Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-01
Water Power IN Peril.

Water Power in Peril.
The conservation movement has en-
bfaced a wide variety of topics, but
none Of greater importance than that
OF water power. In the current Techni-
cal World. Judson O. WelIfvrr writes
Of the attempts now being made by the
water power trust 10 obtain control
Of all available sites This trust" is
no ethereal bugaheo. 1t IS an actuali-
", Of 1T least as much Of a one as
could be brought about by a .tcommu-
nifty af interests" and mtcrlocIffne di-
rectorates. gf which We have heard so
much Of late. The possible power con-
tanned in cur streams and waterfalls
is almost beyond comprehension. IN
dustlY in The United States uses about
.oMo, 60=horse pOWer=gls, steam and
annually. The available mini
mum amount of water power is placed
/ at 36,996,o0e that is. Tie power product
bic 1T periods Of lowest water. such as
/ the dead Of winter The m9ximum
without the construction of storage
, reservoirs, which would prevent floods
and aid navigation, IN addition to in
ereasing the water power supply, is
| estimated by the hydfographie bureau
as 200, 00o900
Within the last few years the finan-
cial interests have awakened To the
vast wealth Of such possessions. They
seem, as yet, to be about the only
ones awake: it is To awaken others
that the cry. Protect the water power
is being raised throughout the country
Water power white coaIf- is the
coming power Of tits country. 1t is
generally distributed, not q section cf
the country being without a potential
power stream. Electricity is the pro-
duct of water power. md electric pow
er can he transported Ereat distances
Electricity is spreading into every de-
rartment Of industry 1t operates fac
tories, runs railroads. heats or homes
ana lights buildings. Eventually ii Will
furnish tie power it is predicted, for
everything done by machinery. no
snow how water power is regarded by
great mon, We are reminded int years
ago II. II. Hartman. perhaps the great
est railroad iinaLcier this country has
known. predicted that some day-and
that not far distant railroads would
be operated hy electricity, and that TIL"
entire west would be transformed
through the agency Of the current sent
out from water power stations Now
the Chicago, Milwaukee & Paul is pre-
pairing to electrity its system from the
Mississippi to the coast. other roads
expect t. do likewise.
In 1905 the commissioner Of corpora
tons reported that OF the developed
power 1T that time % per cent WAS con
trOlled by thirteen companies. In the
ensuing four years the total develop
ment increased "a per cent, and 90 per
cent of the whole output was controlled
by only six interests. The development
OF water power takes money and it
takes intelligence Many Of us may
have some intelligence. but few have
enough money. That is what eompH-
Gates the water power question. y
brilliant engineer, Henry l.. Cooper,
studying the Mississippi rapids 1t keo-
kuk, Ia. decided that il was one of the
finest power sites in the world. He in
terested the stone < Webster firm. of
RostGn Money was Forthcoming and
as Il result power dam outriValing
that of the Nile at Assuan has been
constructed. The Stone 4 Webster
Company has in its control the power
for a region having Il radius If two
hundred miles, and the company is I'M
| der no obligations 10 state or to nation
as to prices or control.
Mr. WelhVer mentions the discovery
of the money trust. and how it has
been revealed by means of inteflocklng
directorates The water power trust
| is the money trusts fayorite sister, and
the father of both is the house of Nor
gan The greatest active limb of the
water power interests is The General
Electric Company. dominated by ]. j..
Morgan & Co. The General Electric
has working agreement with the
| Westinghouse and with the other limbs
| that really are worth considering.
Among these is the stone < Webster
concern already mentioned These in
| terests with common directors, are
going out after the water power sites
and unless something is done very soon
our water power will be gone and it
will be another Humpty- Dumpty task
| to get it back again
The dispute that is delaying action
as to water power sites is the old one
of states rights There are two safes
| in which to put our water powers
state control and federal control. Fed
eral control is the stronger. But either
one is better than none. The govern
| ment should select one, and guarantee
to MI the people their rightful heri-
taee. the water power supply of this
country. indianapolis News.