The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-05-29
DILLINGHAM; URGES
WATER DEVELOPMENT
In Address at st. Adams He Described
Vast Possibilities of Water in
Place of Coal.

race OI NOdi.
st. Adams, May Ex-senator William
P. Dillingham; was the guest of honor al
a "get together" supper at the First Con
gregational chapel last night, and deliv
cred an address on immigration, and the
concentration of population in cities. He
spoke of the trend of recent immigration
to the larger centers of population ano
of the concentration of manufacturing
in such centers, but said that this tend.
ency cannot continue indefinitely. After
discussing the changed character of inn
migration in recent years, and the part
immigrant labor has played in the de.
velopment of industry in the United
States, he said in substance:
| Already representatives of great in.
terest are, looking about the country foI
/ favorable manufacturing locations and
in the near future capital will find il
advantageous to plant industries in the
rural sections, where labor conditions
viii be better, and where abundant wa.
ter power will lower the cost of pro-
duction. In recent years much attention
has been given to the development OF
water power and authorities agree that
| 10000 900 of electrical horse power can
be developed by the proper conservation
of the streams in the United States
| Authorities also state that one horse
/ power equals five tons of coal per an
mum, and if this be so our streams, ii
adequately developed and the water
properly conserved, would relieve indus
try from the purchase of l50,000,000 tons
OF coal annually.
| The annual cost of fuel and power
used in the manufactures of New Eng
land alone is approximately $50,000,000
and if that amount could be saved for
period of eight years the total would
equal the cost of the Panama canal.
Massachusetts, alone pays $28,000,0O0 an
nually for fuel and power and if that
could be saved for Is years the state
could well afford to pay for the canal.
1t has been estimated by engineering
experts that if the waters of Vermont
are properly conserved they are capable
of developing 100000 electrical horse
power. According to the last United
States census of manufactures, the value
of manufactured products equaled 81 .l52
per horsepower installed, while the year
ly wages paid amounted to S24S per
horsepower. Reduce the possible electri-
cal power that might be developed from
Vermont streams to 100000 of horse
power, instead of the estimated 1000 900,
and it is found. according to the census
reckoning, that such power would give
employment to men and women earning
S24s, 100000, or Ia times as much as at
present, while there could be produced
from its use manufactured goods valued
at 81 ,l52 100000, or about 1879 times the
value of our present product.
Prior to 1910 no government or state
expert had ever reported upon the un.
developed power in the Deerfield river,
and yet men OF cautious judgment have
ventured to expend 81 100000 in CON
structng a reservoir at the head of that
stream which stores all of the water
from 40 square miles of surrounding ter
ritory. This reservoir, ii is said, is ca
pable of storing 2.500,000,000 cubic feet
OF water. The minimum flow of the
Deerfield river in dry seasons is only 10
cubic feet per second. and without stor-
age that measures the value of the
stream for power purposes. With stor-
age, 1t is said, the minimum flow of
the stream will be raised to 300 cubic
feet per second, and therefore its power
will be increased 80 fold.
III the conservation of this stream re-
suits in the development of 100000 cleo
trical horsepower, it will be equivalent
to having coal mine in Windham eoun-
ty producing annually 100000 tons of
coal, which product if valued at "a per
ton would amount to S2000,000 annually.
Moreover, the utilization of this power
on the basis referred to would yield S24,-
100000 in wages. and produce goods to
the value OF Sll5,000,000
If the streams of Vermont can be
made to produce 100000 electrical
horsepower, as estimated, they will be
as valuable as coal mines producing TO-
100000 tons OF fuel, which at S. a ton
would be equal in value to all the fuel
now used for manufacturing purposes in
New England.
Other states are adopting measures to
their natural resources. Penn
sylvania taxes coal mined in that state
for use in other states. Oklahoma has
attempted by legislation to prevent the
shipment of oil beyond her borders, and
Maine and New Hampshire are trying to
preserve their water power for home use.
Vermont has already attempted to pro-
vide for the demands of her own people |
before permitting the transmission of |
power to other states, but in view of the |
tremendous possibilities it would seem
that the state ought to make thorough |
study of the problem and adopt policy |
Of development which viii bring within |
her borders those great industries which |
IRE seeking locations where power is |
available at reasonable cost, and where |
because of the reign of law and order |
business may be peaceably conducted.
Such a scheme of development would
nave its legal problem because of the
riparian rights of mill site owners, but |
t has been suggested that the state
night assume the cost and maintenance
If reservoirs at the head of streams on
/ contract basis with the owners of mill
'ites as to the price which should be
,aid by such owners for improved faciI-
ties, and so work out system through
which all the water power within our
,orders can be utilized.
1t has been suggested. also, that this
S scheme in which the general gov
,rnment not only has a great interest
nut in the development of which it ought
o have a part, inasmuch as the storage
# water will result in an increased flow
# navigable streams over which the fed