The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-06-16

The problem of Harvesting our rivers /
and utilizing their power to move the
wheels of commerce and industry is
today a subject Of ever increasing
study, and it is one fraught with ire
mendous importance to the future of
New England.
The increase in the price of coal the
fact, as shown by biologists reports,
that our coal supply is not inexhaust-
ible. particularly the supply of anthra-
cite, have turned our thoughts to the
river, have bade us try to avail our
selves Of its friendly flow and utilize
the enormous energy which it repre-
sents.
The increased attention given to this
subject resulted a few years ago in the
geological survey making a careful ex-
animation of the country's water pow
er, and year ago the bureau of cor
porations revised and extended the
work 80 as to show the extent to which
water power has up till now been utiI-
lied The report of the commissioner
OF corporations, for one thing pointed
out that the great bulk of the water
power of the country was on its edges
in other words. that New England.
New York and Pennsylvania and a few
south Atlantic states, together with
the Pacific, contained pretty much all
that there was of it.
The following are the principal riv-
ers whose potential water power is so
important to New England and which
should make it pre-eminentIy the
place for manufacturing opportunities:
ST. Croix River, Maine.
Total fall 426 feet in SOY miles; drainage
area, 1874 square miles maximum rate OF
al n faa Ia of aCrIJa NaI1S
Penohscot River, Maine.
Total fall 500 feet in 200 miles; drain
age area, 1894 square miles; maximum
rate of fall, 1877 feet per mile at Chesun
cook lake.
kennebec River, Maine.
Total fall 1923 feet in 1873 miles; drain
age area 6,4oO square miles; maximum
rate of fall, 147 feet per mile near Moose
head lake (source).
Androsooggin River, Maine.
Total fall 2,225 feet in 1879 miles; drain
age area, 1858 square miles; maximum
rate of fall, 4S1 feet per mile near Magal
loway lake (source)-
saeo River, Maine.
Total fall 1880 feet in 104 miles; maxi
mum rate of fall, 946 feet per mile at o
near source; drainage area, 1850 squar
miles.
Merrimac River, New Hampshire ant
massa chusetts.
Total fail 269 feet in 10 miles; maximum
rate of fan, $40 feet per mile at Manches
ter, n. H; drainage area, 4,S64 squar
miles
Contocook River (Branch of the Mer
rimac).
Total fall S65 feet in IS miles; maximum
rate of fall 700 feet per mile at Benning
ton, n. H. drainage area included i
Merrimac)
Connecticut River.
Total fall 2O38 feet in 375 miles; max
mum rate of fall, 34.3 feet per mile q
Connecticut lake; drainage area, III
square miles.
HOusatonic River.
Total fan $50 feet in 128 miles; maximum
rate of fall, 1914 feet per mile at Fal
Village, Conn; drainage area, 1888 squal
miles
Labor is generally more plentiful
particularly skilled labor, where tn
conditions of living are the best, wheI
there is the best environment for TT
home. the best educational advantage
It is for reasons such as these tn;
New England has such a large pOpuli
ton of skilled mechanics. 1t is for the!
reasons THAI years ago it became q
industrial region almost without ecu
in this country; hence it must be tn
with the development of the enormol
power lodged in her streams and
conversion into electrical energy pc
aib1e of transmission over an extend,
area there should be no question b
that this region is to be the scene
great industrial expansion through L
superior advantages it will thus off
tc. manufacturers.
Hydroelectric power-the power
the flowing stream converted into eLe
trical energy through the use OF tu
bines-may not be cheaper than stea
in some places, for it's cost to the CO
sumner varies with conditions. 1t 81
dom runs higher than steam and
many instances much fOwer-as, for
stance, at Rumford Falls, in Mai
where the power of the river thus &C
verted is supplied to nearby manufs
turing establishments at a cost of