Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-12-24

third Of a cent per kilowatt hour. But
even with its cost approximately that
of steam, with coal at it's present price,
it cannot be doubted that the region
possessing a large and we'll distributed
supply of such power is going to prove
attractive to industry, and particularly
to new enterprises, by reason OF the
fact that through it's use there is saved
to the manufacturer a large percent
age of his capital which would other
wise have to be expended in steam
plant. This saving can be used to en-
large the size of the plant and increase
its capacity. Consequently with the
completion of even a few of such hy-
droelectric stations as are now being
erected New England should see
growth in her industries, though these
plants encroach but little on her po-
tential water power.
That New England has long recog-
nized the friendly power of her streams
and been a leader in developing such
power by the old methods in vogue
before the present age of electricity is
shown by the figures. The total de-
veloped water power Of the country at
the present time was estimated by the
commissioner Of corporations in his
recent report dt dDOUl OOOV,UVU HOISo-
power OF this New England had
about So per cent, New York go Min
nesota and Wisconsin II and South
Carolina 8. The minimum potential
water power-that is, all the power
lodged in the lakes and streams of the
entire country-was placed at 1885,
| 900, including that already under de-
velopment.' The maximum was placed
| OF ho
ton congress it was estimated that the
| amount would mean the saving of
500. 600, 900 tons Of coal.
! According to the census figures. more
than two-fifths of the total power de-
rived from water wheels by manufac-
turing establishments is found in New
England. More than one-quarter OF
the total power of all kinds used in
New England's many factories is sup
piled by water wheels. No such show
ing is to be found anywhere else in the
United States. II this showing has
been made with the old form Of power
transmission, revealing as it does how
readily her rivers by reason of thei1
great fall and flow have lent them
selves to mans purposes in this re-
spect, what must be the opportunities
for her Industrial growth in the new
method of Harvesting the stream, 6
method by which the power repre-.
4 sented by the rivers fall is taken ant
converted into electrical energy ane
distributed throughout a territor!
many miles in extent!
Today no longer does man have tt
come to the stream and build his plan
at the brink of the fall. Instead h,
brings the power to him. Here is {
method by which the plunging water
are led tamely through tunnel or cana
so that the force of their fall ma.
move mighty dynamos, a method b.
which the hand of man, SO to speak
reaches out and, wrestling the powe
from the river, uses it to run his mills
light his streets and move his trolle,
cars, though these may be a hundFe
miles and more away. And yet thi
} new method is practically in its in
fancy.
The following table gives the amour
, OF water power her plants are develop
, ing today and what they are capabI
, of, a distinction being made betwee
those establishments designed to Sc
t power for commercial purposes an
those run in connection, with manufac
krrr la