The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-02-04


| ,lge companies. ca: line compan'
| HI Fnl'inan com.,sn
| ;hink His iepcrt & C"m"tss'on
ue viii furnish all the data ne:es
Try to convince you that there is a
great deal OF business being done BY
public service corporations in West
Virginia which ought 10 be regulated
In other words by companies not un
der the control and supervision Of thu
interstate Commerce Commission. III
he opinion of some people the only
business that needs to be regulate
! that of railroad companies. With
this | do not agree. think it is just
as important that we regulate water
companies, electric light companies
telegraph and telephone companies
street car companies, and oil and gat
companies. Every citizen of Yves;
Virginia is more or less interested In
the business of one Or more OF thes'
public service corporations and Is err
titled 10 receive from such corpora
tons a reasonable service compensa
ton. and take it that nothing mort
is expected and nothing less ought tc
be given. repeat what have otter
said that proper commissions is in
( the interest of both the corporation
and the patron and as an evidence Of
that fact it is indisputablc that nc
State Of the Union has ever taken E
backward step in this matter Nc
State has ever created such com
mission and then abolished it, ant
there has never been any demand fol
sr,h abolition upon the part OF either
tho corporation or the public Gen
tlemen, West Virginia needs such c
commission and 1t is within your pow.
er TO create the same at this session
Of the Legislature and trust and be-
lievC you will do so.
Water Power
| In addition 10 the reasons that have
heretofore been given for the crea
ton OF public service commission, ]
desire to call your special attention
to the undeveloped water power o.
West Virginia and the efforts that are
now being made to utilize this power.
wish / knew what the possible water
power OF this State is; but ! do not.
A Conservation Commission appointed
by Ex-Governor W. NJ. o. Dawson in
1908, OF which Hon. HUI Maxwell, now
of the Forestry Department at Wash.
ington, was chairman. and Hon. Jas.
n. Stewart was secretary, in speak
ing Of cur water power said this:
West Virginia has a very liberal
, share OF this resource. It's money
value cannot be estimated except at
SO much per horsepower. Taking that
at $4,000 n year. the full develop.
ment would pay six per cent on a cap
italization OF 100000"
From the best information can OBJ
tain the possible. water power OF the
rivers and streams Of West Virginia
is not less than 100000 horsepower,
and II the potential water power o.
the State is estimated to be 2,000,'
ono horsepower and It was converted
into electric current It would mean
practically 100000 kilowatts and II
this power we're used 300 days in the
year at one per cent as an average
rate per killowatt hour its total annual
value would be $4,000. These are
not my figures but those given me by
competent authority.
To show you that the figures above
given ara not exaggerated It Is report
ed on good authority that the stream
power from Mt. Shasta Go the Teha'
chapic In California, . distance Of GOO
miles is capable Of producing 1000,
900 horsepower OF electric energy
equivalent TO l0C, 100000 tons OF cc1l
Per annus.
desire also TO call your attention
| 10 an address delivered By VIM. S.
Harvey Of the American Forestry rs
ISOLATION at the Conference Of Gov
crnorG in Washington In May 1906, in
which he makes the .emarka'ale state
mrnt that the development OF 3,O00,'
900 horsepower would mean u say
| inS In the cost CT power fQr manutac'
turing purposes CT not less than $500
por horsepower, or IN average Saving
10 the people Of the Appalachian re-
gion alone OF s45,OOO.000 each year.
and adds this Statement.
THAT means that We would have
that advantage over those In other
countries With whom We have TO COM
pntc in marketing our gcths. lt.w
had M advantage in marketing our
goods, either In excellence or quaint
! " or In cheapness OF production, It
simply would mean that ,\merh.an IL
Dor would be reduced 10 the labor o.