The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-06-20

cent VI TIC anu Urine itsS
than 81 per cent Of the maximum as
figured out by the government ex-
perts. The amount OF power these
plants are capable OF producing IL fully
developed is about ~ per cent OF the
minimum and about H per cent OF the
maximum. AT the present time New
England has total OF thirty-one cora
mercial plants in operation And yet.
despite this fact and the fact that 25
per cent OF the power In her manufac-
turing establishments Is water power,
taking the mean OF these figures II
would appear as II. roughly speaking.
she had availed herself OF not more
than half OF her water power.
Hydroelectric development must OF
necessity have It's limitations. The
practical limit OF transmission for the
current generated by this method was
recently placed by one OF the leading
engineers OF the country at 200 miles.
The expense OF these transmission
lines must needs be great. requiring,
as they do. a superior type OF con-
struction TO carry the high voltage ca
bles and a protected right OF way
through the country. In the case OF
one Massachusetts company. the New
England Power company, a strip $50
feet in width has been cleared for its
transmission lines. IL is obvious there
fore that that region is placed at the
greatest advantage whose water pow
er is the best distributed.
Great as may be the collective water
power OF a state IL is at a decided dis
advantage so far as it's attractiveness
10 "a aNft tS
trated at one spot like Niagara. IL is
450 miles from Niagara TO New York
In New England there is probably no
populous center more than $50 miles
from some large power site. In short
in no other part OF this country Is the
water power so we'll distributed for in
dustrial use as here. 1t offers a rare
field for the development OF hydro
electric power plants because all over
New England these great water power
sites are found near a market. or New
England can IL be said that today she
has greater asset in her water power
than Pennsylvania in her coalfields.
While hydroelectrio development is
comparatively new. capital has not
been slow in seeking this form OF in
vestment in this region. as is shown
by the total OF her plants in operation
and under construction. only few
OF the manufacturing states have de-
veloped power commercially to the ex-
tent OF Maine or Massachusetts,.
In the New England Power company
Massachusetts has by far the largest
single development in the New Eng
land states. IL is the largest develop
ment east OF Niagara, covering three
states in It's operations. Today with
four plants in operation II is develop
ing 10000 horsepower. Eventually IL
will have eight plants in operation with
a total output Of power amounting to
200, 900 horsepower.
The electrical energy to b. furnished
by this company in 1914 will replace
annually 225,000.0O0 tons OF coal
All told this development will repre-
sent an investment amounting 10 over
100000 Today this company is
moving cars in Worcester and will
soon be supplying power TO the trolley
lines OF Fitchburg 1t is running cot
ton mills in Clinton and Fitchburg.
wire mills and car works in Worcester,
is supplying current for the lighting OF
Fitchburg. Gardner and Marlborough
and is selling power to lots OF local
electric companies in smaller towns
throughout a wide area Its operations
cover a zone reaching from Keene, ~.
H.. to Monson and Uxbridge. in south
ern Massachusetts,. Eventually it's
lines will reach as far south as Plain
field. Conn, and Providence, r. l.
This plant was finished in January.
1910. It's output In 1912 amounted to
100000 kilowatt hours. The other
plants OF the New England Power
company are located on the Deerfield
river. which. rising In the Green
mountains OF Vermont empties into
the Connecticut at Greenfield, Mass.
The great problem connected with this
development was the creation OF a
storage reservoir Of sufficient sire to
tide over the low water season. One
storage basin has already been con-
structed and work has been begun on
second which will impound alto
gether 55,000,000 gallons OF water. thus
insuring an adequate supply OF water
for the power plants throughout even
the driest summer. There are now
three OF these plants completed and in
operation on the Deerheld river. each
containing three generators with the
capacity OF 5000 horsepower each.
One plant is located two miles above
the town OF Shelburne Falls, another
is opposite the village. and the third
two miles below IL. Within a short
time a fourth plant will be completed
on the river just above the Hoosac
tunnel, with a capacity Of 10000
horsepower.
Ultimately this company expects TO
develop 10o,o 900 horsepower on the
Deerfeld river alone.
To carry this great load It's miles OF
transmission lines are now In use or
being erected. These lines are built
on their own right OF way and can be
seen for miles around.
Second only 20 this development is
that OF the Turner'S Falls company.
promoted by the Cabot and Crocker
interests OF Boston. At Turner's Falls