
! More important than this local GER
! trtlization, the Commissioner declares,
! are the operation of ten large groups
! pf interests which possess control or
| influence over l.S2100n developed
| horsepower about 10 per cent. OF the
! commercial water power in the United
| States together with t,li2oh0 horse
j power undeveloped
Ehe General Elecleie interests the
report declares control or influence
/ $4,000 horsepower OF developed water
| power in eighteen different states and
| G4n.n00 horsepower of undeNcluped re-
/ sources. a grand total Of over mil
| lion and :, half horsepower, Next,
are the Stone and Webster interests
/ the report continues. which either
own on strongly Influence $4,000 horse
| power chiefly in connection with pub
! lie service concerns. They exercise
| control, largely through management,
. rather than own, rship, over 80 or so
companies Eight have waterpuwer,
the largest being uu the Mississippi
River and in the puget sound region.
The other groups are the Hydrau
lie Power Co. of Niagara Falls lt4000
horsepower the FaciHe Gas and Elec-
trio Company. with over 1lSoae horse
power developed aud the dominating
factor IN a large portion of California
the group known as the MacClark-
Foote HodenpyI-N alhridge interests.
f0i69o horsepowef. largely dominating
file water power situation in Michigan
and also active ia Maine and Oregon;
the Southern Po#eI Company. lei 600
horsepower which owns the great bulk
of The commercially developed power
in South Carolina the $ Morgan
Smith Interests Georgia. 1600o horse
power; The Brady interests (Tennes-
see1 10000 horsepower; The United
Missouri River Power Company. 65,-
zoe horsepower which with the
Butte Electric Power Company teen
eral Electric Cfranpp practically domi-
mates the power situation III Montana
and the Tulleride Power Company
colorado Idaho and titam $4,000
horsepower The last named nine in
terests also include under their in
iiuenee So, 900 horsepower Hndeyel-
oped.
Carrying the community of interests
te wider rang the report continues,
these great groups show mere or less
relationship with each other. The
two greatest, the General Electric and
the Stone and webster groups, have
directors in a number of the same
corporations" it is added, and the 5.
Morgan Smith Westinghouse and
ed"
Discussing san increasing utilization
OF water power concerns and public
service companies the Commissioner
says.
t"The companies IN the General i1lec-
trio Group control street railways in
JIG towns. electric lighting plants in
IS, and gas plants in ~. Altogether.
water power or allied companies own
or control and operate street railways
in III towns. electric lighting plants
III 669 towns and gas plants in rs
towns
The reasons fer this are obvious
Control of the chief consumers eff
power both insnres market for pow
or end excludes others. This eonuee-
ton between great power groups and
the agencies that directly serve the
public is of serious public signif-
canoe"
Regarding Mteflocking direeterates
Mr.. Smith says
"A more general relationship of
sort not peculiar to water power. but
nevertheless at broad public signif-
canoe. is best illustrated in the Cen
eral Electric Company. Men who are
officers or directors in that company,
or of its three wholly controlled sub
salaries. are also officers and direct
ors in many other corporations These
other companies, with their subsidiar-
les and with the General Electric and
its subsidiaries, make a far-reaching
group thus interconnected by active
personal and financial relationship
This one gR1up of interrelationslIips
controls OF Influences "A corporations
that operate hydroelectric plants; over
80 public-service corporations. not
counting as many minor subsidiaries
more than a dozen rail roads; numer-
GUS Industrial corporations. and. final
", over 50 banks and financial houses,
many Of them in the first rank of inn
pprtance About % General Electric
men in al constitute most Of this
chain Of connection, three of those be-
ing members of the firm Of j. p. Nor
gan x Co. which is generally regard
cd as the dominant interest in the
General Electric Company, These
connections in no sense always mean
control BY the General Electric Co, or
even identity Of policy. They do, how
ever. mean = striking degree of com
mnnity Of interest"
from Now York to New Haven. ran