The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-07-19
IMMENSE WATER POWER.

I The tremendous power plant or the
great dam in the Mississippi river at
keokuk, Iowa, draws attention to the
importance of water power in a prac-
tical way that would have amazed the
| Fathers of the Republic, and that
would have been marvel Of achieve
ment even a generation ago, but which
is now put into operation almost with.
out comment, and as mere matter
Of course. 1t has been stated that New
York has the cheapest system of power
from coal of any city in the United
States; but here is proposition that
gives TO St. Louis, and may eventually
give also TO Chicago, q power that is
Of mere fractional cost compared with
The cheapest power supplied from coal.
On the first day of the present month
the great power system developed by
the KeokuIl dam in the Mississippi riv-
or began TO manufacture energy and
10 supply st. Louis, 1ii miles away.
with power nj n much cheaper rate
than it could possibly be furnished by
the cheapest coal development posi-.
ble.
This great dam supplies 100000 horse
power to ST. Louis under a ninety nine
year contract to the st. Louis public
utilities. The total power estimated
to be made available from that opera
tion is double the amount now con
tracted in st. Louis. a further devcl-
opment OF this power system estimates
vet further increase of onethird in
the power TO he developed, making
total OF 100000 horse power. The dam
and weir across the river were built at
an enormous cost of energy and money.
But now that the work is done, and
the great power house on the Iowa
side Of the river has begun its distri
button of The electric energy, returns
nvill he remunerative, because of It's
cheapness and case of application. The
dam is % feet high and 45Gs feet long
On the Iowa side there is big lock
aud dry dock. The steamers that navi.
gate the Mississippi will be put through
this lock. and above the dam there is
a run Of sixty-fve miles of slack water
navigation. So that navigation is really |
helped instead OF retarded by this great !
dam. The Rapids at that point have |
always been obstructive to navigation. |
in low water, but now there |
viii be no low water season on the
upper Mississippi so far as these rap |
ids are concerned. for the dam and the |
back water from il make navigation |
easy at that point, where it was for
uerlv most difficult
The United States government in
lS71 put in canal and small lock OF |
hat point: but the government work |
was insignificant compared with that
II the Mississippi River Power Com
)any 5 plant, which superseded the old |
government work. The whole scheme
vas splendidly carried out. at a cost
u $25,000,000. and undoubtedly while |
being of the highest service to naviga-
ion. 1t will be an immensely profitable |
Investment for the stockholders of the
company. There is no question but
hat in the great Mississippi Valley
where easy transmission Of power is
% be had the demand for the power
developed by this dam will take all Of
he energy which it can supply.
Other portions Of the United States
llso. offer immensely valuable opportu-
lites for the utilization of water pow
n. and the dream Of the railroad man,
who a decade ago suggested that the
ranscontlnental railroads would in time
be operated by electric energy in place
IF coal, may before many years be-
.ome a reality.